DISABILITY RESEARCH
Fund a program of clinical, health services, social, behavioral, and other disability research
that is commensurate with the need.
Since 1997, rehabilitation and disability research has made some gains at the federal
level. Funding has increased modestly for NIDRR, NCMRR, and the Rehabilitation Research
and Development Service of the Veterans Health Administration. Overall, however, disability
research continues to be funded at levels inconsistent with the current and projected impact of
disability on individuals, families, and communities. Spending remains highly skewed toward
basic and clinical research, with inadequate support for research on the physical, social, and
other environmental contributors to disability and insufficient attention to the evaluation of
interventions to minimize activity limitations and participation restrictions. In addition to further
research in these areas, another priority is the identification of better strategies to develop and
bring to market improved assistive technologies and accessible mainstream technologies.