Info Briefs

Knowledge Translation: The Rise of Implementation is a monograph commissioned by the Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR). Lead author Melanie Barwick is an internationally recognized expert in knowledge translation (KT) and implementation science (IS). Raluca Dubrowski and Kadia Petricca complete the author team. The monograph provides an update of the KT literature and reflects on advancements in the KT process, as well as KT’s relationship with IS. KT practices related to disability research are highlighted along with a look at future directions in KT.

Inclusive Methods for Engaging People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Research Practices describes the systematic exclusion of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) from participation in research practices. Author Dr. Sadler discusses inclusive methods for engaging people with IDD in research as well as considerations for the COVID-19 pandemic and research participation. A list of resources for including people with disabilities in research practices is provided for disability researchers, practitioners, and advocates.

Engaging Stakeholders for Research Impact defines stakeholder engagement, describes different types of stakeholders and addresses why research projects should focus on engagement. Author Dr. Tamika Heiden is the founder and principal of Australia’s Research Impact Academy. She has over 15 years of experience in translating research into practice. Joining Dr. Heiden as a contributing author is a member of the Center on KTDRR's Expert Review Panel, Dr. Toni Saia, an activist, professor and researcher who brings lived experience with disability to her work. Dr. Saia shares an example of how her collaborative research project resulted in accessibility improvements.

Using the Grey Literature to Identify Best Evidence shares important concepts about searching for and using studies from non-traditional, usually non-peer-reviewed studies—the grey literature—to identify best evidence on clinical questions. Authors Mark V. Johnston and Ronald T. Seel present an overview of evidence-based practice and the systematic review process, focusing on questions of intervention effectiveness, which involves extensive searching of the vast literature found in peer-reviewed scientific journals and study selection. Searching the grey literature can identify additional studies that further one’s understanding of best evidence. The authors offer recommendations on search strategies and sources and on evaluating and synthesizing evidence from both traditional and grey literature to draw conclusions.

New Methods and Technologies for Keeping Systematic Reviews Up to Date outlines innovations in bibliographic data searching that may be helpful in identifying studies for systematic reviews. James Thomas, deputy director of the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre (EPPI-Centre) at University College London, begins with an overview of methods currently used to search existing bibliographic databases. Next, he examines changes in the collection of bibliographic databases and recent advances in methods for retrieval of information, including a study using Microsoft Academic Graph (MAG) and OpenAlex as single-source databases. Finally, he illustrates the potential these new developments hold for the systematic review process with a case study of the EPPI-Centre’s living systematic map of COVID 19 research.