[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23231-23237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9365]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research;
Notice of Proposed Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2013-2017
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services proposes the National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research's (NIDRR's) Long-Range Plan (Plan) for
fiscal years (FYs) 2013 through 2017. Pursuant to the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as amended, the Department is required to develop a plan
for NIDRR that outlines NIDRR's priorities for rehabilitation research,
demonstration projects, training, and related activities, and explains
the basis for these priorities.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before June 18, 2012.
ADDRESSES: Address all comments about the proposed Plan to Lynn Medley,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5140,
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2700.
If you prefer to send your comments by email, use the following
address: [email protected]. You must include the term ``Long-Range
Plan'' in the subject line of your electronic message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Medley. Telephone: (202) 245-7338
or by email: [email protected].
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Invitation to Comment: We invite you to submit comments regarding
the proposed Plan. To ensure that your comments have maximum effect in
developing the final Plan, we urge you to identify clearly the specific
area of the Plan that each comment addresses and to arrange your
comments in the same order as the proposed Plan. We are particularly
interested in comments on the establishment of the Rehabilitation
Research Advisory Council (RRAC) described in the Introduction of the
Plan.
During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public
comments about the proposed Plan in Room 5140, 550 12th Street SW.,
Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30
a.m. and 4 p.m., Washington, DC time, Monday through Friday of each
week except Federal holidays.
Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities in Reviewing the
Rulemaking Record: On request we will provide an appropriate
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability who
needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the
public rulemaking record for this notice. If you want to schedule an
appointment for this type of accommodation or auxiliary aid, please
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Background: In developing the research agenda in the proposed Plan,
NIDRR considered: the legislative mandate for the Plan; stakeholder
suggestions and public input received via email and the Internet in
response to the notice of proposed Long Range Plan published in the
Federal Register on January 15, 2009 (Vol. 74, No. 10); public
responses to a January 15, 2009, email solicitation to NIDRR grantees,
past grant applicants, disability organizations, and other interested
parties inviting comment on the January 15, 2009, Federal Register
notice of proposed Long Range Plan; research and program
recommendations from NIDRR grantee state of the science conferences; an
assessment and related recommendations by the National Academy of
Sciences (NAS), National Research Council, of NIDRR's priority-setting,
peer review, and grant mechanisms; and a review by NAS of the products
of a sample of 30 NIDRR grantees (National Academy of Sciences (2012),
Review of Disability and Rehabilitation Research: NIDRR Grantmaking
Processes and Products, Washington, DC: National Academies Press).
The purposes of the proposed Plan are:
(1) To describe the broad general principles that will guide
NIDRR's policies and use of resources;
(2) To establish objectives for research and related activities
from which annual research priorities can be formulated; and
(3) To describe how NIDRR will implement the Plan, i.e., the
process by which NIDRR establishes annual priorities.
The authority for the Secretary to establish the Plan is contained
in section 202(h) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29
U.S.C. 762(h)).
The proposed Plan is published as an attachment to this notice.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW.,
Room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
[[Page 23232]]
Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the
site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: April 13, 2012.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation (NIDRR) Proposed
Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2013 Through 2017
Preface
The introductory section of the National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Long-Range Plan 2013-2017 (Plan)
provides basic background about NIDRR and the proposed plan. The
background explains NIDRR's mission, its intention for the Plan, and
how the Plan will shape NIDRR's priorities. The second section of the
Plan provides a brief summary of the Plan's proposed goals and
objectives. The third section of the Plan provides background
information about NIDRR's legislative mandate and purpose; NIDRR's
applied approach to disability and rehabilitation research; how that
approach is improving the lives of individuals with disabilities; and
how NIDRR's proposed grant mechanisms will structure NIDRR's research
and development programs. Section four of the Plan provides detail and
explanation of NIDRR's proposed goals and objectives for the next five
years.
