My research has involved persons with developmental disabilities, persons with dual diagnosis (developmental disabilities and mental health problems) and persons with acquired or traumatic brain injuries and their families and caregivers. Studies have included attitudes toward persons with disabilities, coping with stress associated with caring for a person with disabilities, factors contributing to successful community integration of persons with disabilities and the impact of aging on individuals with disabilities and their caregivers.
My current research involves two emerging teams funded by CIHR and the Bloorview Foundation through the Bright Futures for Children with Disabilities initiative . The HELPS Inc Project: Health, Education and Learning Partnerships Promoting Social Inclusion of Children with Developmental Delays and Disabilities is exploring the challenges and successes that parents, healthcare professionals and educators experience in helping preschoolers with developmental delays and disabilities transition into elementary school.
The project has brought together a vibrant emerging team that includes parents and a multidisciplinary group of researchers, healthcare professionals, educators, healthcare and education students, and other stakeholders from five universities and agencies across three provinces (Halifax, Nova Scotia; Kingston and Toronto, Ontario; and Montréal and Trois Rivières, Quebec).
Our goal is to conduct research that is responsive to the inclusion needs of preschoolers with developmental delays and disabilities as they transition into school, the needs of their families, and the need for knowledge transfer and collaboration among parents, healthcare providers and educators.
The GO4KIDDS project: Great Outcomes for Kids Impacted by Severe Developmental Disabilities is also funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) through the Bright Futures for Children with Disabilities initiative. This project is focusing on the health, well-being and social inclusion of school-aged children with severe developmental disabilities (DD) and the experiences of their families. The GO4KIDDS team includes a multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians from four Universities, two hospitals and three treatment programs in Ontario.