Engaging Communities to Empower Feedback from People with Disabilities

Iowa Blueprint for Change, funded by the Disability Innovation Fund (DIF), promotes competitive integrated employment (CIE) for Iowans with disabilities. The University of Iowa Center for Evaluation and Assessment leads the evaluation, focusing on: 1) agency collaboration for collective impact, 2) program fidelity, and 3) effective services for transitioning participants into CIE. Two key challenges we experienced were collecting data from project participants with disabilities affecting their communication, cognition, and mobility, as well as from participants who had been incarcerated. To address these, the evaluation team collaborated with service providers, vocational counselors, disability consultants, and the Iowa Department of Corrections to develop inclusive interview protocols and outreach strategies. These efforts ensured participant comfort, accommodated diverse needs, and built trust. In our session, we will share insights into data collection involving individuals with disabilities and incarcerated populations, overcoming barriers related to outreach, and the collaborative process behind interview protocol development.

Erica Kaldenberg, PhD – Associate Research Scientist, College of Education, UI REACH, University of Iowa