According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (in English), a disability is “any condition of the body or mind that makes it more difficult for the person with the condition to do certain activities and interact with the world around them.” There are many types of disabilities, including sensory, psychiatric, developmental, intellectual, and more. 

People may experience disabilities at any point in their lives. Disabilities may be related to conditions that are present at birth, such as down syndrome or cerebral palsy. They may be become apparent as a child grows, such as autism spectrum disorders. Disabilities may be related to an injury, such as a brain injury or spinal cord injury (SCI). Disabilities may be associated with longstanding conditions, such as diabetes, and may develop as we age, such as vision loss. Finally, disabilities may be progressive, such as muscular dystrophy; static, such as limb loss; or intermittent, such as some forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Disabilities occur across language, race, ethnicity, gender, or other demographics. Below, you will find just a few examples of evidence-based consumer products produced by the NIDILRR community for Spanish-speakers with disabilities, their families, and service providers:

• The Learning and Working During the Transition to Adulthood Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (Transitions ACR)  (in English) develops and shares new knowledge about core concepts, interventions, and policies to greatly improve the transition to employment for youth and young adults with serious mental health conditions. As part of its work, Transitions ACR provides resources for youth and young adults with mental health conditions in transition to employment, which include factsheets, infocomics, Comeback TV, and more. The Center includes consumer factsheets in Spanish for youth and young adults with mental illness, their families, and service providers, including factsheets on innovative accommodations, saving money, self-advocacy, and more.
• The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) (in English) provides evidence-based information on spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and burn injury that includes factsheets, modules, slideshows, infocomics, and more. For Spanish-speaking consumers, the MSKTC has factsheets on topics related to SCI, TBI, and burn injuries. These consumer products are created in collaboration with the NIDILRR-funded SCI Model System Centers (in English), TBI Model System Centers (in English), and Burn Model System Centers (in English).
• The Parents Empowering Parents: National Research Center for Parents with Disabilities and Their Families (NRCPD)  conducts research and provides training and technical assistance to improve the lives of parents with disabilities and their families, particularly racial and ethnic minority parents. The NRCPD also provides information and resources in Spanish for parents with disabilities, researchers, and service providers. The Center also provides a blog where parents with disabilities may share their experiences.

Did you know that NARIC has a Spanish-language version of its website? It includes NARIC’s Research In Focus series, which features reader-friendly summaries of the latest research from NIDILRR-funded projects. To learn more about Spanish-language consumer products from the NIDILRR community, read NARIC’s FAQ in English and Spanish.

To learn more about these and other products from the NIDILRR community, contact NARIC’s information specialists (in English).