A Word from the Director

Collaboration in NIDDR's Employment Research

Employment is an important factor in the lives of many people. While much has been known about employment, limited ability to significantly and permanently improve employment opportunities for America's community of people with disabilities has been demonstrated over time. Research has been funded by NIDRR to study, develop new concepts, and propose improvements in selected areas influencing employment, including policy, assessment, services, assistive technology, and medical rehabilitation. In 1998, as described in the priorities for several new Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs), NIDRR implemented a new initiative addressing employment-related issues.
NIDRR embraced a "new" paradigm of disability by focusing on the role of the built and social environments in the creation of barriers to the full and free participation of individuals with disabilities in their communities. In terms of NIDRR-supported employment research, analysis of this interaction targets potential barriers to employment, such as transportation, accommodations, attitudes, or social policies and programs.

This focus on employment research was further expanded in the draft of NIDRR's Long-Range Plan for 1999-2004, which promotes the impact of research in improving employment outcomes for persons with disabilities. The major directions of future employment-related research highlighted in the draft Long-Range Plan address employment economic policy, community-based employment services, state service systems, workplace supports, and school-to-work transition. These serve as the bases of priorities for six newly-funded employment-focused RRTCs.

John D. Westbrook, Ph.D.
Director, NCDDR

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