I. Introduction
NIDRR has a broad and complex mission. NIDRR must support the
generation of new knowledge and promote its effective use to (1)
improve the abilities of individuals with disabilities to participate
in community activities of their choice and (2) to enhance society's
capacity to provide opportunities and accommodations for these
individuals. NIDRR fulfills its mission through research, development,
and related activities designed to contribute to the independence,
inclusion, employment, health, and functioning of individuals of all
ages with all types and degrees of disability. As the number of
Americans with disabilities is projected to increase substantially over
the next two decades, the importance of fulfilling NIDRR's mission will
only grow (Institute of Medicine, 2007. The future of disability in
America. Washington, DC: National Academies Press).
NIDRR's proposed Long-Range Plan (Plan) includes priorities, goals,
and objectives that will enable stakeholders to understand and comment
upon the direction that NIDRR proposes for FYs 2013 through 2017. NIDRR
proposes to begin implementing all proposed goals at the beginning of
FY 2013. Over the life of the Plan, NIDRR will further refine the
Plan's priorities, goals, objectives, and timelines. These refinements
will occur as the evolution of science and technology, the needs of
individuals with disabilities, and the input of interested stakeholders
dictate, and as the completion of the funding cycles of current centers
and projects allow. Proposed refinements will be published on NIDRR's
Web site for public comment and review. NIDRR further proposes to
establish and to actively solicit the guidance of the broadly based
Rehabilitation Research Advisory Council (RRAC), which is authorized
under Title II section 205(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended. The proposed RRAC would engage individuals with disabilities
and, as appropriate, their representatives; community rehabilitation
and service professionals, including providers of assistive
technologies; rehabilitation researchers and engineers; and other
stakeholders to offer NIDRR ongoing advice to ensure that NIDRR
programs reflect the principles that NIDRR has proposed for them. The
three principles that NIDRR proposes to guide the implementation of the
Plan and the administration of its programs are balance, quality, and
relevance.
Balance refers to the management of NIDRR's resource allocations
across three dimensions: (1) Type of disability; (2) three outcome
domains of individual well-being (i.e., employment, community living
and participation, and health and function); and (3) whether NIDRR or
the grant applicant defines the specific approach to a disability or
rehabilitation research topic.
Quality refers to the scientific merit of the research and
development activities, whatever the method employed, and the
appropriateness of the methods to the topic, question, or problem being
addressed.
Relevance refers to the likelihood that proposed research and
development activities will make a substantial contribution to the
well-being of individuals with disabilities, recognizing that the
benefits of such activities may not always be direct or immediate.
NIDRR's peer review process will help increase the quality and
relevance of NIDRR-funded research and development activities. NIDRR is
committed to the goal that every eligible application for NIDRR funding
will be reviewed by a knowledgeable and topically informed panel of
experts in research methods, policy, services and supports, including
individuals with disabilities or, as appropriate, family members.
NIDRR's priorities will be informed by assessments of the state of
the science, policy and practice, the advice of the proposed RRAC, and
the public's response to proposed priorities. NIDRR's portfolio of
research and development activities will range from the identification
of the needs and opportunities of individuals with disabilities to the
widespread implementation of effective, evidence-based policies and
practices that respond to those needs and opportunities. NIDRR
recognizes that the development of effective, evidence-based policies
and practices is as dependent on the exploratory stages of research as
it is on experimental and quasi-experimental trials of potentially
effective practices.
II. Summary of Plan's Proposed Goals and Objectives
NIDRR will maintain a balanced portfolio of high quality research
and development centers and projects that address the most important
problems and issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their
families. As described further in the Plan, the following is a summary
of NIDRR's proposed goals and objectives for FY 2013 through FY 2017.
Goal 1: Create a portfolio of research, development, and other
activities that balances domains, populations of focus, and who,
whether NIDRR or the grant applicant, defines the specific approach to
a disability or rehabilitation research topic.
Establish a balanced distribution of priorities focused on
improved outcomes in the domains of
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employment, community living and participation, and health and
function.
Establish a balanced distribution of priorities to address
the needs of individuals with different disabilities, personal
characteristics, and social circumstances.
