Our knowledge of the impacts and challenges of disability and impairment is always growing. There are plenty of people across Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world seeking greater understanding so we can make better decisions.

If you’d like to take a look at the latest research activity going on, explore the organisations and pages below. Many universities or institutions require research projects as part of achieving a qualification. This gives us a great opportunity to understand a whole range of views and experiences.

About engaging with research

Each researcher and project has a unique lens and objective. When you’re reading, it’s a good idea to understand what motivated the research. This will help you put context to what you’re reading.

For instance, if it’s sponsored by a specific organisation, they are likely to have an influence (sometimes really small but other times more impactful) on the findings. That could be as simple as guiding where the researcher spends the most of their time, or it could be on how they select research participants.

Quantitative and Qualitative

Quantitative means that the study is focused on gathering data from a large number of people or instances. It uses the numbers and trends to deliver information and make a conclusion. It’s often based on numbers and statistics and it’s very structured.

Qualitative means that the study is focused on experiences and meanings. Qualitative studies are often undertaken on smaller groups, but they go far deeper into understanding the many different meanings.

Some research uses both methods to go broadly and deeply into information.

Take a look at the “n” value.

For example, N=150 means they collected data from a sample size of 150 people or observations. The bigger the sample size, the more the findings are likely to be accurate. This is because they have been replicated many times to give the researcher the data which informed their conclusion. Some studies are so specific it’s hard to find a large sample.

Research organisations

The Donald Beasley Institute

The Donald Beasley Institute is a national group based in Dunedin that does disability research and helps people learn more about it. They’re independent and focused on doing good work across New Zealand. They take on their own research projects through funding and are also paid by organisations like Special Olympics New Zealand and CCS Disability to do research on their behalf.

Take a look at their projects

Their areas of research focus include Deinstitutionalisation, Quality of Life for our disability community, disability health, parenting, families, education, community participation, access to justice, living out of home and independent living, abuse, and employment.

As an internationally recognised leader in disability research, this institute has also leant their skills to helping other researchers engage more effectively with our disability community.

Check out their research on supporting good ethical disability research.

Ministry of Health

Our ministry that sets health policies in New Zealand uses research to understand what policies are doing well for health outcomes, and where changes need to happen.

Take a look at Ministry of Health Disability Research

All is for All

This New Zealand based company has a focus on challenging the way people see disabled people. They take on research projects which explore and support this outcome. This includes exploring disability in the construction workforce, bringing inclusive thinking into fashion and health leadership.

Take a look at their recent work

International research

With a larger international population and wider funding inputs, starting to look at international journals and studies could be helpful.

Disability and Society

This is an international journal focused on disability human rights, discrimination, policy and practices. It respects the fact that our understanding and environment is constantly changing. What’s true today may not be our experience tomorrow.

Check out this partially open access journal

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