[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 87 (Monday, May 6, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30530-30532]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-11203]



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Part VII





Department of Education





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National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Notice of 
Proposed Priority

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 87 / Monday, May 6, 2002 / Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; 
Notice of Proposed Priority

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of proposed priority.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services proposes funding a priority on Disability in 
Rural Communities under the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center 
(RRTC) Program for the National Institute on Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for fiscal years (FY) 2002-2004. The 
Assistant Secretary takes this action to focus research attention on an 
identified national need. We intend this priority to improve the 
rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with disabilities.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before June 5, 2002.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments about this proposed priority to Donna 
Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 
3412, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 20202-2645. If you prefer to 
send your comments through the Internet, use the following address: 
[email protected]
    You must include the term Disability in Rural Communities in the 
subject line of your electronic message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle. Telephone: (202) 205-
5880.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the TDD number at (202) 205-4475 or via the Internet: 
[email protected]
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Invitation To Comment

    We invite you to submit comments regarding this proposed priority.
    We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Order 12866 and its overall requirement of 
reducing the regulatory burden that might result from this proposed 
priority. Please let us know of any further opportunities we should 
take to reduce potential costs or increase potential benefits while 
preserving the effective and efficient administration of the program.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public 
comments about this proposed priority in room 3412, Switzer Building, 
330 C Street, SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 
p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal 
holidays.

Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the 
Rulemaking Record

    On request, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or 
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs 
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public 
rulemaking record for this proposed priority. If you want to schedule 
an appointment for this type of aid, please contact the person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    We will announce the final priority in a notice in the Federal 
Register. We will determine the final priority after considering 
responses to this notice and other information available to the 
Department. This notice doesnot preclude us from proposing or funding 
an additional priority, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking 
requirements.

    Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which we choose to use this proposed priority, we invite 
applications through a notice published in the Federal Register. 
When inviting applications we designate the priority as absolute, 
competitive preference, or invitational.

    The proposed priority refers to President Bush's New Freedom 
Initiative (NFI). The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominitiative.html.
    The proposed priority also refers to NIDRR's Long-Range Plan (the 
Plan). The Plan can be accessed on the Internet at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR/Products. Description of the 
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTC) Program.
    The RRTCs conduct coordinated and integrated advanced programs of 
research targeted toward the production of new knowledge, to improve 
rehabilitation methodology and service delivery systems, alleviate or 
stabilize disabling conditions, or promote maximum social and economic 
independence for persons with disabilities. RRTCs operate in 
collaboration with institutions of higher education or providers of 
rehabilitation or other appropriate services. Additional information on 
the RRTC program can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR/Programs/res_program.html#RRTC.

General Requirements

    The RRTC must:
     Carry out coordinated advanced programs of rehabilitation 
research;
     Provide training, including graduate, pre-service, and in-
service training, to help rehabilitation personnel more effectively 
provide rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities;
     Provide technical assistance to individuals with 
disabilities, their representatives, providers, and other interested 
parties;
     Disseminate informational materials to individuals with 
disabilities, their representatives, providers, and other interested 
parties; and
     Serve as centers for national excellence in rehabilitation 
research for individuals with disabilities, their representatives, 
providers, and other interested parties.

Priority

Background

    Individuals living in rural areas experience a disproportionately 
higher rate of disability compared to individuals living in 
metropolitan areas (National Health Interview Survey, Washington, DC: 
Department of Health and Human Services, 1992). In addition to the high 
rate of disability in rural America, individuals with disabilities 
residing in these areas are impacted by other salient and challenging 
issues such as employment, economic and community development, and 
health-related concerns.
    Rural areas continue to lag behind urban areas in economic and 
community development, including employment opportunities, (Johnson S., 
Focusing on Differences: A New Approach for Rural Policy? The Main 
Street Economist, Center for the Study of Rural America, Federal 
Reserve Bank of Kansas City, July 2001). Job opportunities and economic 
development are inextricably associated with economic policy 
initiatives. Historically, rural policy and economic development 
endeavors have been more attentive to specific economic sectors such as 
agriculture and manufacturing and have not adequately addressed 
attention to community and individual needs (Johnson, 2001).
    Research will help in understanding the impact of rural policy and 
economic