Expand field-initiated research and development
opportunities to support innovation.
Goal 2: Support centers and projects that conduct well-designed
research and development activities using a range of appropriate
methods.
Adopt a stages-of-research paradigm that will enhance
NIDRR's efforts to generate evidence-based practices.
Support a variety of research methods as appropriate to
the topics and research questions.
Goal 3: Promote the effective use of knowledge in areas of
importance to individuals with disabilities and their families.
Increase and improve the capabilities and activities of
NIDRR research centers and projects to ensure the accessibility and
effective use of their research.
Increase NIDRR's and NIDRR-funded centers' and projects'
use of input from stakeholders.
Establish priorities that inform systems and policy
development as well as interventions to improve individual outcomes.
Support topics of relevance that cut across disability
categories and NIDRR's three domains.
Maintain ongoing investments that effectively address
topics of importance to individuals with disabilities and their
families.
Goal 4: Improve program administration
Streamline NIDRR's processes for establishing and
publishing priorities for grant competitions.
Establish and implement a consistent schedule of
competitions and peer reviews so that competition announcements are
predictable for potential applicants and peer reviewers.
Improve NIDRR's peer review processes.
III. Background
NIDRR was established by the 1978 amendments to the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, as amended (the Act). As specified in section 200 of the
Act (29 U.S.C. 760), NIDRR's purpose is to: (a) Provide for research,
demonstration projects, training, and related activities to maximize
the full inclusion and integration into society, employment,
independent living, family support, and economic and social self-
sufficiency of individuals with disabilities of all ages, with
particular emphasis on improving the effectiveness of services
authorized under the Act; (b) provide for a comprehensive and
coordinated approach to the support and conduct of research,
demonstration projects, training, and related activities; (c) promote
the transfer of rehabilitation technology to individuals with
disabilities through research and demonstration projects; (d) ensure
the widespread distribution, in usable formats, of practical scientific
and technological information; (e) identify effective strategies that
enhance the opportunities of individuals with disabilities to engage in
employment, including employment involving telecommuting and self-
employment; and (f) increase opportunities for researchers who are
members of traditionally underserved populations, including researchers
who are members of minority groups and researchers who are individuals
with disabilities.
NIDRR is led by a Director within the Office of Special Education
and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of
Education. OSERS has two other components: The Rehabilitation Services
Administration and the Office of Special Education Programs. NIDRR
works closely with these offices as well as other disability-related
offices and agencies across the Federal government.
NIDRR supports a wide range of rehabilitation research,
development, and other activities designed to assist individuals with
disabilities to achieve long-term outcomes such as independence,
community participation, employment, and good health. To maximize its
effectiveness in achieving such outcomes, NIDRR research and
development activities focus on the complex interaction of personal,
environmental, and supporting factors, including assistive
technologies. In its practical and applied focus, NIDRR seeks to play a
pivotal role in the relationship between the producers and consumers of
knowledge.
The value of NIDRR's applied focus on research and development can
be found in important advances in knowledge, practice, and public
policies that have derived fully or partially from it. In recent years
these have included, but have not been limited to the development of
principles, standards, and applications of universal design; standards
and applications to enhance accessibility of the World Wide Web and the
design of accessibility features for information technology devices,
such as computers and cell phones; widespread applications of
technology to rehabilitation including telerehabilitation and national
Internet-based workforce training systems; improved understanding and
treatments of long-term consequences of spinal cord injury, burn
injury, or traumatic brain injury; development of rehabilitation and
community supports for individuals recovering from psychiatric
conditions; understanding of the costs and outcomes of
deinstitutionalization and the development of community supports for
individuals with disabilities; better understanding of factors and
practices contributing to the employment experience of individuals with
disabilities; improvements in way finding and other mobility aides for
individuals with cognitive or sensory conditions; and on-going analysis
of national disability statistics to guide policy and practice. NIDRR
is committed to maintaining its focus on practical applications of
research, development, knowledge translation, capacity building,
technical assistance, and information dissemination to improve the
lives of individuals with disabilities and their families.
