Research

The Center for Community Inclusion and Disability Studies (CCIDS) engages in a wide range of evidence-based research that includes applied research, evaluation, and analysis of public policy in areas that may affect people with disabilities and their families.

CCIDS conducts research and evaluation in order to contribute to and advance understanding in interdisciplinary education and scholarship, community services, and dissemination in ways that create systemic change. Research and evaluation activities are designed to inform policy and to identify and examine the needs, quality, values, practices, processes, and outcomes of initiatives for people with disabilities and their families. CCIDS strives to build data collection, evaluation, and applied research activities into each project.

The following principles guide all research and evaluation activities:

CCIDS projects have foundations based on research and community need.

• Research includes people with disabilities, family members, practitioners, and faculty and students representing a broad range of disciplines.
• Research is meaningful to the lives of people with disabilities; a full range of methods of research are utilized and respected.
• Research activities are evaluated for process and outcome.

CCIDS research activities are used to bridge research and practice through collaborative research models. As a result, our research has informed:

• schools and communities about essential elements of effective, inclusive schools;
• adult educators about effective practices in staff development;
• state systems about the needs of youth with special health care needs and disabilities as they transition into the adult world; and 
• state health officials in identifying and tracking high risk infants.

Additionally, formative and outcome evaluation activities for all projects are incorporated into project work plans, and used to determine project effectiveness, inform public policy, and create systems change.

For additional information about the Center’s research and evaluation activities, contact:

Shihfen Tu,
shihfen.tu@umit.maine.edu
207/581-9064 (V)
800/203-6957 (V/TTY)