
RTC:Rural researcher Lillie Greiman showing our Network Analysis poster
RTC:Rural staff recently traveled to Spokane, Washington, for the 23rd annual Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) conference.
“Attending APRIL gives us a chance to connect with the real people, both service providers and consumers, who work on the ground every day,” said RTC:Rural Research Associate Lillie Greiman. Those connections allow RTC:Rural staff to share, gather feedback and solicit input on our research and resources. Added Research Associate Andrew Myers, “The APRIL conference gives us the opportunity to hear about the lived experiences of people with disabilities in rural communities all across the county, and these stories can help inform our research and improve the work we do.”
Tools for Today and Tomorrow – Presentation

RTC:Rural research Tannis Hargrove presenting about the Healthy Community Living program
Researchers shared information about new and current RTC:Rural projects and products in a packed workshop called Asking Question Leads to Solutions: Tools for Today and Tomorrow, which highlighted some of the many RTC:Rural products and tools that have been developed as a result of our research. Presenters provided information about:
- Advocacy Skill Building Toolkit
- Maps of Disability and Employment, from our Disability across America map series.
- Disability Counts Data Finder
- RTC:Rural employment research, including Telecom Toolbox and the Vocational Rehabilitation Self-Employment Guide (which is still in development)
- Living Well and Working Well with a Disability
- Healthy Community Living
- the new Rural Disability Resource Library website
All of these resources can be found on the Rural Disability Resource Library website.