CSI Library: Social Work Research Guide: Social Work Resources: Disabilities

Social Work Resources: Disabilities

This section includes a collection of internet resources related to social work research in disabilities.

Aging and Disability in America
Issue briefings, data, and research from the Administration for Community Living about older adults and people living with disabilities in the U.S.
Aging and Disability Networks
A consortium of local, state, and national organizations and committed advocates working to support older adults and people with disabilities. Compiled by the Administration for Community Living, this list includes organizations that focus on a particular type of disability, age group, or type of service, as well as others have a more comprehensive mission.
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD)
AAIDD promotes progressive policies, sound research, effective practices, and universal human rights for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Information on the ADA of 1990 and revised regulations from the US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC website includes a page on Developmental Disabilities, with information on relevant topics, reports, and links to other organizations.
Disability and Independent Living Movement
UC Berkeley's website on the Disability Rights and Independent Living Movement contains a rich collection of primary sources exploring the social and political history of the disability movement from the 1960s to the present
Disability History
A series of articles on disability history from the National Park Service, including chapters on educational reform and the Disability Rights Movement.
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD)
Website of NACDD, the national association for the 56 Councils on Developmental Disabilities (DD Councils) across the U.S. and its territories.
National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)
Web page of the federal government’s primary disability research agency, with links to NIDILRR programs and reports.
Social Science Research Network (SSRN)
SSRN is a collaborative of over 800 leading scholars devoted to the rapid worldwide dissemination of social science research. It is composed of a number of specialized research networks in each of the social sciences.
State of the States in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Founded in 1982 to investigate the determinants of public spending for intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) services in the U.S. and administered by the University of Colorado, the Project has established a 40-year record of revenue, spending, and programmatic trends in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the United States as a whole.
Unicef State of the World's Children Reports
UNICEF’s annual flagship publication, The State of the World's Children, closely examines a key issue affecting children. The 2013 Report focuses on Children with Disabilities.

Featured Resource: National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Many institutes within the National Institutes of Health conduct and fund research about developmental disabilities. They also offer information to the public and educational programs for health professionals. They include:

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has prioritized the study of HIV/AIDS. NIAID researchers and grantee institutions advance understanding of disease mechanisms and cooperate to move novel HIV prevention and treatment strategies from basic research into clinical practice. With the generous help of clinical research volunteers, investigators at NIH and around the world create opportunities for the discovery, development and evaluation of technologies and tools that can play a role in decreasing HIV transmission, improving the health of people with HIV, and ultimately ending the pandemic.
National Eye Institute (NEI) studies ways to prevent and treat eye diseases and vision problems and to improve the lives of people with these conditions.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHHD) conducts and supports research on all stages of human development to better understand the health of children, adults, families, and communities, including those with developmental disabilities.
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) studies hearing loss, deafness, and problems wih speech and language.
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) studies mental illness and behavior problems, including such conditions as autism, learning disabilities, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) studies the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of brain and nervous system disorders such as cerebral palsy and epilepsy.