17396 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 60 / Tuesday, March 29, 2011 / Notices 

continuation grant, the Secretary also 

considers whether the grantee is 

operating in compliance with the 

assurances in its approved application, 

including those applicable to Federal 

civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance 

from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

VII. Agency Contact 

For Further Information Contact: 

Michelle Guilfoil, U.S.-Brazil Higher 

Education Consortia Program, U.S. 

Department of Education, 1990 K Street, 

NW., Room 6098, Washington, DC 

20006–8521. Telephone: (202) 502– 

7625. 

If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll 

free, at 1–800–877–8339. 

VIII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: Individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document 

and a copy of the application package in 

an accessible format (e.g., braille, large 

print, audiotape, or computer diskette) 

on request to the program contact 

person listed under For Further 

Information Contact in section VII of 

this notice. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

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) 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. 

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 via the 

Federal Digital System at: http:// 

www.gpo.gov/fdsys. 

Dated: March 24, 2011. 

Eduardo M. Ochoa, 

Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary 

Education. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7356 Filed 3–28–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

[CFDA 84.133E–1 and 84.133E–3] 

Proposed Priorities: Disability and 

Rehabilitation Research Projects and 

Centers Program 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for 

Special Education and Rehabilitative 

Services proposes two priorities for the 

Disability and Rehabilitation Research 

Projects and Centers Program 

administered by NIDRR. Specifically, 

this notice proposes two priorities for 

RERCs: Low Vision and Blindness 

(Proposed Priority 1) and Wireless 

Technologies (Proposed Priority 2). The 

Assistant Secretary may use these 

priorities for competitions in fiscal year 

(FY) 2011 and later years. We take this 

action to focus research attention on 

areas of national need. We intend to use 

these priorities to improve rehabilitation 

services and outcomes for individuals 

with disabilities. 

DATES: We must receive your comments 

on or before April 28, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Address all comments about 

this notice to Marlene Spencer, U.S. 

Department of Education, 400 Maryland 

Avenue, SW., room 5133, Potomac 

Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202– 

2700. 

If you prefer to send your comments 

by e-mail, use the following address: 

Marlene.Spencer@ed.gov. You must 

include the term ‘‘Proposed Priorities for 

RERCs’’ and the priority title in the 

subject line of your electronic message. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marlene Spencer. Telephone: (202) 245– 

7532 or by e-mail: 

Marlene.Spencer@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD), call the 

Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 

1–800–877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice of proposed priorities is in 

concert with NIDRR’s currently 

approved Long-Range Plan (Plan). The 

Plan, which was published in the 

Federal Register on February 15, 2006 

(71 FR 8165), can be accessed on the 

Internet at the following site: http:// 

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/ 

nidrr/policy.html. 

Through the implementation of the 

Plan, NIDRR seeks to: (1) Improve the 

quality and utility of disability and 

rehabilitation research; (2) foster an 

exchange of expertise, information, and 

training to facilitate the advancement of 

knowledge and understanding of the 

unique needs of traditionally 

underserved populations; (3) determine 

best strategies and programs to improve 

rehabilitation outcomes for underserved 

populations; (4) identify research gaps; 

(5) identify mechanisms of integrating 

research and practice; and (6) 

disseminate findings. 

This notice proposes two priorities 

that NIDRR intends to use for RERC 

competitions in FY 2011 and possibly 

later years. However, nothing precludes 

NIDRR from publishing additional 

priorities, if needed. Furthermore, 

NIDRR is under no obligation to make 

awards for these priorities. The decision 

to make an award will be based on the 

quality of applications received and 

available funding. 

Invitation to Comment: We invite you 

to submit comments regarding this 

notice. To ensure that your comments 

have maximum effect in developing the 

notice of final priorities, we urge you to 

identify clearly the specific proposed 

priority that each comment addresses. 

