Center for International Rehabilitation Research Information & Exchange (CIRRIE)

Principal Investigator: John H. Stone, PhD

Funding Agency: National Institute for Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education

Period: 11/2010-10/2015

Abstract: The mission of the Center for International Rehabilitation Research (CIRRIE) is to facilitate the sharing of information and expertise between the U.S. and other countries. Unlike other centers in the United States that work to improve the conditions of people with disabilities in other countries, CIRRIE’s role is to identify and disseminate in the U.S. information found useful in other countries for the rehabilitation of persons with disabilities.

CIRRIE has developed a Database of International Rehabilitation Research. The database may be searched by subject, author, country, title, year and other parameters. CIRRIE has also developed an online, multi-lingual International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation.

CIRRIE also supports international exchanges of rehabilitation research and development personnel involving NIDRR grantees and counterparts from other countries to assist them in developing collaborative relationships.

CIRRIE also develops educational and training resources to strengthen the cultural competence of rehabilitation professionals in the U.S., especially those who work with recent immigrants. It has developed books and monographs on this topic and has conducted international conferences. It has developed curriculum guides for infusing cultural competency education in the curricula of rehabilitation related university programs. CIRRIE is currently developing simulated patients case scenarios in cooperation with UB's Behling Simulation Center involving simulations using both standardized patients and automated manikins. The use of simulated patients encounters to teach cultural competence is novel to the area of rehabilitation education.