Community Participation Materials Funding for Washington University Researchers

LAWRENCE, KAN. — April 14, 2007.—  A team led by David Gray, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received federal funding to develop materials that will get people with disabilities out of their house and more into their communities. 



"Getting around in the environment often doesn't relate to a person’s disability,” Gray, associate professor, Program in Occupational Therapy, said. “Barriers in the environment itself often are the primary impediment in allowing people with disabilities to participate socially.” 



Service and research focus typically has been on providing in-home assistance for people with disabilities. Little has been done in developing materials for these individuals when they are out of their home and in their communities.



Materials will be tested by Paraquad, a St. Louis center for independent living, with people who have sensory or mobility disabilities. 



Funded by grants from the National Institute of Disability Rehabilitation Research, this project is being done for the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Measurement and Interdependence in Community Living (RTC/MICL) based at the University of Kansas, which is a consortium of scientists in the field of disability research from Washington University, the University of Montana, Cornell University, and the Oregon Health Sciences University.

For more information, contact 

David B. Gray, Ph.D.

Washington University School of Medicine

Campus Box 8505

4444 Forest Park

St. Louis, MO 63108

314-286-1658

FAX 314 286-1601

grayda@wustl.edu

or 

4089 Dole, 1000 Sunnyside Ave.

The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045

785.864.4095 Voice, 785.864.0706 TTY

RTCIL@ku.edu

For immediate release

April 2007