Participate in Research Studies

Research studies that include disabled people, family members, and other key community members produce better results. Disabled people and their family members are experts on issues like access to services, transition, employment, self-advocacy, and more.

Jump to the list of opportunities

Ways to Participate

You can participate in research in many ways.

  • Some studies include disabled people on an advisory board or on the research team.
  • Some studies interview disabled people or ask them to fill out surveys.
  • Some studies include family members or disability service professionals.

When you participate in research you can improve the study's impacts, learn new skills, and earn money.

You can read about different research studies and how to participate below. Some of the studies are led by the Institute on Disabilities. Studies led by other organizations have been reviewed by the Institute on Disabilities.

Sharing Studies

You can share these studies with people you think would want to participate. Please do not share information about these studies on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.).

Contact: Please email or call Eva Weiss at 215-204-7177 with any questions or concerns.

Opportunities

College Students with Disabilities' Definition of and Engagement in Self-Advocacy

External Sponsor: University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Plain Language Summary

In this study, I hope to understand what students with disabilities have to say about self-advocacy. What does it mean to advocate? How did they learn about advocating for themselves? When and how do they engage in self-advocacy?  

I am specifically interested in students who are transitioning from high school to college or university, because in high school, students' parents and teachers and other adults may be more involved in supporting students' education, but in college or university, students have greater responsibility to advocate for themselves, find and manage their support. I am a disabled PhD student who had to go through my own transition of high school to college and believe that highlighting the perspectives of disabled students will inform parents and educators how to better support disabled students in their transition from high school to college or university.

Who Can Participate

Students with disabilities who are transitioning from high school to college or university

How You Can Participate

Participate in interviews

Paid Opportunity?

This is not a paid opportunity.

Contact

Miso Kwak, mkwak9@wisc.edu

Posted 11/27/24

 

Project about Crime Victims with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

External Sponsor: University of Cincinnati, School of Criminal Justice

Plain Language Summary

Project Goals

We will find out what makes it hard for individuals with IDD to get the help they need. We will figure out what can help victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities feel safer. The two main goals are:

GOAL#1: What are existing policies and accommodations for victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities

  1. Review research on victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  2. Review mandatory reporting policies that apply to adult victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities
  3. Review policies from law enforcement agencies and victim service providers in four states (Arizona, Florida, Ohio, New Jersey)

GOAL #2: Examine barriers for victims with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Who Can Participate

  • People with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities

How You Can Participate

  • Focus groups or interviews

Paid Opportunity?

This is a paid opportunity.

Contact

Brittany Hayes: brittany.hayes@uc.edu

Posted 9/12/24

 

Use of Service Animals in Employment

External Sponsor: Southwest ADA Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann

Plain Language Summary

The Southwest ADA Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann is carrying out research into the use of service animals and emotional support animals by people with disabilities in the workplace. The information gathered will help us 1) understand how people with disabilities use service animals and emotional support animals to assist them in the workplace, 2) explore the experiences of these users and any barriers they may encounter at work, and 3) determine what factors contribute to successful employment outcomes. These findings will also improve the trainings and technical assistance that the Southwest ADA Center at TIRR Memorial Hermann can provide on this topic.

Who Can Participate

  • People with disabilities who use service animals or emotional support animals

How You Can Participate

  • Participant in interviews

Paid Opportunity?

This is a paid opportunity.

Contact

Jocelyne Fajardo:

Posted 5/28/24

 

Person and Environmental Factors Predicting Community Mobility of Young Autistic Adults

Temple Sponsor

Plain Language Summary

This study aims to understand what factors affect the ability of autistic young adults to move around in their communities. We want to figure out what personal traits and environmental factors impact their mobility the most. This includes things like their individual characteristics, how well they can move, how confident they feel, and how much control they have over their own lives. We're also looking at things in the environment, like whether places are easy to get to, how much support they have from others, and how society views autism.
 
We're doing this by talking to autistic young adults themselves and hearing about their experiences. By studying how these different factors interact, we hope to get a better idea of what makes it harder or easier for them to get around in their communities.