We invite you to assist us in 

complying with the specific 

requirements of Executive Order 12866 

and its overall requirement of reducing 

regulatory burden that might result from 

these proposed priorities. Please let us 

know of any further ways we could 

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 notice in room 5140, 550 12th 

Street, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, 

Washington, DC, between the hours of 

8:30 a.m. and 4:00 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. 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the Disability and Rehabilitation 

Research Projects and Centers Program 

is to plan and conduct research, 

demonstration projects, training, and 

related activities, including 

international activities; to develop 

methods, procedures, and rehabilitation 

technology that maximize the full 

inclusion and integration into society, 

employment, independent living, family 

support, and economic and social selfsufficiency of individuals with 

disabilities, especially individuals with 

the most severe disabilities; and to 

improve the effectiveness of services 

authorized under the Rehabilitation Act 

of 1973, as amended (Rehabilitation 

Act). 


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Rehabilitation Engineering Research 

Centers Program (RERCs) 

The purpose of the RERC program is 

to improve the effectiveness of services 

authorized under the Rehabilitation Act 

by conducting advanced engineering 

research on and development of 

innovative technologies that are 

designed to solve particular 

rehabilitation problems, or to remove 

environmental barriers. RERCs also 

demonstrate and evaluate such 

technologies, facilitate service delivery 

system changes, stimulate the 

production and distribution of new 

technologies and equipment in the 

private sector, and provide training 

opportunities. 

General Requirements of RERCs 

RERCs carry out research or 

demonstration activities in support of 

the Rehabilitation Act by— 

• Developing and disseminating 

innovative methods of applying 

advanced technology, scientific 

achievement, and psychological and 

social knowledge to solve rehabilitation 

problems and to remove environmental 

barriers through studying and 

evaluating new or emerging 

technologies, products, or environments 

and their effectiveness and benefits; or 

• Demonstrating and disseminating: 

(a) Innovative models for the delivery of 

cost-effective rehabilitation technology 

services to rural and urban areas; and (b) 

other scientific research to assist in 

meeting the employment and 

independent living needs of individuals 

with severe disabilities; and 

• Facilitating service delivery systems 

change through: (a) The development, 

evaluation, and dissemination of 

innovative, consumer-responsive, and 

individual- and family-centered models 

for the delivery to both rural and urban 

areas of innovative cost-effective 

rehabilitation technology services; and 

(b) other scientific research to assist in 

meeting the employment and 

independent living needs of and 

addressing the barriers confronted by 

individuals with disabilities, including 

individuals with severe disabilities. 

Each RERC must be operated by, or in 

collaboration with, one or more 

institutions of higher education or one 

or more nonprofit organizations. 

Each RERC must provide training 

opportunities, in conjunction with 

institutions of higher education or 

nonprofit organizations, to assist 

individuals, including individuals with 

disabilities, to become rehabilitation 

technology researchers and 

practitioners. 

Each RERC must emphasize the 

principles of universal design in its 

product research and development. 

Universal design is the design of 

products and environments to be usable 

by all people, to the greatest extent 

possible, without the need for 

adaptation or specialized design (North 

Carolina State University, 1997. http:// 

www.design.ncsu.edu/cud/about_ud/ 

udprinciplestext.htm). 

Additional information on the RERC 

program can be found at: http:// 

www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/ 

index.html. 

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) 

and 764(a). 

Applicable Program Regulations: 34 

CFR part 350. 

PROPOSED PRIORITIES: 

This notice contains two proposed 

priorities. 

Proposed Priority 1—RERC on Low 

Vision and Blindness. 

Background 

Low vision and blindness affects 

approximately 3.4 million adults over 

40 years of age in the United States (The 

Eye Diseases Prevalence Research 

Group, 2004) and according to the 2009 

Annual Report from the American 

Printing House for the Blind, there are 

59,335 legally blind children aged 0–21 

in the U.S. (American Printing House 

for the Blind, 2009). Survey estimates of 

the number of individuals with low 

vision and blindness vary depending on 

the definitions used and the wording of 

the questions. The 2008 National Health 

Interview Survey Provisional Report 

stated that there are 25.2 million 

American adults aged 18 and over who 

report experiencing vision loss (Pleis & 

Lucas, 2009). As increasing numbers of 

premature infants survive due to 

advances in modern medicine and 

technology, the number of infants with 

low vision and blindness is expected to 

increase. In addition, the prevalence of 

age-related causes of low vision and 

blindness, such as macular 

degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma, 

is expected to rise as the population 

ages. 

The population of those with low 

vision and blindness is also changing. 

