Data and Statistics Resources
Many resources are available from organizations that conduct research on blindness and employment in America.
American Association for People with Disabilities
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country’s largest cross-disability membership organization, organizes the disability community to be a powerful voice for change – politically, economically, and socially.
American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) is a national nonprofit that provides advocacy, research, and technology access to individuals who are blind or visually impaired, and acts to elevate the quality of information for the professionals who serve people with vision loss. AFB produces the Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness (JVIB), a leading publication in blindness scholarship.
American Statistical Association Committee on Statistics and Disability
The American Statistical Association Committee on Statistics and Disability publishes the annual Disability Statistics Compendium, a reference guide to the wide variety of government-published disability statistics.
Association of University Centers on Disability
The Association of University Centers on Disability (AUCD) supports and promotes a national network of university-based interdisciplinary programs on disability. AUCD provides academic training, research, policy recommendations, advocacy, program evaluation, and best practices to the agencies, organizations, and policy makers that serve people living with disabilities and their families.
Center for an Accessible Society
The Center for an Accessible Society acts as credible information source for media outlets looking for information on people living with disabilities. The Center for an Accessible Society was funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) with the goal of focusing public attention on disability and independent living issues.
Center for Studying Disability Policy
The Center for Studying Disability Policy was established in 2007 by Mathematica to inform disability policy formation with rigorous, objective research and data collected from the people disability policy aims to serve. The Center supplies the nation’s policymakers with the current information they need to inform and implement 21st century disability policy.
The Current Population Survey (CPS) collects monthly data on labor force participation, employment and unemployment statistics for multiple demographic groups, including persons with disabilities. Currently, CPS estimates for employment among people with disabilities are only available for the nation as a whole, and not at the state level.
IAPB Vision Atlas is a resource tool that is designed around two main sets of data: Vision Loss Expert Group (
K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability
K. Lisa Yang and Hock E. Tan Institute on Employment and Disability at Cornell provides research, education and technical assistance on various aspects of disability rehabilitation, healthcare and in the workplace. The Institute provides access to an interactive search tool with specific data from the American Community Survey (ACS), Current Population Survey (CPS) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Charge Data.
Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision
The Mississippi State University Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (MSU-RRTC) on Blindness and Low Vision is a leader in research on blindness. MSU-RRTC sponsors quantitative and qualitative research, analyses of large databases, program evaluation, and knowledge development in the field of blindness and low vision.
National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research
The National Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR) was founded to translate National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)-sponsored research and development results into evidence-based instruments and systematic reviews.
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) is a leading national sponsor of disability research. NIDRR, a division of the Department of Education, conducts over 300 research programs that promote inclusion, social integration, employment and independent living for people with disabilities.
National Organization on Disability
The National Organization on Disability (NOD) is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes the full participation of America’s 54 million people with disabilities in all aspects of life. NOD researches, develops, and demonstrates creative approaches to disability employment issues.
National Rehabilitation Information Center
The National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) has been collecting, organizing, and maintaining information on Disability and Rehabilitation for over 30 years. NARIC’s database now includes more than 70,000 documents and journal articles.
National Industries for the Blind (NIB) commissioned a study in November 2012 to assess the attitudes and opinions among corporate decision makers regarding the hiring and employment of individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
Project Aspiro is a career planning and employment website for people who are blind or partially sighted as well as for service providers, friends and family, and employers. The site was launched by the World Blind Union’s Employment Working Group, which includes Angela Hartley, NIB executive vice president.
Society for Disability Studies
The Society for Disability Studies (SDS) is a scholarly organization that is dedicated to the cause of promoting disability studies as an academic discipline. According to its mission statement, through research, artistic production, teaching and activism, SDS seeks to augment understanding of disability in all cultures and historical periods, to promote greater awareness of the experiences of disabled people, and to advocate for social change.
The Institute on Disability (IOD) / University Center for Excellence on Disability (UCED) at the University of New Hampshire advances policies, practices, education and research that strengthen communities and ensure full access, equal opportunities, and participation for all persons.
University of California San Francisco Disabilities Statistics Center
The University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Disability Statistics Center generates policy-relevant statistical information on the status of people with disabilities. The Center’s research investigates changes in access to employment, technology, health care, community-based services, independent living, and participation in society for people with disabilities.