Who Can Participate

  • Young adults with autism

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in interviews

Paid Opportunity?

This is a paid opportunity.

Contact

Amber Davidson,

Posted 5/28/24

 

Community Participation Experiences of Autistic People and their Families

External Sponsor: Elmhurst University

Plain Language Summary

We are recruiting autistic young adults to participate in focus groups about community participation. We hope to learn what makes community activities more or less inclusive to neurodiverse populations to make these spaces more inclusive. For example, some stores have "autism hours" during the holidays; however, there is not to our knowledge, research from the autistic perspective on what makes community spaces feel inclusive. Autistic young adults will be participants in the focus groups and receive copies of the transcripts and our analysis to edit, clarify, make suggestions, etc. We also have an autistic adult on our research team in an advisory role.

Who Can Participate

  • Young adults with ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in focus groups; accommodations will be provided as needed

Paid Opportunity?

This is not a paid opportunity.

Contact

Jennifer Kremkow,

Posted 5/1/24

 

Dr. Megan Neal

External Sponsor

Plain Language Summary

Our study is focused on understanding mental healthcare experiences for LGBTQ+ individuals with Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI/D)- this can include Multiple Sclerosis. We are hoping to recruit LGBTQ+ people who have been diagnosed with an SCI/D to participate in a one hour phone interview and 30 minute online survey. We are also interviewing mental health providers who have worked with LGBTQ+ people with SCI/D. People in the LGBTQ+ and/or disability communities have been involved in the study's design as well as data collection and analysis. We hope it will uncover strengths and weaknesses within the healthcare system and contribute to making access to healthcare more welcoming and suited to the needs of LGBTQ+ people with SCI/D.

Who Can Participate

  • People who identify as LGBTQ+ with Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in interviews and surveys

Paid Opportunity?

This is a paid opportunity.

Contact

Dr. Megan Neal,

Posted 4/5/24

 

Community Mobility and Participation of Autistic Adults Study (COMPAAS)

External Sponsor: AJ Drexel Autism Institute at Drexel University

Plain Language Summary

The Community Mobility and Participation of Autistic Adults Study (COMPAAS) aims to understand how Autistic adults interact with their communities. The study was designed by a team of researchers from the AJ Drexel Autism Institute in collaboration with Autistic self-advocates who serve on our COMPAAS Advisory Board. The COMPAAS Advisory Board provides feedback, insight, and advice on our recruitment methods, study procedures, and on all of our study-related materials.

Who Can Participate

  • Autistic adults

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in interviews and brief surveys.

Paid Opportunity?

This is a paid opportunity.

Contact

Jordan Gifford

 

Next Generation Augmentative and Alternative Communication Technology Powered by Artificial Intelligence

Temple Sponsor: Temple Computer and Information Sciences

Plain Language Summary

For this study, we are looking to develop AI enabled games and technology that respond to both vocal speech output and speech generated output from AAC applications. We have four researchers as part of our team who use AAC, and we are recruiting AAC users as well as caregivers of AAC users to interview and gather their perspectives and recommendations on the ideas before we start prototyping.

Who Can Participate

  • AAC Users
  • Caregivers of AAC users

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in interviews and provide feedback and recommendations.

Paid Opportunity?

This is not a paid opportunity.

Contact

Beth Garrison:

 

Covid-19 Experience Study

Temple Sponsor: Institute on Disabilities

Plain Language Summary

The Institute on Disabilities wants to learn more about how the Covid-19 pandemic affected people with disabilities in Pennsylvania. Life at home and in the community changed a lot for many people. Sometimes those changes were difficult, but not always. We are talking to people with disabilities about their experiences to better understand how people felt during the pandemic and how Covid-19 affected their lives.

Who Can Participate

  • Adults 18 years or older
  • Live in Pennsylvania
  • Have a disability

How You Can Participate

Interview by phone or video conference.

Paid Opportunity?

You will be paid.

