Conducting disability research with people from diverse ethnic groups: Challenges and opportunities

Abstract

This study identified challenges and available supports for conducting research and engaging in outreach and dissemination activities with people with disabilities from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Seventy nine researchers funded by the National Institute of Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) participated in the study. The results indicated that most of the respondents (72%) conduct research with people with disabilities from diverse backgrounds and that the most significant challenges for conducting research were finding research protocols, surveys and questionnaires developed or adapted for minorities with disabilities and recruiting research team members who are ethnic minorities or ethnic minorities with disabilities. The findings have implications for practices related to the hiring and training of research team members and for building national networks where researchers can share their experiences and strategies for outreach and dissemination efforts with populations from diverse ethnic backgrounds.