[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 124 (Thursday, June 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35447-35448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12503]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Interagency Committee on Disability Research

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

ACTION: Notice of public meetings and request for written comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice describes the schedule and agenda of a forthcoming 
meeting of the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR). 
Notice of this meeting is intended to inform members of the general 
public of their opportunity to attend the meeting and provide comment.

DATES: The meeting will take place on August 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the 
Holiday Inn on the Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20001. Telephone: (202) 638-1616.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During the public meeting and through the 
submission of written comments, we encourage individuals with 
disabilities, including persons who represent service providers, 
service provider organizations, disability and rehabilitation research 
and policy groups, and representatives of advocacy organizations with 
specialized knowledge and experience, to suggest specific ways to 
improve future research for individuals with disabilities. We are also 
interested in hearing from individuals concerning how well the existing 
Federal research programs are responding to the changing needs of 
individuals with disabilities. We are interested in comments covering a 
wide range of research areas, including, but not limited to, the 
following:
     Rehabilitation, employment and community integration of 
military service members with disabilities, with a specific interest in 
input from the military community, including active duty service 
members and their families, service providers, retirees, and other 
stakeholders about research issues related to the continuum of care;
     Employment of people with disabilities;
     Health disparities;
     Access to and development of assistive technology and 
universally designed technologies; and
     Transition of youths with disabilities to postsecondary 
education, employment and independent living.
    Your input will be used by the ICDR in its deliberations; however, 
we cannot respond individually to your comments.

[[Page 35448]]

The meetings will be open and accessible to the general public.

Background

    The ICDR, authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 
promotes coordination and cooperation among Federal departments and 
agencies conducting disability and rehabilitation research programs. 
Representatives of 16 Federal agencies, including 59 institutes and 
offices within those agencies, participate in the ICDR. The mandate of 
the ICDR includes three goals: Identify emerging issues and topic areas 
in disability and rehabilitation that would benefit from coordinated 
research planning, program development, and federal funding efforts; 
assess gaps and duplication in existing research programs, activities, 
and plans across agencies; and seek to coordinate existing or planned 
research, programs, activities, or projects among federal agencies. 
According to statute (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended): ``After 
receiving input from individuals with disabilities and the individuals' 
representatives, the Committee shall identify, assess, and seek to 
coordinate all Federal programs, activities, and projects, and plans 
for such programs, activities, and projects with respect to the conduct 
of research related to rehabilitation of individuals with 
disabilities.''
    The ICDR maintains a public Web site at http://www.icdr.us, which 
contains additional information about the ICDR. This public Web site 
also provides a comment form for collection of comments regarding the 
Federal research agenda in disability and rehabilitation research. The 
purpose of this public meeting and request for written comments is to 
ensure that individuals who may not have access to the Internet and the 
ICDR public Web site also have an opportunity to submit comments.
    The Director of the National Institute on Disability and 
Rehabilitation Research, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services, Department of Education is Chair of the ICDR. The Director 
announces a public meeting in 2007 and invites written comments with 
respect to the Federal disability and rehabilitation research agenda. 
Representatives of the ICDR will be present at the meeting to hear your 
comments. Your comments will be used by the ICDR in its deliberations; 
however we will not respond individually to your comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Pledger, Executive Director 
ICDR, U.S. Department of Education, 550 12th Street, SW., room 6039, 
Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 
245-7480. Fax: (202) 245-7630. Internet: [email protected].
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals who need accommodations for a disability in order to 
attend the meeting (i.e., interpreting services, assistive listening 
devices, material in alternative format) should notify Constance 
Pledger at (202) 245-7480 or TDD users may call FRS at 1-800-877-8339 
ten business days in advance of the meeting. The meeting location is 
accessible to individuals with disabilities.
    Participants: Individuals who wish to present comments at the 
public meeting must reserve time on the agenda by contacting the 
individual identified under Reservations and Additional Meeting 
Information. Reservations for presenting comments will be accepted on a 
first-come, first-served basis. Given the expected number of 
individuals interested in presenting comments at the meeting, 
reservations should be made as soon as possible.
    Format: Participants will be allowed approximately five minutes to 
present their comments, depending upon the number of individuals who 
reserve time on the agenda. Prior to the meeting, participants must 
submit written copies of their comments, and other written or 
electronic versions of any relevant supporting information. Walk-ins 
must bring two written copies of their comments.
    Reservations and Additional Meeting Information: All individuals 
attending the public meeting, including those presenting comments, must 
make reservations by July 31, 2007 by contacting: Constance Pledger, 
Executive Director ICDR.
    If time permits, individuals who have not registered in advance may 
be allowed to make comments.
    Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities at the Public Meeting: 
The meeting room and proceedings will be accessible to individuals with 
disabilities. In addition, when making reservations, anyone presenting 
comments or attending the meetings who needs special accommodations, 
such as sign language interpreters, Brailled agenda, computer-assisted 
real-time (CART) reporting, should inform Constance Pledger, Executive 
Director ICDR, of his or her specific accessibility needs. You must 
make requests for accommodations on or before July 31, 2007. Although 
we will attempt to meet a request we receive after that date, we may 
not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid or service 
because of insufficient time to arrange it.
    Due Dates: We request your registration to attend along with 
written and e-mail comments to be provided no later than July 31, 2007.
    Submit all comments to: Constance Pledger, Executive Director ICDR, 
U.S. Department of Education, 550 12th Street, SW., room 6039, PCP, 
Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-7480. Fax: (202) 245-
7630. Internet: [email protected].
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the FRS at 1-800-877-8339.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of this notice in 
an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or 
computer diskette) on request on request to the contact person listed 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

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: 
http://www.ed.gov/news/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, 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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.


    Dated: June 22, 2007.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education andRehabilitative Services.
 [FR Doc. E7-12503 Filed 6-27-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P