NIDRR currently employs nine mechanisms to make grant awards.
Funding allocation within these mechanisms depends on the overall
funding available to NIDRR, NIDRR's topical priorities for that year,
and the size of the funding commitments for grants awarded in previous
years. On average, about 25 percent of NIDRR's grants end each year.
NIDRR's grant mechanisms include:
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs)
conduct coordinated, advanced research to maximize health and function,
promote maximum social and economic independence of individuals with
disabilities, and improve rehabilitation methods or service delivery
systems. RRTCs serve as national centers of excellence in research and
as national resource centers.
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs)
conduct programs of advanced engineering and technical research and
development activities designed to create technological solutions for
enhancing opportunities for individuals with disabilities, solving
rehabilitation problems, and removing environmental barriers. RERCs
provide for the cost-effective delivery and use of assistive technology
devices.
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs)
emphasize a broad range of research and development projects, training,
and knowledge translation on rehabilitation topics. DRRPs have ranged
from
[[Page 23234]]
collecting longitudinal data on spinal cord, traumatic brain, and burn
injuries to studying the effects of health care coordination.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network
Regional Centers provide information, technical assistance, and
training in areas related to the mandates of the ADA. These centers
constitute a national network and assist disability organizations,
individuals with disabilities, businesses, public agencies, and the
general public in understanding, complying with, and fulfilling the
purposes of the ADA.
Model Systems in Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain
Injury, and Burn Injury support three networks of centers providing
model rehabilitation services and supports to individuals after injury.
The Model Systems carry out intramural programs of research as well as
a collaborative program of longitudinal research and dissemination.
Field-Initiated Projects address rehabilitation issues in
promising and innovative ways. As the name implies, topics for these
projects are chosen by the applicants.
Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects support
institutions of higher education to recruit qualified post-doctoral
individuals with clinical, management, or basic research experience and
prepare them for careers in disability and rehabilitation research.
Switzer Research Fellowships give individual researchers
opportunities to develop new ideas, gain research experience, and
concentrate on specific lines of research. NIDRR supports Switzer
Fellows for one year as they conduct independent research projects.
Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants,
administered by NIDRR as a part of the larger mandatory Federal SBIR
program, support the production of new assistive and rehabilitation
technologies. This two-phase program takes a rehabilitation-related
product from development toward market readiness.
NIDRR funds are awarded competitively on the basis of advice
received through a peer review process to ensure the quality and
integrity of the NIDRR portfolio. Researchers, methodologists,
rehabilitation engineers, and other experts, including individuals with
disabilities, serve on panels made up of three to seven individuals.
These experts review proposals according to the selection criteria in
the application package for the competition. NIDRR's peer review
process is designed to ensure the scientific quality of NIDRR's
portfolio, its contributions to the well-being of individuals with
disabilities, and its responsiveness to the needs of the disability and
rehabilitation communities. NIDRR continues to focus on improving the
quality of its peer review process, including addressing the specific
recommendations for the peer review process made in the November 2011
review of NIDRR by the National Academy of Science (NAS) (National
Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (2011). Review of
disability and rehabilitation research: NIDRR grantmaking processes and
products. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.)
IV. Proposed Goals and Objectives
NIDRR will pursue the following proposed goals and objectives for
FY 2013 through FY 2017.
Proposed Goal 1: NIDRR will create a portfolio of research,
development, and other activities that is balanced in terms of domains,
populations of focus, and who, whether NIDRR or the grant applicant,
defines the specific approach to a disability or rehabilitation
research topic.
Proposed Objective 1.1--NIDRR Will Establish a Balanced Distribution of
Priorities Focused on Improved Outcomes in the Domains of Employment,
Community Living and Participation, and Health and Function
One of the congressional findings in section 2(a)(3) of the Act
states that, ``disability is a natural part of the human experience and
in no way diminishes the right of individuals to (A) live
independently; (B) enjoy self-determination; (C) make choices; (D)
contribute to society; (E) pursue meaningful careers; and (F) enjoy
full inclusion and integration in the * * * mainstream of American
society.'' An individual's opportunity to enjoy such rights depends on
an interaction between the individual and the physical and social
environment. Within each of its domains, NIDRR will support research,
development, and other activities that gather and use knowledge of
systems, environments, individuals, and behaviors to support the
fulfillment of such rights.
