Disability and IRBs

Some campus Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) may define college students and college students with disabilities as vulnerable populations. Be aware that all research with college students (with or without disabilities) is likely to require approval of an IRB. For more information about this topic, look at the guidelines below. There is also a link to a webinar by Dr. McDonald on disability research with people with intellectually and developmentally disabilities, including college students. Very little has been written about this topic. For more information, we recommend contacting the IRB where you wish to do research, or contact the NCCSD (at nccsd@ahead.org) and ask to speak to our research team.

• A Response to proposed rule-making that would identify "physically disabled" people as vulnerable, by disability studies scholars Cassandra Evans and Pamela Block (original posting on Federal Register can be found here )
• Guidelines and recommendations for working with "vulnerable populations," including those with HIV positive status - via a search for "vulnerable populations" at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services