The elderly population of individuals 

with low vision and blindness is 

growing (The Eye Diseases Prevalence 

Research Group, 2004); returning 

veterans are experiencing low vision 

and blindness due to blast injuries 

(Thach, Johnson, Carroll, Huchun, 

Ainbinder, et al., 2008); doctors are 

reporting an increase in the number of 

children with low vision and blindness 

and additional non-ophthalmic 

disabling conditions (Rahi, Cumberland, 

& Peckham, 2010); and there is a 

growing prevalence of deaf-blind 

individuals in the U.S. (Saunders & 

Echt, 2007). 

Persons with low vision and 

blindness often need assistance with 

performing activities of daily living. 

While such assistance may be provided 

through more traditional methods such 

as through the assistance of family 

members or service animals or through 

the use of white canes and braille, 

clinicians, researchers and 

rehabilitation engineers are developing 

a growing number of technological 

products and interventions that assist 

persons with low vision and blindness 

as they navigate their communities and 

perform tasks and activities at home and 

work. 

NIDRR has been an active participant 

in supporting the technological 

advancements in low vision and 

blindness assessment, therapy, and 

rehabilitation for 20 years. NIDRR 

grantees have researched and developed 

technologies that improve assessment of 

low vision and blindness and 

technologies for blind orientation, 

navigation, and wayfinding. In addition, 

NIDRR grantees are researching and 

developing infant vision screening and 

rehabilitation technology, educational 

technology, and vocational and daily 

living technology for individuals with 

low vision and blindness. 

Notwithstanding this valuable 

research and work, new and improved 

vision assessment and vision 

rehabilitation technologies are required 

to meet the needs of the changing and 

expanding population of individuals 

who experience low vision and 

blindness. New products and 

technologies that detect and mitigate 

low vision and blindness must be 

researched and developed for 

individuals of all ages, as rehabilitation 

needs may vary or change with age. 

With enhancements in technology in 

all segments of society, there is an 

increasing need for individuals with 

low vision and blindness to manipulate 

and produce many types of information, 

such as text and graphics (Arditi, 2004; 

Krufka, Barner, & Aysal, 2007). Thus, 

further research and development are 

needed to ensure that individuals with 

low vision and blindness have access to 

graphical information, signage, and 

travel information, and appliances and 

displays for education, employment, 

and daily living (Vidal-Verdu & Hafez, 

2007; Marston & Church, 2005; 

Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind 

Act of 2010, 2010; Marom, 2010). In 

addition, in the area of education, new 

methods for presenting scientific 

information and concepts in accessible 

form are needed for science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics. 


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Accordingly, NIDRR seeks to fund an 

RERC on low vision and blindness to 

research, develop, and evaluate 

innovative technologies that will 

improve the ability of individuals with 

low vision and blindness to function 

independently within their schools, 

communities, and workplaces. 

References 

The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research 

Group (2004). Causes and 

prevalence of visual impairment 

among adults in the United States. 

Archives of Ophthalmology; 

122:477–485. 

American Printing House for the Blind, 

Inc. (2009). 2009 Annual Report. 

Louisville, KY 40206 USA. 

Retrieved from http://www.aph.org/ 

about/ar2009.html. 

Pleis J.R. & Lucas J.W. (2009). 

Provisional Report: Summary 

health statistics for U.S. adults: 

National Health Interview Survey, 

2008. National Center for Health 

Statistics. Vital Health Stat 10(242). 

Thach A.B., Johnson A.J., Carroll R.B., 

Huchun A., Ainbinder D.J., 

Stutzman R.D., Blaydon S.M., 

Demartelaere S.L., Mader T.H., 

Slade C.S., George R.K., Ritchey 

J.P., Barnes S.D., & Fannin L.A. 

(2008). Severe eye injuries in the 

war in Iraq, 2003–2005. 

Ophthalmology; Feb; 115(2):377– 

382. 

Rahi J.S., Cumberland P.M., Peckham 

C.S., & British Childhood Visual 

Impairment Interest Group (2010). 

Improving detection of blindness in 

childhood: the British childhood 

vision impairment study. 

Pediatrics; Oct; 126(4). 

Saunders G.H. & Echt K.V. (2007). An 

overview of dual sensory 

impairment in older adults: 

perspectives for rehabilitation. 