Employment
Employment and earnings are essential to independence, self-
determination, and contribution to society. NIDRR will support centers
and projects to address unemployment, underemployment, and unnecessary
dependency on public benefits. NIDRR will support activities to improve
opportunities for employment that are consistent with an individual's
abilities, interests, and career aspirations. NIDRR will also support
research and development activities that examine employment policies
and practices, vocational rehabilitation services, and technologies and
accommodations that contribute to improved employment and career
outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
Community Living and Participation
NIDRR is committed to improving the opportunities and abilities of
individuals with disabilities to live as integrated members of their
communities and to participate in community activities of their choice.
NIDRR will fund activities consistent with the underlying principles of
the independent living programs authorized under the Act and the ADA as
affirmed in the U.S. Supreme Court's Olmstead decision of 1999,
Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1991). NIDRR will support centers and
projects to increase community living and participation through
improvements in policy, services and support delivery, assistive
technologies, environmental modifications, and person-centered
therapeutic interventions.
Health and Function
Maximizing health and function among people with disabilities is
critical to achieving the goals of employment, community living and
participation, and individual well-being across the lifespan. NIDRR
will support centers and projects on health and function that improve
understanding of the health status, health needs, and health care
access of individuals with disabilities. These centers and projects
will also develop and test interventions, including public policy
interventions to improve health outcomes, increase or maintain
functional abilities, and contribute to more effective medical
rehabilitation and long-term services and supports, including
integrated health and long-term service and support approaches.
Proposed Objective 1.2--NIDRR Will Establish a Balanced Distribution of
Priorities To Address the Needs of Individuals With Different
Disabilities, Personal Characteristics, and Social Circumstances
Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers--Centers of Excellence
NIDRR will establish RRTCs, as authorized in the Act, that will
function as centers of excellence. In addition to being productive
centers of relevant and well-designed research, these RRTCs
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will: (1) Serve as national resource centers for individuals with
disabilities and their representatives, families, service providers,
policymakers, and others; (2) serve as informational and technical
assistance resources to individuals with disabilities and their
representatives, families, service providers, policymakers, and others
through conferences, workshops, public education programs, in-service
training programs, and similar activities; and (3) serve as centers of
data gathering, analysis, and knowledge translation to address systems
and policy issues that affect individuals with disabilities of all
ages.
The RRTCs will serve as centers of excellence addressing the needs
of individuals of all ages with psychiatric, intellectual and
developmental, and physical disabilities, as well as individuals with
significant impairments of vision and hearing. These centers will
identify practices associated with positive outcomes across NIDRR's
domains and assess the status and effectiveness of programs and service
systems in achieving positive outcomes.
NIDRR will also establish RRTC centers of excellence in such areas
as the following:
Vocational rehabilitation.
Rural rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation of individuals from minority backgrounds.
Families with members with disabilities.
Disability statistics.
Rehabilitation Engineering and Research Centers
NIDRR will establish RERCs to address the barriers confronted by
individuals with disabilities in all aspects of their lives. To the
maximum extent appropriate to the area of engineering, the RERCs will
address the needs of a wide range of individuals with disabilities,
including those with sensory and cognitive impairments, regarding the
barriers they confront in employment, community living and
participation, and health and function.
NIDRR will establish RERCs that will address priorities within the
following four areas of rehabilitation engineering:
Rehabilitation strategies, techniques and interventions.
Information and communication technologies.
Individual mobility and manipulation.
Physical access and transportation.
