Jacinta Oakley

Centring the knowledge and expertise of people with cognitive disabilities in organisational research and practice: what does participation look like?
A headshot of Jacinta smiling at the camera. She has short brown hair and wears a brown floral shirt.

Jacinta’s research explores how organisations engage people with cognitive disability in participatory research and practice to shape services and programs. In Australia, disability-sector reforms, advocacy, policy directives, and increased funding have created strong imperatives for organisations to adopt participatory approaches. Despite this, people with cognitive disability often remain excluded, and organisational practices are still poorly understood. By identifying barriers and enablers to meaningful involvement, Jacinta aims to build knowledge that supports inclusive, participatory practice.


Drawing on her experience in accessibility and inclusion, Jacinta’s Master of Philosophy, supervised by Associate Professor Natasha Layton (RAIL, Monash University) and Dr Em Bould (Occupational Therapy Dept, and RAIL Monash University) begins with a scoping review of the existing organisational guidance in Australia. The next phase uses qualitative, inclusive methods - designed with a researcher with lived experience of cognitive disability - to explore the perspectives of people with disability, their supporters, and organisational representatives. These studies aim to build understanding of current practices, challenges, and what ‘good practice’ looks like. Ultimately, Jacinta’s research aims to translate findings into practical, accessible resources that strengthen organisational knowledge and promote meaningful engagement of people with cognitive disability in decisions that impact them.