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development initiatives on systems providing services for individuals 
with disabilities and their influence on employment outcomes for 
individuals with disabilities. Further, research can assist with 
development and examination of effective policies and strategies for 
addressing existing and emerging problems in rural populations.
    Emerging disabilities and health-related issues, such as secondary 
conditions, are a critical challenge for rural healthcare providers and 
individuals with disabilities living in rural communities. There have 
only been limited studies to address the unique needs of individuals 
with disabilities within a wellness and health promotion context.
    Traditionally, individuals with disabilities are viewed from an 
illness perspective. More specifically, the medical model orientation 
to disability has led to an inadequate emphasis on health promotion and 
disease prevention activities, as well as contributed to the frequency 
to which secondary conditions are experienced by persons with primary 
disabilities living in rural areas (U.S. Department of Health and Human 
Services, Healthy People 2010: With Understanding and Improving Health 
and Objectives, 2nd ed, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing 
Office, Nov. 2000; http://www.health.gov/healthypeople).
    Research will help to illuminate the impact of inadequate health 
promotion and prevention activities on the health status of individuals 
with disabilities, including secondary disabling conditions. Further, 
research will assist with identifying effective intervention strategies 
for improving health outcomes, and enhance understanding of the 
healthcare needs of individuals with disabilities in rural communities, 
secondary conditions, and the needs of healthcare providers.
    While healthcare issues present critical challenges, transportation 
issues also have adverse consequences for individuals with disabilities 
and service providers in rural communities. Participation in the 
community is often limited for individuals with disabilities in rural 
communities because transportation services are either not available or 
inadequate to meet community needs. Current research cites insufficient 
transportation as one of the more serious problems for individuals with 
disabilities living in rural areas (O'Day B., Issues in Rural 
Independence: Revisited, Independent Living Research Utilization at 
TIRR, 2001; http://www.ilru.org/ilnet/files/bookshelf/rural/revisited).
    The President's New Freedom Initiative (NFI) also cites the lack of 
adequate transportation as a primary barrier for individuals with 
disabilities. The NFI identifies the need to test new transportation 
ideas and to increase access to alternate means of transportation, such 
as vans with specialty lifts, modified automobiles, and ride-share 
programs for those who cannot access buses or other forms of mass 
transportation (The President's New Freedom Initiative, 2001) http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominitiative.html.
    In conclusion, individuals with disabilities living in rural areas 
face a unique challenge, that impact their lives as a result of living 
in these communities. To address these challenges and find viable 
solutions, NIDRR is interested in research activities that include 
individuals with disabilities, particularly as researchers. Inclusion 
of individuals with disabilities provides the opportunity for consumers 
to influence research direction and policy. Participatory research has 
the potential of enhancing the relevance and applicability of research 
results, particularly, when individuals with disabilities are 
participants at every stage of the research process (Olkin R., What 
Psychotherapists Should Know About Disability, Guilford, 1999), 
including planning, development, and evaluation of research activities, 
and especially when the role of consumers is not limited to the role of 
research subject.

Proposed Priority

    The Assistant Secretary proposes to establish an RRTC on Disability 
in Rural Communities. The purpose of the absolute priority is to 
generate new knowledge through research and development activities that 
improves the effectiveness of rehabilitation services. The RRTC project 
must propose research and development activities that are focused on 
each of the three areas of inquiry: (1) Rural Employment, and Community 
and Economic Development Policy; (2) Rural Health and Disability; and 
(3) Rural Community Transportation, as follows:
    (1) Rural Employment, and Community and Economic Development 
Policy: (a) Identify economic and community development policies and 
evaluate their impact on the employment status of individuals with 
disabilities living in rural areas, public and private service delivery 
systems, and service providers;
    (b) Investigate the effectiveness of policies and strategies for 
addressing existing and emerging problems for individuals with 
disabilities in rural communities.
    (c) Identify and evaluate employment policies and employment 
strategies, including those used in State vocational rehabilitation 
systems, and investigate the impact on employment outcomes for 
individuals with disabilities.
    (2) Rural Health and Disability:
    (a) Identify and investigate the needs of healthcare providers and 
health care needs of individuals with disabilities in rural communities 
and factors contributing to secondary conditions.
    (b) Investigate the impact of inadequate health promotion, 
wellness, and prevention activities on the health status and disability 
outcomes for individuals with disabilities, including secondary 
disabling conditions.
    (c) Develop and evaluate health promotion intervention strategies 
or identify and evaluate effective health promotion strategies for 
improving health outcomes for individuals with disabilities in rural 
communities, including an emphasis on prevention of secondary 
conditions. Investigate the impact of inadequate wellness and health 
promotion on healthcare service systems in rural communities.
    (d) Develop and test training materials for healthcare providers 
and consumers to enhance knowledge of disability, secondary conditions, 
and effective wellness and health promotion intervention strategies.
    (3) Rural Community Transportation:
    (a) Identify or develop and test new transportation ideas and 
investigate their effectiveness to increase access for individuals with 
disabilities, and assess whether they are cost effective.
    (b) Investigate the impact of alternate means of transportation on 
disability outcomes, especially employment and health outcomes, and
    (c) Identify and investigate the impact of transportation policies, 
programs, and resource allocations on access and community integration 
for individuals with disabilities; In carrying out the purposes of the 
priority, the RRTC shall:
     Disseminate information about disability issues in rural 
communities;
     Use advances in telecommunications and web-based 
technologies, where appropriate, to ensure broad access to research 
results and their practical application; and
     Involve individuals with disabilities, their family 
members, and consumers, as appropriate, in all stages of the research 
process and related activities.
    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.

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Electronic Access to This Document

    You may review this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: 
www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister
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    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html.


(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.133B, 
Rehabilitation Research and Training Center)

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(2).

    Dated: April 29, 2002.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and, Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 02-11203 Filed 5-3-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U