[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 222 (Friday, November 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-28477]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: November 18, 1994]


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Part II





Department of Education





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National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Notice of 
Final Funding Priorities and Notice Inviting Applications for New 
Awards Under the Knowledge Dissemination and Utilization Program
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final funding priorities for fiscal years 1995-1996 
for the knowledge dissemination and utilization program.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary announces final funding priorities for the 
Knowledge Dissemination and Utilization (D&U) Program under the 
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) 
for fiscal years 1995-1996. The Secretary takes this action to ensure 
that rehabilitation knowledge generated from projects and centers 
funded by NIDRR and others is utilized fully to improve the lives of 
individuals with disabilities and their families.

EFFECTIVE DATE: These priorities take effect on December 19, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Esquith, U.S. Department of 
Education, 600 Independence Avenue SW., Switzer Building, Room 3424, 
Washington, D.C. 20202-2601. Telephone: (202) 205-8801. Individuals who 
use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the TDD 
number at (202) 205-5516.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains two final priorities 
under the D&U program. The priorities are in the areas of disability 
research dissemination and accessible data.
    Authority for the D&U program of NIDRR is contained in sections 202 
and 204(a) and 204(b)(6) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 
(29 U.S.C. 760-762). Under this program the Secretary makes awards to 
public and private agencies and organizations, including institutions 
of higher education and Indian tribes or tribal organizations.
    These final priorities support the National Education Goal that 
calls for all Americans to possess the knowledge and skills necessary 
to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and 
responsibilities of citizenship.
    Under the regulations for this program (see 34 CFR 355.32) the 
Secretary may establish research priorities by reserving funds to 
support particular research activities.
    On September 7, 1994, the Secretary published a notice of proposed 
priorities in the Federal Register (59 FR 46300).
    The Department of Education received five letters commenting on the 
proposed priorities. One modification was made to the priorities as a 
result of those comments. The comments, and the Secretary's responses, 
are discussed in an appendix to this notice.


    Note: This notice of final priorities does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under this competition 
will be published in the Federal Register concurrent with or 
following publication of the notice of final priorities.

Priority

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary gives an absolute 
preference to applications that meet the following priorities. The 
Secretary will fund under this program only applications that meet 
these absolute priorities:

Priority 1: Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research

    Section 200(4)(A) of Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended 
requires that NIDRR ``ensure the widespread distribution, in usable 
formats, of practical scientific and technological information 
generated by research, demonstration projects, training, and related 
activities.'' This priority calls for a center that can assist NIDRR 
grantees to better disseminate the results of their research, including 
increasing the accessibility of research information to those who need 
alternate formats.
    Researchers usually report research findings through professional 
meetings and publications. In order to expand dissemination of research 
findings to other audiences, including rehabilitation professionals, 
individuals with disabilities, and other interested parties, 
researchers may need technical assistance and training. Research is 
needed to understand the reasons why persons are not utilizing 
information from NIDRR-sponsored research (e.g., unfamiliarity with 
terminology, inability to utilize the medium, or the lack of 
availability of the traditional research publications).
    A body of literature currently exists concerning best practices for 
information dissemination (see Backer, ``Knowledge: Creation, 
Diffusion, Utilization,'' Vol. 12, Number 3, March 1991, Sage 
Publications). Through a model project, this Center will evaluate the 
effectiveness of these recommended practices and assist researchers to 
develop strategies they can use to determine the best formats and 
methods to disseminate their research findings to all appropriate 
audiences.
    The Center shall support all of the costs associated with the pilot 
project described below.

Priority

    A D&U Center for the dissemination of disability research shall--
     Identify the format, availability, accessibility 
(including electronic accessibility), and obstacles to utilization of 
disability research faced by a wide range of potential target 
audiences, including, but not limited to, persons with disabilities and 
their families, advocacy organizations, researchers, policymakers at 
the local, State and Federal level, journalists, and disability-related 
service providers;
     Identify unique issues of disability research information 
dissemination that apply to persons from minority backgrounds and 
develop strategies to address those issues;
     Identify and develop dissemination strategies that 
disability researchers can use to identify all appropriate target 
audiences, understand the audiences' interests and needs, and 
disseminate the appropriate information to all target audiences using 
each audience's preferred information medium;
     Identify, develop, and distribute to all NIDRR grantees, 
the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation 
Services Administration (RSA), and the National Rehabilitation 
Information Center (NARIC), technical assistance materials that address 
format, availability, accessibility, and dissemination strategies in 
order to assist the grantees to disseminate their research findings as 
effectively as possible to all appropriate audiences;
     Respond to technical questions and requests for technical 
assistance on dissemination from all NIDRR grantees and provide 
training to the project directors at their annual meeting;
     Develop (within six months after the award), implement 
(beginning within 12 months after the award), and evaluate (beginning 
24 months after the award) a pilot dissemination project that solicits 
nominations of research results from NIDRR's Rehabilitation Research 
and Training Center Program grantees, Rehabilitation Engineering 
Research Center Program grantees, Field-initiated Research Program 
grantees, and Research and Demonstration Program grantees, selects a 
wide range of those research products (at least one set of products 
from each of the programs listed above), and disseminates those 
findings to all appropriate target audiences using a wide range of 
formats and media in order to ensure maximum availability, 
accessibility, and utility; and
     Provide all of NIDRR's grantees, OSEP, RSA, and NARIC with 
a quarterly newsletter providing them with technical assistance on 
research information dissemination.

