[Greater-baltimore] Focus group on Research

Fri Nov 4 12:46:41 UTC 2011

I am writing to ask you to distribute this announcement widely to people with disabilities and your staff with disabilities regarding an opportunity to participate in a focus group organized by Virginia Commonwealth University's NIDDR funded research and training center.  The center is looking for a wide range of people with disabilities who might be interested in using research or evidence based practices in either their work helping others find jobs or their own job search.  The focus groups are open to anyone with a disability who can participate in a focus group by telephone, including those with accommodations that enable their participation such as using instant messaging or someone who can read typed answers on the phone.  Given the subject area, self-advocates, people with disabilities with an interest in research, and staff with disabilities working with other people with disabilities might be the best group to participate.

The focus groups will be conducted by conference call on one of the dates listed below.  Participants will receive a $25 gift card for their participation.

VCU would like to hold the focus group before Thanksgiving, so please distribute this as soon as possible and ask people to reply right away. I will be organizing the focus group on behalf of the center.  Please ask interested participants to reply to me  at jschneid at gwu.edu<mailto:jschneid at gwu.edu> with requested information if they are interested.

FOCUS GROUP ANNOUNCEMENT

I am writing to offer you the opportunity to participate in an important research project.  Please share your experience and ideas with researchers interested in helping people with disabilities searching for employment.  Participation is easy - you simply call into a conference call from you home or office.

SEDL, a nonprofit research company, has established the Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research (KTER) in partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University.  The Center is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) in the U.S. Department of Education.  The project will synthesize and disseminate existing high-quality research on improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities; conduct original research to identify and test strategies that encourage the use of such research among businesses/employers, policymakers, vocational rehabilitation agency staff, and people with disabilities; and train researchers in using the most effective knowledge translation strategies.   The link to the KTER Center website is as follows:
http://www.kter.org/

VCU is conducting focus groups targeting individuals with disabilities.  The center is looking for people with disabilities who would like to participate in an hour to two hour phone call to share their thoughts and experience about using research in either their work or their job search.  The focus groups will be conducted by conference call, so participants do not need to travel anywhere to participate.  Participants do need to be able to talk on the phone or have available an accommodation that enables their participation.  For instance a way to send instant messages to the VCU office or someone who can communicate questions to the participant and relay their answers to the group.  Participants will receive a $25 gift card for participating.  All participants are offered a VISA gift card.  You will be asked for your mailing address when you submit your consent to participate online.

The purpose of the study is to learn about what promotes or prevents people from using research when making employment decisions.  The information that is learned in the focus groups will guide how the KTER Center provides information on employment to individuals with disabilities. This will include issues related to disability and work, how to address these issues to increase employment for individuals with disabilities.

All personal data collected from participants is confidential and NO individuals will be identified in published reports.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

If you are interested in participating, please respond to Jo Anne Schneider at jschneid at gwu.edu<mailto:jschneid at gwu.edu> with the following information:

1.      Name:

2.      contact info:
a.      email:
b.      phone:

3.      Type(s) of disability (please mark all that apply):
a.      Physical  ___
b.      Auditory ___
c.      Visual     ___
d.      Intellectual or developmental  ___
e.      Mental health  ____

4.      Do you need an accommodation in order to participate in a focus group on the phone?
a.      No  ___
b.      Yes ___
                                                  i.      If yes, please describe the accommodation you need and if you have someone who can participate with you and provide that accommodation:

5.      Dates  and times you would be available for the focus group (please check all you can do):
a.      Tuesday, November 15th,  11 AM ___
b.      Tuesday, November 15th,    2 PM ___
c.      Thursday, November 17th, 10 AM ___
d.      Thursday, November 17th,   3 PM ___
e.      Friday, November 18th,      11 AM ___
f.       Friday, November 18th,        2 PM ___
g.      Monday, November 21st,   11 AM ___
h.      Monday, November 21st,     2 PM ___
i.        Tuesday, November 22nd,  10 AM ___
j.        Tuesday, November 22nd,  11 AM ___
k.      Tuesday, November 22nd,    2 PM ___

Thank you for offering to participate in this important project.

Jo Anne Schneider
Associate Research Professor, George Washington University
Disability Self-Advocate
Member, Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities
This is a project sponsored by SEDL and Virginia Commonwealth University and is in no way affiliated with George Washington University or the Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities
Edward C. Bell, Ph.D., CRC, NOMC

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********************
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