About BBI
The Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) at Syracuse University works to advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities. Named for Burton Blatt, pioneering disability rights scholar and former dean of SU’s School of Education, BBI combines research, policy, and practice to improve outcomes for people with disabilities. We have offices in Syracuse, NY and Lexington, KY.
Our Mission
Advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities worldwide.
What We Do
BBI conducts research, training, and outreach on three interconnected areas:
Economic Participation: Advancing employment, entrepreneurship, and financial well-being for people with disabilities.
Civil Rights and Disability Law: Strengthening legal protections, advancing supported decision-making, and informing disability law and policy.
Community Participation: Improving access to health, housing, and education for people with disabilities.
Our research provides the evidence to inform policy and practice, and our outreach puts that knowledge to work for people with disabilities, employers, policymakers, and communities.
Our Impact
BBI’s partnerships have produced measurable results locally, nationally, and internationally. In Central New York, we have helped more than 60 entrepreneurs with disabilities launch their own businesses. Across the country, in partnership with the National Disability Institute, we helped low-income taxpayers with disabilities receive more than $350 million in tax refunds. In Israel, BBI led unprecedented efforts for lifesaving emergency preparedness for people with disabilities.
On campus, BBI collaborates with faculty and students across law, business, engineering, public affairs, information science, and other disciplines. More than 100 SU law, graduate, and undergraduate students have contributed to BBI’s work as research and project assistants.