The COVID‐19 pandemic has meant a rapid transfer of everyday activities to the online world. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) have become more embedded than ever in people's lives. This investigation addresses how this change has affected the lives of people with intellectual disabilities (ID). A two‐step design was used. A rapid review was conducted on empirical studies published between January 2019 and June 2021. Search terms related to ID, ICT use and COVID‐19. A qualitative international bricolage was also conducted corresponding to author nationalities. Data gathered from the review and bricolage were analysed separately using thematic analysis and relationally synthesised. Digital solutions to provide access to COVID‐19 information and guidance seemed inadequate but were seldom empirically studied. Digital poverty, literacy and exclusion remain significant issues for people with ID internationally. People and their carers experienced reduced and removed service provision, loneliness and impoverished daily lives during the pandemic; amelioration of which was facilitated by digital solutions. One solution often used was videoconferencing. Prior experience of digital participation, adequate finances, connection, support and digital literacy mentoring for both people with ID and those providing services and support facilitated digital inclusion. Digital exclusion during COVID‐19 was exacerbated by sociopolitical, structural, individual and support‐related barriers. Although awareness of digital exclusion appears to have been raised, the extent to which this has led to action and change remains unclear. Despite digital exclusion and digital participation benefitting continuation of life, social and emotional well‐being and autonomy, COVID‐19 has not provided the impetus to eradicate digital poverty for people with ID. Governmental support, digital education, creativity and problem solving are required to enable people with ID the human right to be included in the digital world at this essential time and into the future.

Background: A high sense of subjective well‐being has been associated with more prosocial behaviours, better health, work productivity and positive relationships. The aim of this systematic review was to explore what impact self‐advocacy has on the subjective well‐being of people with intellectual disabilities.Method: The authors reviewed articles focusing on the perspectives of adults with intellectual disabilities engaged with self‐advocacy groups. Searches were performed in PsychINFO, Web of Science, SCOPUS, MEDLINE and CIHNL databases, resulting in 16 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. A framework synthesis approach was used to extract data deductively based on the Dynamic Model of Wellbeing.Results: While self‐advocacy has a positive impact on all domains of the Dynamic Model of Wellbeing, negative impacts associated with participation in a self‐advocacy group were also reported.Conclusions: The benefits of participating in self‐advocacy groups on the well‐being of individuals with intellectual disabilities outweigh the disadvantages.

Background: Mobile technology has the potential to assist adults with intellectual disabilities to initiate and maintain social connections in important areas of their lives, such as family, friends and work/volunteering.Method: The present study investigated how specific aspects of mobile device/app use are associated with the social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. The study also examined what background attributes were associated with particular patterns of mobile device/app use and social inclusion.Results: The findings revealed that the use of mobile technology among adults with intellectual disabilities was positively associated with their social inclusion with family, friends and work/volunteering. There were also some key background attributes associated with participants’ use of mobile technology and the extent to which mobile technology assisted their social inclusion.Conclusions: Implications for practice and policy are discussed.

There has been an increasing body of research on student wellbeing in recent years. Despite this, there is much debate on the notion of student wellbeing, along with a lack of studies focusing on the wellbeing of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 12 studies on the wellbeing of typically developing students were used to identify the domains that comprise student wellbeing. Four studies on the school experiences of students with ASD were also included to investigate how the school experiences of students with ASD relate to the domains of student wellbeing. These articles were located through electronic and hand searches. Eight domains of student wellbeing were identified, along with 8 themes derived from the school experiences of students with ASD. Results support several recommendations for schools to promote the development of the domains of student wellbeing for students with ASD.

Participant-driven photo-elicitation, a visual research technique, is commonly used with marginalised and vulnerable groups of individuals. Reflections on the use of this technique are illustrated through a study examining the conceptualisation of student wellbeing from the perspectives of teachers, parents, and students with autism spectrum disorder. Interviews were used to collect data from teachers and parents, while photovoice, a community and participatory action research strategy, was used as a data collection method for students. Although participant-driven photo-elicitation (a component of photovoice) requires much planning, resources, collaboration with teachers, and the flexibility of the researcher, it empowers and engages students with autism spectrum disorder, helps develop social, communication, and self-awareness skills, enables the collection of rich data, and enables the voices of these students to be heard.