you are here:

NCDDR 2001 Survey Report - Table of Contents

General Information, 2001

Three major groups were surveyed in order to obtain different perspectives about D & U of disability research information. The groups included:

• Consumers (individuals with disabilities and their families),
• Stakeholders (key audiences including direct disability service providers, representatives from consumer-oriented organizations, health care providers, journalists, and staff from advocacy groups), and
• Researchers (NIDRR grantees).

The consumer group was the largest group surveyed (n=1,028). This group consisted of individuals with disabilities and their families who participate in Independent Living Centers (ILC) across the country.

• Administrators of ILCs were contacted by NCDDR staff and invited to participate in the research activity by distributing the survey to at least five individuals with disabilities who participate in their ILC.
• Spanish and alternate format surveys were available and sent upon request.
• Responses were received from 175 ILCs, or 47% of the 374 centers contacted.

Stakeholders were the second largest group surveyed (n=340). This group consisted of representatives from various organizations that focus on more direct consumer contact. Representative groups were chosen from the following categories and sent a survey to complete.

• Staff from advocacy groups or organizations
• Staff from local and state committees on employment
• Representatives from consumer organizations
• Direct disability service providers
• Health care providers
• Journalists (mainstream and disability media)
• State directors of special education
• State vocational rehabilitation agency directors

Researchers were the third largest group surveyed and consisted of NIDRR grantees (n=166). Because a key focus of the survey activity is to provide knowledge to the NIDRR community on how their perspective of D & U might differ from that of the consumers' perspective, only NIDRR-funded researchers were included in the researchers category. Responses were received from 166 NIDRR grantees, or 48% of the 346 grantees invited to participate.