Priority 2: Improving Access to Disability Data

Background
    Demographic data and statistical information on disability are 
extremely valuable in assisting the Nation in understanding the scope 
of disability issues in America, developing disability policy, and 
planning, conducting, and evaluating services for individuals with 
disabilities. Legislators, policymakers, service providers, and 
advocates--as well as manufacturers and retailers--require information 
on the incidence and prevalence of disability conditions, the 
distribution of disability conditions among the population, and the 
characteristics of individuals with disabilities. This information is 
needed in order to develop policy, and plan, administer, and evaluate 
programs, including health care programs; assess market demand for 
goods and services; estimate demand for and the costs of public 
services; and evaluate the effectiveness of society's efforts to 
promote disability prevention, rehabilitation, community integration 
and inclusion, and protect the civil rights of individuals with 
disabilities.
    Data on disability are collected and produced by many groups. The 
variety of statutory authorities for the collection of public data 
sets, the absence of any mandate or resources for comprehensive 
demographic studies of disability, and a inconsistently applied 
definition of disability have resulted in fragmented, incomplete, and 
inconsistent data sets about individuals with disability. One byproduct 
of this situation has been the focus on explorations and 
reconciliations to make these data more useful for further research.
    Yet legislators and program administrators, advocates and 
journalists continue to use ``data''--numbers, estimates, projections, 
and ``best guesses''--as the basis for policy decisions and 
assessments. It is important that the estimates used be accurate and 
that their users understand the implications of the data. 
Underestimates of certain conditions or populations may result in 
failure to plan and provide resources for adequate services; 
overestimation makes it impossible to assess the real effectiveness of 
laws or programs and may discourage efforts to address certain problems 
for fear of overwhelming costs.
    There is a need for presentation of data in meaningful, 
understandable, and accessible formats usable by persons with a range 
of educational levels and technical skills, sensory disabilities, 
languages, and cognitive abilities. There is also a need to make 
disability data available to the broad range of target audiences 
referred to above.
    NIDRR has attempted to address many of the problems of 
unsatisfactory databases and the need to increase understanding of the 
demography of disability by supporting research projects and centers 
that primarily compile and analyze data and train researchers and 
statisticians. This scholarly effort has not addressed sufficiently the 
widespread dissemination of data that is presented in useful, 
meaningful, and accessible formats for a variety of audiences not 
experienced in the nuances of data interpretation. Further, NIDRR's 
data research program has, almost of necessity, been focused on data 
that relate to health conditions and health care needs.
    NIDRR also has identified a need to improve the ability of 
individuals with disabilities and their parents, persons from minority 
backgrounds with disabilities, family members, guardians, advocates, or 
authorized representatives of the individuals to access information. In 
addition, many persons with disabilities need comprehension aids that 
will allow them to understand and utilize the information they access.
    The project on access to disability data will focus on the 
synthesis, interpretation, presentation, and dissemination of 
statistical information on disability to a wide target audience. It 
will provide training in the interpretation and use of disability data 
to individuals with disabilities and their organizations, and will 
involve individuals with disabilities in the identification of 
information needs and channels of access, evaluation of the materials 
prepared in the project, and dissemination of products.

