It's subtle, but I can see it.
Research often conjures up images of lab rats, white coats and boring discussion of statistics.
The idea for something like MAC first came to my attention almost a decade ago. A parent told the VRRI Research Department that her son with a disability deserved the same chances to make friends and to date as her sons without disabilities. Her son with a disability had little opportunity to meet people and she wondered if there was anything we could do about it. Later, I was working with a colleague from another service who related his experience with a senior's group in which some of the group members said they would like to date. My colleague and I both knew from the academic literature that friendship and dating often eluded people with developmental disabilities.