Proposed Objective 1.3--NIDRR Will Expand Field-Initiated Research and
Development Opportunities To Support Innovation
In order to take advantage of the field's expertise, knowledge, and
creativity, NIDRR plans to provide an increased number of field-
initiated opportunities for research, demonstration, and developing
technological solutions to significant problems faced by individuals
with disabilities. After consulting with the proposed RRAC, publishing
the proposed priorities for comment, and considering those comments,
NIDRR will publish final priorities that include broad topical areas
for which applicants will have the discretion to define a specific
approach. Applicants also may propose cross-domain projects that have
the potential to make a substantial contribution to solving significant
problems.
Proposed Goal 2: NIDRR will support centers and projects that
conduct well-designed research and development activities using a range
of appropriate methods.
Proposed Objective 2.1--NIDRR Will Adopt a Stages-of-Research Framework
That Will Enhance Its Efforts To Generate Evidence-Based Practices
NIDRR will support a range of well-designed research methods using
a stages-of-research framework. When inviting applicants to apply
appropriate research methods to important research questions, NIDRR
will require applicants to identify the stage of research appropriate
to their proposed research and will evaluate that proposed research
using selection criteria appropriate to that stage. NIDRR's framework
will include the following stages of research:
Exploration
Exploration has the research objective of generating new and
refined analyses of data, observational findings, and other sources of
information to guide hypotheses and theories. Exploration seeks to
advance the state of knowledge regarding the status of individuals with
disabilities and the barriers to and facilitators of improved
employment, community living and participation, health and function,
and other outcomes for individuals with disabilities. This research
stage may include identifying or describing existing practices,
programs, policies, or circumstances that are associated with important
aspects of the lives of individuals with disabilities, the needs of
people with disabilities, or outcomes of services and supports provided
to them. Results achieved under this research objective may be used to
inform new lines of research related to practices, programs, or
policies to inform decisions or priorities.
Intervention Development
Intervention development has the research objective of generating
and testing interventions that have the potential to improve outcomes
for individuals with disabilities. Intervention development involves
determining the features of possible interventions that are most
significant in achieving desired outcomes, measures that would be
required to illustrate outcomes, specification of target populations,
field tests, and assessment of the feasibility of conducting a well-
designed interventions study. Results from this research objective may
be used to inform the design of a study to test the efficacy of an
intervention.
Intervention Efficacy
Intervention efficacy has the research objective of evaluating and
testing whether the interventions are feasible, are practical, and can
yield positive outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Efficacy
research may assess the strength of an intervention, identify factors
or individuals characteristics associated with outcomes, and inform
decisions about whether there is sufficient evidence to support
``scaling-up'' an intervention to other sites and contexts. Issues
addressed may include training needed for wide scale implementation and
approaches to evaluation of the intervention in real world
applications.
Scale-Up Evaluation
Scale-up evaluation has the research objective of evaluating
whether interventions are effective in producing improved outcomes for
individuals with disabilities when implemented in real-world settings.
This research tests the outcomes of evidence-based practices operating
in different settings. It examines the challenges to successful
replications and the circumstances and activities that contribute to
successful wide-scale adoption of interventions, programs, policies,
and technologies. Research in this area may also include well-designed
studies of interventions that have been widely adopted in practice, but
lack a sufficient evidence-base on its effectiveness.
[[Page 23236]]
Proposed Objective 2.2--NIDRR Will Support a Variety of Research
Methods as Appropriate to the Topics and Research Questioned
NIDRR will support quantitative and qualitative research
methodologies, as well as research approaches that combine both
methodologies. NIDRR will provide guidance on its expectations for the
various research methods.
Proposed Goal 3: NIDRR will promote the generation and effective
use of knowledge in areas of importance to individuals with
disabilities and their families.
