Special Olympics Programs interested in learning about what SO-Link is, how SO-Link operates, how athletes become enrolled, or how to explain specific aspects of SO-Link to families, caregivers, or partners should continue reading below.

SO-Link (Linking Athletes with Scientific Opportunities) is a Special Olympics initiative that connects athletes who want to hear about research and evaluation opportunities with projects that have been carefully reviewed and approved by a committee of Special Olympics staff, athletes, and advisors.

SO-Link is currently available to limited Programs located in the Special Olympics North America (SONA) Region during the initial roll-out phase. Not all Programs or Regions are eligible to enroll athletes in SO-Link yet.

SO-Link is designed in part to reduce the burden on SONA Programs that receive direct inquiries from external organizations inquiring about athlete participation in research and evaluation projects. Through SO-Link, the Special Olympics Research & Evaluation team is formalizing and streamlining the vetting and review process for incoming research opportunities. By centralizing review and outreach, SO-Link helps ensure consistent, systematic handling of research requests while limiting demands on Programs.

Participating SONA Programs can reassure athletes that SO-Link offers optional opportunities vetted for safety and alignment with Special Olympics values and that athletes can opt out at any time. Programs do not need to conduct their own review of external research requests routed through SO-Link.

Staff and volunteers can respond with a brief explanation such as: “SO-Link is a Special Olympics project that athletes can sign up for if they are interested in participating in research. Athletes who sign up will receive emails about safe, approved research and evaluation opportunities they, together with their doctors and families, can choose to participate in if they are interested.”

Programs can also emphasize that SO-Link keeps athlete information private, does not share it with outside groups, and that participation in any project is completely voluntary.

If an athlete has more detailed questions (for example, about a specific project, how their data are used, or how to opt out), Programs can encourage them to read the SO-Link athlete information email or materials and, if needed, help them contact the Special Olympics Research & Evaluation team for more information by contacting SOLink@specialolympics.org.

Programs can also remind athletes that saying "no" to a project will not affect their participation in Special Olympics sports or activities or their opportunity to participate in future research projects.

SO-Link is closely connected to the Special Olympics Center of Excellence (COE) and is being introduced first within these Programs that are enrolled in the COE. Currently, only athletes from Programs that have implemented the Center of Excellence are eligible to sign up for SO-Link.

If athletes from non-COE Programs express interest in SO-Link, please inform them that in this initial phase of roll-out, not all Programs are eligible to enroll athletes in SO-Link. You can also let them know that Special Olympics expects to expand access to SO-Link over time as the project grows and additional Programs are ready to participate.

If your Program receives a question about SO-Link that you cannot answer, please email SOLink@specialolympics.org for clarification or support. This includes questions about how SO-Link operates, how athletes are enrolled, or how to explain specific aspects of SO-Link to families, caregivers, or partners.

Programs should also email SOLink@specialolympics.org if an external researcher, university, agency, or other project expresses interest in using SO-Link to reach athletes in their Program. The Special Olympics Research & Evaluation team will then guide the external group through the formal review and vetting process and will communicate next steps back to the Program.