Understanding and Improving Access to Section 504 Among Students with Disabilities - This project is a partnership with the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA). Our collective team is comprised of individuals with disabilities and family caregivers of individuals with disabilities along with professional expertise in special education, research, and law. Together, we propose three related studies that are consistent with The Rehabilitation Act and the long-range plan of NIDILRR. Across these studies, we aim to: (1) explore the experiences of individuals with disabilities and family caregivers in accessing Section 504, (2) understand barriers to and facilitators of accessing Section 504, and (3) develop and test an advocacy program to improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities and family caregivers. Specifically: Study #1: Exploring the disability experiences of individuals with disabilities and family caregivers. This study will explore the experiences of 150 individuals with disabilities and/or family caregivers through in-depth interviews. We will especially focus on exploring the experiences of individuals with disabilities and/or family caregivers who face the greatest challenges in accessing Section 504. Study #2: Understanding barriers to and facilitators of accessing Section 504 and having high-quality Section 504 plans. This study will involve a national survey with 400 individuals with disabilities and/or family caregivers to identify barriers to and facilitators of accessing Section 504 and the quality of Section 504 plans. By identifying challenges, we can discern populations in need of targeted interventions. Study #3: Developing and testing an advocacy program for individuals with disabilities and family caregivers. We will develop an advocacy program that targets individuals with disabilities and family caregivers to increase knowledge of Section 504, improve empowerment, increase advocacy skills and, subsequently to improve access to services and supports and the quality of Section 504 plans. Building off of extant advocacy programs already developed by the research team, we will develop this advocacy program to focus on Section 504. Findings from Studies #1 and #2 will be used to inform the advocacy program. Then, we will conduct a pilot study of the intervention. We will revise the program according to the pilot findings. We will then conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the advocacy program. The project reflects mixed methods including quantitative and qualitative methods to answer the research questions for each study. For Studies #1 and #2, descriptive studies will be conducted. For Study #3, an intervention study will be conducted. Dissemination activities will occur across each year of the project. Individuals with disabilities and/or family caregivers comprise the key research team members. Further, from its fruition until the end of the project, every step of each study is guided by the Disabled Members Committee of COPAA—a committee of 32 individuals with disabilities who reflect various areas of the United States. We will also partner with national, state, and local disability organizations which serve individuals with disabilities and family caregivers of individuals with disabilities.
