Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center (KTER)

The Center on Knowledge Translation for Employment Research (KTER), operated by AIR, connects disability employment research to the people and organizations who need it most. KTER makes research funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) accessible, actionable, and impactful to help drive improved employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

KTER strengthens the impact of NIDILRR-funded employment research by translating findings into practical tools, strategies, and resources that can be applied in real-world employment, vocational rehabilitation, policy, and workforce settings. The Center serves people with disabilities and their family members, direct support professionals, vocational rehabilitation practitioners, business and industry representatives, employment service providers, researchers, and policymakers. By understanding the informational needs of these audiences, the KTER Center tailors its knowledge translation strategies to increase research use and strengthen employment systems.
 

What We Do

KTER identifies research and knowledge translation needs through stakeholder engagement, interviews, and literature reviews. The Center develops employment resources in collaboration with end users and subject matter experts to ensure materials are practical, usable, and accessible. In addition, KTER provides training and technical assistance to NIDILRR employment grantees to support planning and implementation of knowledge translation activities, helping to build capacity for effective research dissemination, stakeholder engagement, and evaluation.

The Center also disseminates employment-related research resources through its website kter.org, briefs, webcasts, workshops, and newsletter, and builds partnerships between NIDILRR employment grantees and other organizations to strengthen collaboration and shared learning. Through working groups such as its Business Advisory Council and National Advisory Board, the KTER Center incorporates business-sector expertise, stakeholder guidance, and diverse perspectives to ensure its work remains relevant and impactful.

The contents of this Center were developed under grant number 90DPEM0011 from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this website do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.