Institute Research
The Institute for Economic Empowerment conducts research, demonstration, and development projects to make significant progress toward full and fair employment for individuals with severe disabilities, particularly those facing the most significant disability-related barriers to employment.
The vision of the Institute is full and fair employment for people with severe disabilities, resulting in expanded opportunity, increased wages and improved benefits, and the increased satisfaction, greater autonomy, and self-sufficiency resulting from better employment.
Institute research activities test (in terms of operational effectiveness) and validate models, strategies, and policies that advance the achievement of one more more of the strategic objectives.
Institute development activities focus on effectively disseminating the models, strategies, and policies that are shown to be successful, and actively promoting and supporting their adoption, replication, and adaptation.
The greatest outcomes for people with severe disabilities, and for AbilityOne nonprofit agencies will be over the longer term, as successful and tested models, strategies, and policies are adopted. Near-term and ongoing benefits are anticipated through projects improving communication and collaboration, disseminating successful practices and assistive technology, and through participation in demonstration projects.
