[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 145 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49194-49196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-19119]



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Part V





Department of Education





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Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program; Office 
of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National Institute on 
Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Rehabilitation Research and 
Training Centers (RRTC) Program; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 145 / Monday, July 29, 2002 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program

AGENCY: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
(NIDRR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priority.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services announces a final priority on Disability in 
Rural Communities under the Rehabilitation Research and Training 
Centers (RRTC) Program for the National Institute on Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The Assistant Secretary may use this 
priority for competitions in FY 2002 and in later years. We take 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority is effective August 28, 2002.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3412, Switzer Building, 
Washington, DC 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-5880 or via the 
Internet: [email protected].
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the TDD number at (202) 205-4475.
    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:

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;
     Serve as a center for national excellence in 
rehabilitation research for individuals with disabilities, their 
representatives, providers, and other interested parties.
    This priority reflects issues discussed in the New Freedom 
Initiative (NFI) and NIDRR's Long-Range Plan (the Plan). The NFI can be 
accessed on the Internet at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominiative.html.
    The Plan can be accessed on the Internet at: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR/Products.
    We published a notice of proposed priority (NPP) for the Disability 
in Rural Communities in the Federal Register on May 6, 2002 (67 FR 
30530). Except for minor revisions there are no differences between the 
notice of proposed priority (NFP) and this notice of final priority 
(NFP).

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    In response to our invitation in the NPP, six parties submitted 
comments on the proposed priority. An analysis of the comments and of 
any changes in the priority since publication of the NPP is published 
as an appendix at the end of this notice.
    Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes--and 
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the 
applicable statutory authority.
    The background for the priority was published in the NPP.

    Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which we choose to use this priority, we invite applications through 
a notice in the Federal Register.

    When inviting applications we designate the priority as absolute, 
competitive preference, or invitational. The effect of each type of 
priority follows:

Absolute Priority

    Under an absolute priority, we consider only applications that meet 
the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).

Competitive Preference Priority

    Under a competitive preference priority, we give competitive 
preference to an application by either (1) awarding additional points, 
depending on how well or the extent to which the application meets the 
priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that 
meets the priority over an application of comparable merit that does 
not meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(ii)).

Invitational Priority

    Under an invitational priority, we are particularly interested in 
applications that meet the invitational priority. However, we do not 
give an application that meets the priority a competitive or absolute 
preference over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).

Priority

    This priority supports one Rehabilitation Research and Training 
Center on Disability in Rural Communities. The purpose of the 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 following areas of inquiry: (1) Rural 
Employment, and Community and Economic Development Policy; (2) Rural 
Health and Disability; and (3) Rural Community Transportation.
    (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

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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 must:
     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.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.

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.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

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

    Dated: July 24, 2002.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

Appendix

Analysis of Comments and Changes

    Comment: One commenter addressed the need for distance training 
courses in rural areas for people with disabilities.
    Discussion: An applicant could address the need for distance 
training courses in rural areas for people with disabilities. 
However, NIDRR has no basis to determine that all applicants should 
be required to focus on this issue. The peer review process will 
evaluate the merits of the proposal.
    Change: None.
    Comment: One commenter stated that it was unclear if the 
proposed RRTC will be a two-year or a five-year project.
    Discussion: The proposed RRTC is a five-year project. The 
reference to fiscal years 2002-2004 reflects the period of time the 
priority as written is valid.
    Change: None.
    Comment: One commenter asked for clarification of the sub-
bullets under employment, health, and transportation. The commenter 
questioned if the items were examples of types of research projects 
in which NIDRR is interested or mandatory projects to be addressed.
    Discussion: As stated in the NPP, NIDRR designates a priority as 
absolute, competitive preference, or invitational. This priority is 
absolute. Therefore, the applicant must propose to address each of 
the specific activities included in the priority.
    Change: None.
    Comment: One commenter inquired as to whether the emphasis on 
the term ``policy'' is meant to be a narrow prescription to conduct 
research on policies only or if it can be interpreted broadly as the 
continuum from policy formation, through development of strategies 
to implement policies, and finally the evaluation of the impact of 
policy.
    Discussion: Applicants have the discretion to propose the 
specific activities that the RRTC will undertake in order to fulfill 
the purposes of the RRTC as set forth in the priority. Providing 
this degree of discretion to applicants is an acknowledgement of the 
various approaches that applicants could take. The peer review 
process will determine the merits of the suggested activities.
    Change: None.
    Comment: The priority includes an emphasis on healthcare 
providers. Given the relative shortage of healthcare providers in 
many rural and remote areas, exchanging the term ``service 
provider'' for ``healthcare provider'' would encourage a broader 
array of potential projects that have the potential of impacting 
rural residents who live in healthcare shortage areas.
    Discussion: An applicant may propose to include the term service 
providers in conjunction with the term healthcare providers. The 
peer review process will determine the merits of the suggested 
activities.
    Change: None.
    Comment: Two commenters expressed their concerns that 
independent living (IL) was not included in this priority.
    Discussion: An applicant may propose to include service 
providers, including IL, in the strategies that are developed to 
address issues. The peer review process will evaluate the merits of 
the proposal.
    Change: None.
    Comment: One commenter suggested that the research and 
development activities include rural housing.
    Discussion: An applicant could address rural housing. However, 
NIDRR has no basis to determine that all applicants should be 
required to focus on this issue. The peer review process will 
evaluate the merits of the proposal.
    Change: None.
    Comment: One commenter inquired as to whether NIDRR intended to 
expand the responsibilities of the current RRTC or to propose 
funding for a new RRTC under this proposed priority.
    Discussion: NIDRR proposes to fund an applicant, selected 
through the peer review process, to carry out the research agenda as 
set forth in this priority. The current RRTC's responsibilities will 
not be expanded by the priority.
    Change: None.
    Comment: One commenter inquired as to the definition of the term 
``healthcare providers'' and asked if this can be addressed through 
a traditional medical care model, a social health care model, or a 
combination of both.
    Discussion: Any professional person concerned with the 
maintenance or restoration of the health of the body or mind could 
be considered a healthcare provider. The applicant has the 
discretion to address the scope of this term. The peer review 
process will evaluate the merits of the proposal.
    Change: None.
    Comment: One commenter wanted to know if NIDRR had given any 
consideration to transportation issues affecting individuals with 
disabilities living in remote areas where there are no roads and 
where communities are only accessible by air.
    Discussion: Applicants can address transportation needs of 
individuals with disabilities living in remote areas in the Rural

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Community Transportation priority area. The peer review process will 
evaluate the merits of the proposal.
    Change: None.

[FR Doc. 02-19119 Filed 7-26-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P