A team of researchers will find new ways to make the travel experience accessible and inclusive for people with mobility limitations, supported by a $2.5 million grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research.
Leading the study is Shu Cole, professor and director of graduate studies at the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington. Cole and her team are also partnering with industry leaders Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and Open Doors Organization, as well as Simon Darcy, professor in business management at the University of Technology Sydney in Australia and a leading expert in disability issues. The grant covers a five-year study that Cole intends to use to develop a host of recommendations for training programs to improve the ways aviation employees assist passengers who use wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility aids. Read more about the study in the IU Newsroom.
Through the Research & Evaluation Design Support (REDS) for Grant Proposals program, the Center for Survey Research (CSR) provided support for a rigorous questionnaire development process, employing survey science methods to ensure reliable and valid survey measurement. CSR’s applied statisticians also detailed well-established weighting procedures that will be carried out to reduce bias by accounting for differences in who was able to participate in the study and who was not.
The Research & Evaluation Design Support (REDS) for Grant Proposals program provides specialized consultation related to research design, evaluation plans, survey methodology, and statistics. Click here to learn more about the REDS program.