Trends in Amplification. Dec; 

11(4):243–58. 

Vidal-Verdu ́ F. & Hafez M. (2007). 

Graphical tactile displays for 

visually-impaired people. IEEE 

Transactions on Neural Systems 

and Rehabilitation Engineering. 

Mar; 15(1):119–30. 

Marston J.R. & Church R.L. (2005). A 

relative access measure to identify 

barriers to efficient transit use by 

persons with visual impairments. 

Disability and Rehabilitation. Jul 8; 

27(13):769–79. 

Technology Bill of Rights for the Blind 

Act of 2010. 111th CONGRESS, 2d 

Session, H. R. 4533. 

Marom L. (2010). Insulin pump access 

issues for visually impaired people 

with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes 

Research and Clinical Practice. Jul; 

89(1). 

Arditi A. (2004). Adjustable typography: 

an approach to enhancing low 

vision text accessibility. 

Ergonomics. Apr 15; 47(5):469–82. 

Krufka S.E., Barner K.E. & Aysal T.C. 

(2007). Visual to tactile conversion 

of vector graphics. IEEE 

Transactions on Neural Systems 

and Rehabilitation Engineering. Jun; 

15(2):310–21. 

Proposed Priority 

The Assistant Secretary for Special 

Education and Rehabilitative Services 

proposes a priority for a Rehabilitation 

Engineering Research Center (RERC) on 

Low Vision and Blindness. This RERC 

must research and develop technologies 

that will improve the assessment of low 

vision and blindness and promote 

independence for individuals with low 

vision and blindness of all ages, 

including those who are deaf-blind and 

those with multiple disabilities. 

Specifically, the RERC must improve 

vision assessment for the changing and 

expanding population of individuals 

who are at risk for experiencing low 

vision and blindness, including but not 

limited to, the elderly, returning 

military veterans, and prematurely born 

infants. The RERC must also research 

and develop technologies that will 

improve individuals’ access to graphical 

information, signage, and travel 

information and devices and appliances 

that have digital displays and control 

panels. In addition, the RERC must 

research and develop technologies to 

promote the participation of individuals 

with low vision and blindness in 

science, technology, engineering, and 

mathematics education (STEM). 

Regarding participation in STEM, these 

technologies include but are not limited 

to accessible scientific measurement 

instruments, tools, and materials. 

Proposed Priority 2—RERC on 

Wireless Technologies. 

Background 

Wireless technologies allow the 

connection of communication, 

information, and control devices to 

local, community, and nationwide 

networks. Wireless devices support a 

wide range of applications spanning 

voice and data communication, remote 

monitoring, and position finding, and 

offer tremendous potential for assisting 

individuals with disabilities to 

participate actively in the community. 

Wireless technology can improve the 

quality of life and enhance 

inclusiveness for individuals with 

disabilities in the areas of employment, 

health care, education, and emergency 

response. For example, a new wireless 

system offers those with hearing 

difficulties the ability to caption events 

in real-time; for those who have 

difficulty seeing, new mobile 

applications can use smart-phone 

cameras to scan labels on grocery items 

or pill bottles; for those with 

communication difficulties, there are 

many communications applications 

available for cell phones that convey 

typed messages through voice output 

(Mobile Future, 2010). Cloud computing 

is a technology that uses the internet 

and central remote servers to maintain 

data and applications. These ‘‘cloud’’ 

applications can be used without 

installation to a personal computer, and 

data and personal files can be accessed 

at any computer with internet access. 

Cloud computing technologies may 

provide individuals with disabilities an 

additional option for access from any 

wireless device in a variety of settings 

to a shared pool of computing resources, 

software, and information. 

The Federal Communications 

Commission (FCC) recognizes the 

importance of wireless technology for 

individuals with disabilities (FCC 

Broadband plan, 2010; FCC Working 

Paper: A Giant Leap & A Big Deal: 

Delivering on the Promise of Equal 

Access to Broadband for People with 

Disabilities, 2010). As part of its 

broadband plan, the FCC has included 

an accessibility and innovation forum 

and plans to modernize accessibility 

laws, rules, and subsidy programs. 

