Building Connections: The Impact of Digital Storytelling on Communication and Leadership Skills Among Disabled Young Adults

Digital storytelling has been applied in research in varied contexts and with varied purposes. Implicit in the process of digital storytelling is the potential to develop and/or enhance a range of individual skills (e.g., multimedia, literacy, communication, etc.). However, further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the potential impact of digital storytelling on skill enhancement for disabled youth. This paper provides an overview of Phase 1 of the study “My life. My story: The Youth Digital Storytelling Project” that utilized elements of a community-based participatory action research approach to host a peer-facilitated digital storytelling workshop for young adults with developmental disabilities aimed at capturing and sharing their lived experiences with, knowledge of, and perspectives on significant life-stage transitions in the areas of education, employment, or living. The results from the pre- and post-workshop questionnaires suggest that the participants improved skills in media literacy, communication, and leadership. Additionally, the participants highlighted the importance of considering the delivery format, fostering connections, and enhancing self-confidence in the development of the workshop’s design and delivery. This research adds to the extant literature demonstrating the potential of digital storytelling as a pedagogical tool, offering implications for the design and implementation of online workshops for disabled youth.