Knowledge Translation (KT) Consortium

ADA National Network

Operated by University of Washington

The ADA National Network consists of 10 regional centers and an ADA Knowledge Translation Center. The regional centers are distributed throughout the United States to provide local assistance and foster implementation of the ADA. Funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), the ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), tailored to meet the needs of business, government and individuals at local, regional and national levels.

Center on Knowledge Transition for Employment Research (KTER)

Operated by SEDL

The Center's scope of work has a dual purpose: 1) assessing, describing and informing relevant stakeholders about the current research base related to improving employment outcomes among individuals with disabilities, and 2) exploring and testing knowledge translation strategies that can increase the appropriate use of that research among four key audiences of individuals with disabilities, employers, policymakers and vocational rehabilitation practitioners.

College and Career Readiness and Success Center

Operated by the American Institutes for Research

The College and Career Readiness and Success (CCRS) Center serves the federally funded regional comprehensive centers (RCC) in building the capacity of states across the nation to effectively implement initiatives for college and career readiness and success.

Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) Technical Assistance Center

Operated by NDI Consulting, Inc.

The National Technical Assistance and Training Provider for the Disability Employment Initiative (DEI) provides technical assistance, training and support to DEI grantees  in funded states, the national DEI Program Office, the regional Federal Project Officers and the public workforce system.

The DEI grantees focus on improved access and effective, meaningful participation of jobseekers with disabilities in American Job Centers.

The Disability Employment Initiative aims to improve education, training and employment opportunities and outcomes for youth and adults with disabilities who are unemployed, underemployed and/or receiving Social Security disability benefits.

Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN)

Operated by The Viscardi Center

The Employer Assistance and Resource Network (EARN) is a resource for employers seeking to recruit, hire, retain and advance qualified employees with disabilities. EARN supports employers through toll-free technical assistance, individualized consultation, customized trainings, webinars, events and easy to find online answers.

Employment Learning Community (ELC)

Operated by Institute for Community Inclusion

Employment Learning Community assists states in improving systems and services to increase inclusive, competitive employment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing technical assistance to states to support the development of state level consortiums to promote systems change and through the use of communities of practice that will support their state level systems change efforts.

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

Operated by West Virginia University

AN is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential technical assistance on workplace accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related legislation, and self-employment options for people with disabilities. JAN helps people with disabilities enhance their employability, and shows employers how to capitalize on the value and talent that people with disabilities add to the workplace.

Job–Driven Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center (JDVRTAC)

Operated by Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston

The Job–Driven Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center (JD-VRTAC) strives to identify, adapt, embed, and sustain job-driven practices that lead to improved employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The Center creates VR-specific sustainable models of job-driven practices and supports businesses to find and retain productive workers. JDVRTAC is working on different project activities, such as building state VR agencies’ capacity to improve and expand job-driven employment practices for consumers, and by visiting this link there are four additional technical assistance centers working to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities and much more.

Related Technical Assistance Centers include:

• Vocational Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Demand-Side Strategies (Demand-Side-RRTC)
• Vocational Rehabilitation Research and Technical Assistance Center on Vocational Rehabilitation Program Management (RTAC)
• The Substantial Gainful Activity Project (SGA)
• Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Vocational Rehabilitation (VR-RRTC)

Knowledge Translation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR) Center

Operated by SEDL

KTDRR Center makes it easier to find, understand and use the results of research that can make a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities.

The Center is one of a number of projects within SEDL's Disability to Research to Practice (DRP) Program, which seeks to improve the relevance, reporting, accessibility, interpretation, and application of research results in many areas, including employment.

In collaboration with several national and international partners, KTDRR carries out integrated training, dissemination, utilization and technical assistance activities to a) increase use of valid and relevant evidence-based research findings that inform decision-making and b) increase the understanding and application of knowledge translation principles.
 

National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities (LEAD Center)

Operated by National Disability Institute

The LEAD Center – known formally as the National Center on Leadership for the Employment and Economic Advancement of People with Disabilities – is a collaborative of disability, workforce and economic empowerment organizations dedicated to a single mission: advancing sustainable individual and systems-level change to improve competitive, integrated employment and economic self-sufficiency for all people across the spectrum of disability.

The LEAD Center focuses on policy development and analysis with an emphasis on cross-system collaboration with the AJCs and public and private sector relationships.
 

National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth (NCWD/Youth)

Operated by Institute for Educational Leadership

NCWD/Youth assists state and local workforce development systems to better serve all youth, including youth with disabilities and other disconnected youth. NCWD/Youth's mission is to ensure that transition-age youth are provided full access to high quality services in integrated settings to gain education, employment and independent living.

