Training Opportunities in Community-Based Research

Technology for Independence: Community-Based Resource Center (TI-CBRC), invites centers for independent living and other community-based organizations serving people with disabilities and university-based researchers to participate in a series of trainings on research promoting access to and use of assistive technology (AT). TI-CBRC is a partnership of the Law, Health Policy & Disability Center at the University of Iowa College of Law and the Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) Program at The Institute for Rehabilitation & Research.

The second year of trainings will start in August 2004, featuring 12 monthly on-line training sessions and culminating in an on-site symposium. The call for proposals for the second year of trainings will be disseminated in September 2003 to allow sufficient time for teams to collaborate and submit proposals.

Purpose

The purpose of the training sessions and symposium is to provide both expertise in and a forum for use of participatory action research (PAR). Project activities are intended to assist consumer-run organizations in developing capacity to collect, analyze, and write up research that directly focuses on the needs of their organizations and consumers in the areas of assistive technology and environmental access.

How to Participate

The TI-CBRC invites teams composed of disability organizations and researchers to submit a brief proposal describing a research project on technology. Individuals involved in current research as well as those interested in conducting future research related to assistive technology are invited to participate.

Six teams of two individuals each will be selected to participate in the trainings and symposium. Selection to participate is competitive and will be based on application quality and the importance and relevance of proposed research. Consideration will be given to divergent backgrounds, topics, and interests.

The project will accept proposals from those interested in participating but who have not yet established a team. However, individuals accepted to participate must establish a research team prior to participation in the symposium. Participants' travel and lodging expenses for the symposium will be paid by the TI-CBRC project funded by a grant from the national Institute on Disability Research and Rehabilitation, U.S. Department of Education.