Priority

    A D&U project on improving access to disability data shall--
     Assess the needs of a range of target audiences for 
specific types of disability data and the availability of such data;
     Identify the most effective channels and formats for 
conveying information to various target populations, including 
individuals with various types of disabilities, those associated with 
special communication needs, and individuals who are members of 
minority or traditionally underserved groups;
     Identify and define the nature of the access problems to 
disability data faced by various segments of the target population;
     Identify, collect, summarize, repackage, and disseminate 
selected disability statistics (proposed by the applicant) in a number 
of formats and through a number of media that will most effectively 
reach various segments of the target population, and evaluate the 
effectiveness of the selected mechanisms;
     Develop innovative and attractive informational products 
in a variety of accessible formats; develop guidelines for the 
dissemination of these materials, and provide training to relevant 
target populations in the use and dissemination of the materials;
     Develop, test, and market innovative uses of information 
technologies, including on-line data services, 800 numbers, and a 
system for reimbursable data services, as appropriate;
     Assess the need for and, if necessary, develop 
informational materials to facilitate the use of disability data 
derived from State and local entities by legislators, policy makers, 
service providers, advocates, manufacturers and retailers;
     Coordinate with other OSERS-supported and other Federal 
agency data dissemination activities to avoid duplication of effort; 
and
     Maintain all print materials created in full 3\1/2\'' disk 
format in Word Perfect 5.2 for IBM, Microsoft Word 5 for Macintosh, and 
ASCII format for easier translation into Braille and for read back 
using a screen reader, and maintain a library and on-line database of 
all products.

    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Parts 350 and 355.

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 760-762.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.133D, Knowledge 
Dissemination and Utilization Program)

    Dated: November 10, 1994.
Judith E. Heumann,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Appendix

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    By the deadline date, the Department received five comments in 
response to the proposed priorities. Two additional comments were 
received after the deadline date and were not considered in this 
response. Four of the five letters supported the priorities. This 
Appendix contains an analysis of the comments and the changes in the 
priority since the publication of the notice of proposed priority. 
Technical and other minor changes--and suggested changes the Secretary 
is not legally authorized to make under applicable statutory 
authority--are not addressed.

Priority 1: Center for the Dissemination of Disability Research

    Comment: One commenter did not support the establishment of the 
Center because of the increasing availability of electronic databases 
and ``the numerous periodicals that convert research data to practical 
information for teachers, rehabilitation counselors, parents, and 
others.'' The commenter indicated that the funds to support the Center 
would be better spent on disability research.
    Discussion: The Secretary does not believe that key audiences for 
disability research such as teachers, rehabilitation counselors, and 
parents are utilizing disability research to the maximum extent 
possible despite evolution of electronic information systems. The 
Secretary expects the Center to conduct research on information 
dissemination in order to enable persons with disabilities and their 
families to benefit from disability research.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter recommended focusing the Center on 
identifying the needs of target audiences for disability research.
    Discussion: The Secretary agrees that understanding and responding 
to the target audiences' needs are fundamental steps in the successful 
dissemination of all disability research. The Secretary points out that 
the third activity of the Center requires it to identify and develop 
dissemination strategies that disability researchers can use to 
identify all appropriate target audiences, understand the audiences' 
interests and needs, and disseminate the appropriate information to all 
target audiences using each audience's preferred information medium 
(emphasis added). The Secretary does not believe any further 
requirements are necessary.
    Changes: None.
    Comment: One commenter recommended requiring the Center to examine 
dissemination methods of agencies and organizations involved in similar 
research and dissemination activities and to share its findings with 
other agencies and organizations.
    Discussion: In order to meet the selection criteria (see 34 CFR 
350.34(c)), the Secretary believes that all applicants for the Center 
are required to propose how the project will examine the broad range of 
important topics in the field of disability research dissemination. The 
Secretary does not believe any further requirements are necessary in 
order to ensure that the Center examines the dissemination methods of 
agencies and organizations involved in similar research and 
dissemination activities.
    The Secretary agrees with the commenter's second recommendation 
that the Center should share information with agencies and 
organizations in addition to sharing information with NIDRR grantees.
    Changes: The priority has been revised to require the Center to 
distribute technical assistance materials and a copy of its quarterly 
newsletter to OSEP, RSA, and NARIC. The Secretary expects OSEP and RSA 
to share the Center's newsletter with its staff and grantees as 
appropriate.

Priority 2: Improving Access to Disability Data

    Comment: Two commenters recommended various types of data that 
should be addressed by the grantee. For example, one commenter 
recommended revising the first activity of the priority to require the 
grantee to include data on infants, toddlers, children, and youth with 
disabilities in the needs assessment.
    Discussion: The Secretary believes that applicants should have the 
discretion to propose to include any type of disability data. The 
application review process will determine the merits of each proposal. 
The Secretary declines to specify further the types of data that will 
be addressed by the grantee.
    Changes: None.

[FR Doc. 94-28477 Filed 11-17-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P