Communication technologies for focus groups with remote communities: a case study of research with First Nations in Canada

Communication technologies offer qualitative researchers more options for conducting research with remote communities. It is not always possible for researchers to travel to conduct focus groups and interviews in person, especially when travel is prohibitively time-consuming and expensive. This reason is often given to explain the lack of qualitative research with participants living in remote First Nations (Aboriginal) communities in Canada. This manuscript presents a case study of a research method developed in collaboration with our research partner K-Net and KORI (Keewaytinook Okimakanak) in northwestern Ontario. The specific study investigated preferences for online health information for First Nations people living in remote communities. Working with K-Net, we developed a method to use multi-site videoconferencing for focus groups - live visual and audio exchange between the researcher in Ottawa and participants in multiple remote First Nations communities. Our conclusion encourages other researchers to try this innovative method to include more remote First Nations community members in participatory research projects.