Leveraging the Power of Context in Disability Policy Development, Implementation, and Evaluation: Multiple Applications to Enhance Personal Outcomes

Abstract

The article provides an overview and integration of work examining the multiple applications of context to enhancing personal outcomes, with a focus on how a clearer understanding of context can be leveraged in disability policy development, implementation, and evaluation. Specifically, a clear operational definition of context and an empirically based conceptual model of context are presented, followed by an approach to the analysis or measurement of context, and guidelines for applying an understanding of context to enhance personal outcomes through policy development, implementation, and evaluation. The article concludes with a discussion of five specific actions that can be taken to leverage the power of context.