Kessler/NOD Surveys by Harris Interactive
In 2010, with support from the Kessler Foundation, NOD commissioned two Harris Interactive surveys updating information on quality of life for Americans with disabilities and employment of people with disabilities.
Background
Since the 1980s, NOD has collaborated with the Harris Poll on numerous surveys on a variety of issues facing people with disabilities. The results of these surveys are used by policymakers and the disability community. The most recent of these polls was conducted in 2004.
In order to provide informed and intelligent strategies to the disability movement, NOD and the field at large needed current data. The New Jersey-based Kessler Foundation — a public charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with physical disabilities caused by stroke, multiple sclerosis, injuries to the brain and spinal cord, and other chronic conditions — provided NOD with a grant to conduct two surveys. The first updates data on the participation levels of Americans with disabilities, as compared to those without disabilities. The second gathers information from both employers and working-age individuals with disabilities to address the issues underlying the employment gap.
Strategy
The twin Kessler/NOD Surveys by Harris Interactive present a detailed picture of the difficulties facing Americans with disabilities, with a specific focus on the labor market.
2010 Survey of Americans with Disabilities
Surveys of 1,000 adults with disabilities and 1,000 adults without disabilities were conducted by telephone, identifying participation gaps between people with and without disabilities. The topics covered include employment, income, education, access to transportation and healthcare, political participation, life satisfaction, and technology. The survey included additional questions on employment and work experiences for people with disabilities. The final report addresses trend data that links 2010 data to earlier NOD surveys conducted by Harris.
2010 Survey on Employment of People with Disabilities
NOD and Harris Interactive conducted 150 telephone surveys with managers of small, medium, and large companies operating in the United States. An additional 250 surveys with the same population were conducted online. Questions focused on the use of affinity groups, accommodations, flexible work supports, as well as experiences with recruiting, hiring, retaining, and promoting people with disabilities. The survey also covered managers' projections for hiring persons with disabilities, and managers' use of organizations that help place job-seekers with disabilities.
Reports
Results of both surveys are available at www.2010DisabilitySurveys.org.
View the Executive Summary (or the Text-Only Version) of the 2010 Survey of Employment of Americans with Disabilities.
