The Washington Group’s Contribution to Disability Statistics and a Look to the Future

Abstract

The Washington Group has been in existence for 13 years and has developed and tested question sets that will produce internationally comparable disability statistics. The questions are now being adopted by National Statistical Offices, other government bodies, non-governmental organizations and academia. Over the next several years the Washington Group will put its efforts into developing materials and providing technical assistance that will facilitate the inclusion of the questions in as many data collections as possible. Assistance will also be provided in the analysis and dissemination of the data produced. New question sets focusing on the environment and participation will be developed and tested. Workgroups have also been organized to address issues of mental health and other sources of disability information such as administrative records and data registries. The information generated from the full battery of data collection tools will give governments and organizations with an interest in disability the ability to monitor whether persons with disability are fully participating in society.