Proposed Objective 3.1--NIDRR Will Increase and Improve the
Capabilities of NIDRR Research Centers and Projects To Ensure the
Accessibility and Effective Use of Their Research
NIDRR will increase expectations for its research centers and
projects to provide research-based knowledge and resources to
individuals with disabilities and their families, service providers,
and policymakers. NIDRR will support training, technical assistance,
and knowledge translation activities to enhance the capabilities of
individuals with disabilities, researchers, practitioners, and
organizations and agencies to use the best available information in
order to obtain desired outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
All of NIDRR's centers and projects will carry out knowledge
translation activities. Knowledge translation promotes the use of
research-based knowledge to support the ability of individuals to live
successfully in society. Key components of knowledge translation are:
requiring that grantees involve relevant stakeholders in the design and
conduct of research activities to optimize the relevance and use of
proposed outputs; using tools like systematic reviews and research
synthesis to assess and disseminate the information generated through
research; and translating research findings into information that is
usable by individuals with disabilities and their families,
practitioners, and policymakers.
Proposed Objective 3.2--NIDRR and NIDRR-Funded Centers and Projects
Will Increase Their Use of Input From Stakeholders
In order to ensure that its centers and projects address important
issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families,
NIDRR will develop and implement a process that continuously
communicates with a wide range of stakeholders to share information
about NIDRR's activities, solicit feedback on the impact of NIDRR's
investments, obtain recommendations for research topics, and gather
stakeholder input on NIDRR's long-range plans.
Rehabilitation Research Advisory Council
As authorized by section 205 of the Act and consistent with a
recommendation in the 2012 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) review
report, NIDRR proposes to establish the RRAC. The RRAC will advise
NIDRR's Director about research priorities and the development and
revision of its current and future Long range Plans.
Improved Use of Information Technology
NIDRR will continue to upgrade its use of information technology,
including its Web site, in order to improve its information
dissemination activities, increase its capacity to obtain input and
feedback from stakeholders, and facilitate on-going discussions with
and among NIDRR grantees, individuals with disabilities, and other
stakeholders.
Proposed Objective 3.3--NIDRR Will Establish Priorities That Inform
Systems and Policy Development as Well as Interventions To Improve
Outcomes for Individuals
Across its three domains, NIDRR will support centers and projects
that address systems and policy issues as well as interventions that
directly improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities and their
families. Across its employment, community living and participation,
and health and functioning domains, NIDRR will support centers and
projects that measure systems and policy effects, as well as the
effects of interventions to directly improve outcomes for individuals
with disabilities and their families.
Proposed Objective 3.4--NIDRR Will Support Topics of Relevance That Cut
Across Disability Categories and NIDRR's Three Domains
NIDRR will support important projects that cut across disability
categories or outcome domains when such projects are relevant, well-
designed, and offer promise of significant benefit to multiple groups
of individuals with disabilities and their families. Examples of these
cross-cutting priorities will include, but may not be limited to,
disability demographics and technology for access and function.
Disability Demographics
Valid and reliable demographic data help all agencies and research
in the disability field. NIDRR will continue its work with other
Federal agencies to meet its statutory mandate to collaborate in
producing demographic and statistical data that describe the population
of individuals with disabilities. NIDRR's disability demographics
effort will generate and disseminate new and current information that
can be used by individuals with disabilities, service providers,
policymakers, and others working to identify and eliminate disparities
in employment, community living and participation, and health and
function.
Technology for Access and Function
For individuals with disabilities, technology plays a vital role by
improving function and increasing access, thereby enhancing the ability
to lead increasingly independent, secure, and productive lives. At the
individual level, NIDRR will focus on assistive technology devices that
enhance the physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities. At the systems
level, NIDRR will emphasize applying technology research and
development in ways that enhance community integration, independence,
productivity, competitiveness, and equal opportunity by mitigating or
eliminating barriers found in large social systems such as public
transportation, telecommunications, information technology, and the
built environment.
NIDRR will continue to support technology-related centers and
projects to conduct research and development, with the end goal of
transferring technology into commercialized or non-commercialized
products that can be readily accessed and used to improve the lives of
individuals with disabilities. NIDRR will continue to play a leadership
role within the Federal government on accessibility of information and
computer technologies.
