Form 11 P&A: Interview with Recipient of Community Education

RECIPIENTS OF COMMUNITY EDUCATION

[Interviewer]: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today. My name is [interviewer’s name] , and I work for _______________, a private research company in ___________________.

The Administration on Developmental Disabilities (ADD) is conducting an independent evaluation of Developmental Disabilities Network programs and collaboration among them. The purpose of this evaluation is to examine the impact of the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Network programs on the lives of people with developmental disabilities and their families. The P&A program that contacted you to participate in this evaluation is one of ____ P&A programs in ____ states that have been randomly selected to participate in the evaluation. As someone who participated in a P&A community education program, you are an important source of information. We consider community education to consist of informing the public at large and people with developmental disabilities about the rights and value of people with developmental disabilities in their community and empowering people with developmental disabilities to advocate for themselves and others.

We have some questions we would like to ask you about your experiences with P&A community education program you attended and the ways in which you used or hope to use the information you obtained. The interview should last approximately ½ hour – 45 minutes.

Before we begin, I would like to ask your permission to record this interview so that we do not miss any of your responses to our questions. This recording is for ___________ use only. It will not be made available to anyone else. Do we have your permission to record?

Do you have any questions before we start?

Let’s start with some information about you.

1. Prior to participating in a P&A community education program, what kinds of experiences or background did you have with people with developmental disabilities? Please describe.

Probe:

• Personal disability

• Family member with a disability

• Worked with people with disabilities

• Other _________________________________________________________

2. How did you first learn about the P&A?

2. How did you first come across the P&A community education program?

2. Please describe the community education program you participated in.

1. What was the topic (i.e., What did the presenter talk about)?

Probe:

• Legislation (e.g., Americans with Disabilities Act, Workforce Investment Act)

• Services and resources available to people with developmental disabilities

• Gaps in supports and services

• Accommodations and ways to obtain them

• Other _____________________________________________________

2. Where was it held?

3. What type of format was used (e.g., discussion group, lecture, other)?

4. Were accommodations made available for you or others who might have needed them? Please describe.

2. Have you had the opportunity to use what you learned? Please describe.

1. How have you used this information?

Probe:

• Advocated for oneself to obtain needed supports and services

• Became a client of the P&A

• Provided accommodations for employees with a disability

• Applied for tax incentives for assistive technology for employees

• Instituted company hiring policies so discrimination against a person with a developmental disability would not take place

• Interacted more often or more effectively with people with developmental disabilities to whom they provide services

• Contacted a service provider on behalf of a person with a developmental disability

• Other _____________________________________________________

2. How do you think you might use this information in the future?

Probe:

• Will advocate for needed supports and services

• Will contact the P&A again

• Will provide accommodations for employees with a disability

• Will apply for tax incentives for assistive technology for employees

• Will institute company hiring policies so discrimination against a person with a developmental disability will not take place

• Will interact more often or more effectively with people with developmental disabilities to whom they provide services

• Will contact a service provider

• Other _____________________________________________________

6. Did the information you received meet your expectations? Please explain.

1. What were your expectations?

2. Were they met?

3. What could have been done to better meet your expectations?

7. Were you asked to provide feedback on the education and training you received? Please describe.

Probe:

• Satisfaction survey to complete on same day

• Satisfaction survey sent to work/home

• Followup telephone survey

• Other _________________________________________________________

8. Overall, how useful was the information you received from [NAME OF P&A]? Please explain.

Very useful Somewhat useful Not very useful

9. How likely would you be to recommend the P&A to someone you know for educational programs or other services? Please explain.

Very likely Somewhat likely Not very likely

Those are all the questions we have for you today. Do you have any questions before we end this interview?

We’d like to thank you again for taking the time to answer our questions.