SEDL to Establish Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research
In partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University, SEDL is establishing the Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research. This new national initiative is funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research in the U.S. Department of Education.

According to the Office of Disability Employment Policy, the unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities was 14.8%, compared with 9.0% for other Americans, in September 2010. The center will strive to improve employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities (such as higher employment rates, better working supports, higher wages and responsibilities, and greater job satisfaction) by using knowledge translation to ensure that disability-oriented employment research is effectively implemented.

Knowledge translation (KT) involves actively and systematically working to overcome barriers to research use while also promoting the use of high-quality evidence. Staff from the center will partner with individuals with disabilities, employers, policymakers, and vocational rehabilitation practitioners at both the managerial and staff levels to achieve three main objectives: (1) identify, vet, and synthesize what employment-related and KT research currently exists; (2) determine what factors encourage and discourage the use of research findings, and then identify, select, refine, and test KT strategies; and (3) disseminate project findings and promote effective KT strategies. The project will continue for 5 years.

Learn more about SEDL's expertise in Knowledge Translation.