National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT)

Operated by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

NTACT’s purpose is to assist State Education Agencies, Local Education Agencies, State VR agencies, and VR service providers to implement evidence-based and promising practices ensuring students with disabilities, including those with significant disabilities, graduate prepared for success in postsecondary education and employment.

Older Individuals who are Blind Training and Technical Assistance Center (OIBTTAC)

Operated by the National Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NRTC) at Mississippi State University

The National Research & Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision (NRTC) implements training and technical assistance projects focused on agencies serving older individuals who are blind (OIB). This project is funded by the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), which focuses on enhancing employment and independent living outcomes for individuals who are blind or visually impaired through research, training, education and dissemination.

Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT)

Operated by Rehabilitation Engineering & Assistive Technology Society of North America

PEAT is a multi-faceted initiative working to advance the employment, retention and career advancement of people with disabilities through the development, adoption and promotion of accessible technology.

Rehabilitation Training and Technical Assistance Center for Program Evaluation and Quality Assurance (PEQATAC)

Operated by University of Wisconsin-Stout Vocational Rehabilitation Institute (SVRI)

The Technical Assistance Center for Program Evaluation and Quality Assurance (PEQA) assists State VR agencies in building capacity through professional education and training of VR evaluators. 

Research and Training Center (RTC) for Pathways to Positive Futures

Operated by Portland State University

The RTC for Pathways to Positive Futures aims to improve the lives of youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions through rigorous research and effective training and dissemination. Their work is guided by the perspectives of young people and their families, and based in a positive development framework.

Research on Disability

Operated by Cornell University

Research on Disability is a collective of various Centers focused on Disability statistics, demographics and policy measurement.

• Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC) - StatsRRTC aims to improve knowledge about and access to existing data and generates the knowledge needed to improve future disability data collection and dissemination. The StatsRRTC aims to foster evidence-based decision making by people with disabilities and their families, advocates, policymakers, program administrators, service providers and researchers.
   
• Rehabilitation and Research Training Center on Employment Policy and Measurement (EPM-RRTC) - The EPM-RRTC researches federal and state policies and programs on employment, paying particular attention to the effects of program interactions between the Social Security Administration, Vocational Rehabilitation, and Education; examines new ways of measuring employment outcomes; and provides guidance through the translation of research findings to program and policy decision-makers.
   
• Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Individual-Level Characteristics Related to Employment Among Individuals with Disabilities (IC-RRTC)- The IC-RRTC generates new knowledge about the role of individual characteristics on employment outcomes and works toward improving strategies and interventions designed to foster better employment outcomes for the various subpopulations of people with disabilities.

The Rehabilitation Research & Training Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Vocational Rehabilitation (RRTC-EBP VR)

Operated by the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Stout

The Rehabilitation Research & Training Center for Evidence-Based Practice in Vocational Rehabilitation (RRTC-EBP VR) is designed to generate knowledge and evidenced based vocational rehabilitation practices that improve employment rates, and quality of employment for persons with disabilities.

Ticket To Work Program Managers (TPM)

Operated by MAXIMUS

The Ticket To Work Program Managers (TPM) provides technical assistance for agencies under contract with the Social Security Administration to function as Employment Networks for the Ticket to Work Program. TPM educates, trains and supports contracted agencies/organizations on the provision of employment support services for SSDI/SSI disability beneficiaries seeking financial independence. This program gives individuals with disability the choices, opportunities and support they need to enter the workforce and maintain employment with the goal of becoming economically self-supporting over time.

Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Youth with Disabilities (VR Y-TAC)

Operated by Institute for Educational Leadership

The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center for Youth with Disabilities (VR Y-TAC) provides state vocational rehabilitation (VR) programs and related rehabilitation professionals with technical assistance and training to help more effectively serve youth with disabilities. The VR Y-TAC’s three main goals are to: 1) increase the number of youth with disabilities served by state VR agencies; 2) increase the number of youth with disabilities served by state VR agencies who pursue and obtain postsecondary education or training resulting in a postsecondary degree, credential, or nationally recognized occupational skills certificate; and 3) increase the number of youth with disabilities served by state VR agencies who obtain competitive integrated employment.

Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center – Targeted Communities (VRTAC–TC)

Operated by Department of Rehabilitation and Disabilities Studies

The Vocational Rehabilitation Technical Assistance Center – Targeted Communities (VRTAC–TC) is designed to improve vocational rehabilitation (VR) outcome of persons with disabilities from traditionally marginalized communities. The center provides intensive and focused technical assistance to all 80 State-Federal Vocational Rehabilitation agencies and 20 targeted communities across the U.S. and its territories. 

Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC)

Operated by Interwork Institute at San Diego State University

The Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) is national center provides training and technical assistance (TA) to state Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies (SVRAs) and related rehabilitation professionals and service providers to help them develop the skills and processes needed to meet the requirements of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).