Meghan Burke, PhD

Meghan Burke, PhD, is an associate professor of special education in the College of Education at the University of Illinois. According to the U.S. Library of Medicine, a majority of physically disabled patients have trouble accessing services and are unsatisfied with the quality of care offered to them. Professor Meghan Burke focuses her research on targeting these discrepancies and working to make services more accessible to those who need them.

What is your research about?
My research focuses on access to services among families of individuals with disabilities. Often, individuals with disabilities need services from a variety of systems (e.g., medical providers, schools, clinics, private agencies). It can be hard for parents to identify and access appropriate services for their offspring across the lifespan. There are several barriers to accessing services. My intervention research focuses on increasing access to services which, subsequently, will improve maternal and child health outcomes. 

How are you conducting your research?
Most of my recent research has focused on testing interventions to increase access to services. Specifically, I have been conducting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the effect of advocacy interventions on access to services. For example, we recently completed a RCT to test the effect of an advocacy training intervention for parents of children with disabilities. We found that the intervention (versus waitlist-control group) participants demonstrated significantly greater knowledge, empowerment, and self-mastery. In another study, with a colleague from Boston University (Dr. Rossetti), we just finished conducting a multi-site RCT study to test the effect of a legislative advocacy intervention on improving systemic access to services among parents of children with disabilities. 

How does being a part of the Illinois community support and enhance your research?
I have benefitted greatly from the resources in the Illinois community. Specifically, we have a strong disability community which helps inform the supports that families need to access services. At the university itself, Linda Tortorelli at The Autism Program (TAP) has been a tremendous resource for ensuring the real-world applicability of my research. Also, I have greatly benefitted from IHSI. As I apply for funding, my research designs are becoming increasingly complicated. Dr. Musaad at IHSI has been a crucial expert in helping me improve the rigor of my designs as well as develop the appropriate analyses. Dr. Musaad is a brilliant statistician but also a very collegial and welcoming colleague--my research is much stronger because of her assistance. 

Do you have a personal story to share or path that led to your interest in this area of study?
I have a brother, Ryan, who has Down syndrome. I have watched my parents struggle to access services for Ryan. Thus, my personal experience with him inspired me to commit my research to improve access to services. Now, I have my own child with support needs. I find myself frequently advocating for services for him; thus, access to services is incredibly important to my own life. In my advocacy for my son, I have faced several roadblocks including program directors refusing to provide physical accommodations for my son and telling me that "parent advocacy does not matter." Such obstacles have only inspired me to continue conducting research to ensure that all families can access services for their children with disabilities. 

How will your research improve society or reach people? 
When individuals with disabilities receive appropriate services, they are more likely to have better outcomes--this includes educational, employment, and community living. Further, when parents are able to access services for their offspring, parents report greater well-being and less stress. By ensuring that all families can access appropriate services, we can ensure a better quality of life for individuals with disabilities and their families.