Leadership in Cloud Computing
NIDRR is committed to ensuring access to and benefit from cloud
computing for individuals with disabilities. It recognizes the
existence of substantial international activity in this area, from
which the individuals stand to benefit and to which the United States
should contribute. NIDRR and its grantees will play leadership roles in
national and international activities to ensure accessibility, and to
exploit the potential of cloud computing to support the independence,
employment, and
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functional capabilities of persons with disabilities. In its efforts
NIDRR will support grantees working on cloud-based infrastructure and
applications, and will work cooperatively across government agencies
and with private entities to leverage the resources available for this
important work.
Proposed Objective 3.5--NIDRR Will Maintain On-Going Investments That
Effectively Address Topics of Importance To Individuals With
Disabilities and Their Families
NIDRR has invested in a number of projects for many years. The
value of these long-term investments is an important consideration as
NIDRR plans for its future commitments. For example, NIDRR has
supported projects that have created national rehabilitation and
disability services databases, supported accessibility of the built
environment and information technologies, as well as other nationally
valued projects in other areas. On a project-by-project basis and with
the input of the RRAC and other stakeholders, NIDRR will continue to
support centers and projects in certain priority areas in which NIDRR
has substantial long-term investments and that continue to contribute
significantly to NIDRR's goals and objectives.
Proposed Goal 4: NIDRR will improve program administration.
Proposed Objective 4.1--NIDRR Will Streamline Processes for
Establishing and Publishing Priorities for Grant Competitions
Historically, most of NIDRR's priorities have included a number of
detailed required activities that demanded a great deal of time to
develop and publish. As indicated in Objective 1.3 of the Plan, NIDRR
will provide applicants with more field-initiated opportunities by
issuing priorities for each domain that consist of broad topical areas
and fewer specifically required activities. These topical areas will
remain open for competition for up to five years. This will provide
applicants with increased discretion to propose specific projects that
fall within the topical areas and enhance NIDRR's ability to publish
its funding priorities on a more-timely basis. In addition, because
NIDRR staff will devote less time developing and publishing new
priorities, they will have more time for providing technical assistance
to their grantees, monitoring grants, and participating in cross-agency
research and development activities.
Proposed Objective 4.2--NIDRR Will Establish and Implement a Regular
Schedule of Competitions and Peer Reviews
The NAS review report noted that NIDRR has not established a
regular schedule for publishing priorities, publishing notices inviting
applications, or conducting peer review. An irregular schedule may
negatively affect the ability of qualified applicants to submit
proposals and limit the availability of expert reviewers. Consistent
with the NAS recommendations, and aided by streamlining its priority
development process, NIDRR will establish a regular schedule of
competitions that potential applicants and peer reviewers can depend on
for planning purposes. Having the topical areas in place for up to five
years will provide the field with stable and reliable opportunities for
funding, and applicants who are not successful in one competition can
revise and improve their applications for future competitions under the
same topic.
Proposed Objective 4.3--NIDRR Will Improve Its Peer Review Process
The NAS review report commented on NIDRR's peer review processes
and made a number of recommendations for enhancement. Consistent with
the NAS recommendations and ongoing quality improvement goals within
NIDRR, during the next five years NIDRR will improve the following:
Recruitment of qualified reviewers.
Peer reviewer orientation.
Review criteria and scoring.
Stakeholder representation and support for these
stakeholders to participate on review panels.
Consistency across review panels.
A number of other changes will be explored by NIDRR as potential
means of enhancing the ability of peer reviewers to carry out their
responsibilities. These include, but are not limited to: (1)
Establishing page limits for some or all NIDRR program applications;
and (2) limiting the number of applications reviewed per panel with
limits depending on the page limits of the applications.
V. Summary
With the adoption of this Plan, as refined by comments and
suggestions from stakeholders and other parties, NIDRR believes it will
be positioned to better reflect the principles of balance, quality, and
relevance in its activities. This approach will make NIDRR more
effective in fulfilling its role as a leading Federal agency in
generating and promoting the use of knowledge to improve the lives of
individuals with disabilities and their families.
[FR Doc. 2012-9365 Filed 4-17-12; 8:45 am]
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