Contact

Aidan Campagnolio,

 

Policies for Reproductive Outcomes in Medicaid–Improving Services for Enrollees with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (PROMISE-IDD)

External Sponsor: Rubenstein Lab at Boston University School of Public Health

Plain Language Summary

The overall aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the experiences of pregnant people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD). In the long-term, we hope this study will contribute to improving pregnancy-related health care experiences and outcomes for people with IDD. For more information about the study, please visit: http://sites.bu.edu/rubenstein/promise-idd/.
 
As a part of this study, we're recruiting a Community Advisory Board (CAB) to provide insight and feedback on study methods, materials, and findings. Our CAB will mainly consist of people with IDD who have experienced pregnancy. We want to learn about their lived experiences and incorporate their perspectives throughout the research process.

Who Can Participate

  • People with a documented IDD diagnosis
  • 18 years of age or older
  • Speak and understand English
  • Be currently pregnant or have experienced a pregnancy in the past 10 years
  • Have lived in the U.S. while they were pregnant

How You Can Participate

  • Meet approximately twice per year for 60-90 minutes over Zoom.

Paid Opportunity?

You will be paid.

Contact

Mack Toth,

 

Evaluating the Use of an AI-enabled Virtual Assistant to Support Neurodivergent Workers
in Interview Skills

Temple Sponsor: Computer and Information Sciences

Plain Language Summary

For this study, we are looking to create AI-enabled interview coaches to support neurodivergent workers in learning interview skills. We currently have a neurodivergent student researcher helping us with the software development, and are also seeking neurodivergent participants to interview to gather their feedback and design recommendations about their experience interviewing for employment as well as the prototype ideas before we develop a prototype.

Who Can Participate

  • People who identify as neurodivergent

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in interviews, analyze data, and provide feedback and design recommendations

Paid Opportunity?

You will be paid.

Contact

Beth Garrison

 

Access for Intellectually and/or Developmentally Disabled People to Health-Related Research projects: AIDD2Health

External Sponsor: Sonoran University Center for Excellence in Disabilities

Plain Language Summary

We are intellectual and/or developmental disabilities self-advocates, supporters, and researchers in Arizona. Our project is called AIDD2Health: Access for Intellectually and/or Developmentally Disabled People to Health-Related Research projects. By using universal design principles, we are working to develop strategies, tools and models that others around the U.S. can use. Based on our listening sessions with self and family advocates, as well as professionals, our team has developed a health priority survey. This survey will help us to identify priority health areas, based on the broader input by self and family advocates.

Who Can Participate

  • You are an adult with intellectual and/or developmental disability (IDD), or
  • You support someone with IDD

How You Can Participate

Paid Opportunity?

This is an unpaid opportunity.

Contact

Yumi Shirai:

 

The Experience of Black Students in IPSE

External Sponsor: Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology

Plain Language Summary

The goal of my study is to better understand the intersection of disability and race on a college campus. I will be interviewing black students with intellectual disability who are currently in or have graduated from an inclusive post-secondary education program. Participants in my study will be asked to answer questions about themselves and complete two short activities.

Who Can Participate

  • Black students with intellectual disability who are attending an inclusive post-secondary education program

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in interviews and provide feedback

Paid Opportunity?

This is a paid opportunity

Contact

Giulietta Flaherty:

Posted 2/22/24

 

Evaluation of the Use of the Continuum of Assistive Technology Mastery (CATM) by VR Counsellors

External Sponsor: Georgia Institute of Technology, Center for Inclusive Design and Innovation, College of Design

Plain Language Summary

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) on employment for people with physical disabilities grant.

In this project, we want to help vocational rehabilitation agencies improve the support they give to people with physical disabilities to help them get jobs and to be successful at work. We want to find out how a tool for measuring a person's mastery of their Assistive Technology could help do this.

Who Can Participate

  • People with disabilities

How You Can Participate

  • Participate in focus group

Paid Opportunity?

This is a paid opportunity.

Contact

Ben Satterfield:

Posted 2/13/24

 

Contact: Please email or call Eva Weiss at 215-204-7177 with any questions or concerns.