Online Participatory Communication Design for Develop Media Creating Positive Attitude Toward Persons with Disabilities

Abstract

This study used qualitative research, by focusing on participatory action research (PAR) with 2 group of participation online and offline group all total 20 key stakeholders, including persons with disabilities (PWDs), evaluated by interpretation. All participants were both selected by purposive sampling and volunteers.  The main objective of the study was to develop media for creating more positive attitudes towards PWDs through their sharing, discussion, and working in the PAR group. The developed media was a short-film named, “Just Blind,” aimed to cultivate general people’s perception towards PWDs as normalcy, diversity, and without excessive admiration as super-heroes through the Emic approach.  From the study, it was found that the dynamic of PAR could increase participants’ awareness, a sense of belonging, empowerment of PWDs, The creation of effective media for enhancing positive attitudes toward PWDs should be conducted by a diversity of stakeholders, including PWDs, and display PWDs’ normal daily life rather than their extreme positive or negative living .The role of participatory communication is the most important process. The role of researcher is not play leader role. Online participatory communication can produce synergy of participants in different physical area. There is no significant difference between online and offline communication content but there is differences in emotional communication. The limitation of online participatory communication for PWDs is the accessibility of the material. Contents comprehension and lack of confidence in communication.