NIDRR has been an active participant 

in directing the technological 

advancements in wireless technologies 

for ten years so that individuals across 

the range of abilities may enjoy the 

benefits of these technologies and 

participate more fully in society. NIDRR 

grantees have been active in research on 

technology use and usability, and the 

development of public policy 

influencing equitable access to wireless 

technologies. In addition, NIDRR 

grantees have developed new 

technologies and accessible technology 

applications in the areas of web 

accessibility, emergency 

communications, audio captioning, 

touch-screen and audible interfaces, and 

TTY Phone-Deaf 911. NIDRR grantees 

have also filed comments on and 

informed final FCC rules concerning 

wireless use of the Emergency Alert 

System (EAS), the Commercial Mobile 

Alert System (CMAS), and the 

broadband plan. 

NIDRR recognizes the potential 

benefits that wireless technology has for 

individuals with disabilities and that 

wireless networking represents the 

future of computer and internet 


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connectivity. However, as wireless 

technology continues to advance in 

technical sophistication and commercial 

availability at a rapid pace, issues of 

usability continue for individuals with 

disabilities. The wireless industry too 

often fails to design products and 

services for use by individuals with 

disabilities, is unaware of the barriers 

faced by individuals with disabilities, 

and does not fully evaluate the usability 

of wireless products and services for 

individuals with disabilities before they 

become mainstream products and 

services (Designing Inclusive Futures, 

2008). Technical issues in areas such as 

interoperability (the ability of a system 

or a product to work with other systems 

or products), speech-to-text conversion, 

and hearing aid compatibility have been 

identified as barriers that individuals 

with disabilities experience as they 

attempt to use wireless technologies 

(Baker & Moon, 2008). In addition, 

ergonomic and interface needs of 

individuals with disabilities are 

recognized barriers to use of wireless 

technologies (Mueller, Jones, Broderick, 

& Haberman, 2005). 

In addition to promoting usability of 

emerging and existing wireless 

technologies, NIDRR proposes to 

continue research and development 

efforts to develop new wireless products 

and technologies that directly facilitate 

the independence and community 

participation of individuals with 

disabilities. Accordingly, NIDRR seeks 

to fund an RERC on Wireless 

Technologies to research, develop, and 

evaluate innovative technologies and 

approaches that will improve the ability 

of individuals with disabilities to use 

wireless technologies to promote 

independence and community 

participation. 

References 

Mobile Future. (2010). Mobile ability: 

The transformational impact of 

wireless innovation for people with 

disabilities. Retrieved from http:// 

www.mobilefuture.org/content/ 

pages/mobile_ability. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

(2010). The national broadband 

plan. Retrieved from 

www.broadband.gov. 

Federal Communications Commission. 

(2010). A giant leap and a big deal: 

Delivering on the promise of equal 

access to broadband for people with 

disabilities. Retrieved from http:// 

download.broadband.gov/plan/fccomnibus-broadband-initiative- 

%28obi%29-working-report-giantleap-big-deal-delivering-promise-ofequal-access-to-broadband-forpeople-with-disabilities.pdf. 

Baker, P.M. & Moon, N.W. (2008). 

Wireless technologies and 

accessibility for people with 

disabilities: Findings from a policy 

research instrument. 

Assist Technol. Fall; 20(3): 149–56. 

Mueller, J., Jones, M., Broderick, L., & 

Haberman, V. (2005). Assessment of 

user needs in wireless technologies. 

Assist Technol. Spring; 17(1): 57– 

71. 

Baker, P.M. & Moon, N.W. (2008). 

Access barriers to wireless 

technologies for people with 

disabilities: issues, opportunities 

and policy options. In: Designing 

Inclusive Futures. Langdon, P.; 

Clarkson, P. John; Robinson, P. 

(Eds.) 1st Edition. 

Proposed Priority 

The Assistant Secretary for Special 

Education and Rehabilitative Services 

proposes a priority for a Rehabilitation 

Engineering Research Center (RERC) on 

Wireless Technologies. Under this 

priority, the RERC must research, 

develop, and evaluate innovative 

technologies and products that facilitate 

the use of wireless technologies for 

individuals with disabilities. The RERC 

must research and develop wireless 

hardware and software that will meet 

the needs, promote independence, and 

improve the quality of life and 

community participation of individuals 

with disabilities. The RERC must also 

work with and provide information to 

relevant Federal agencies, designers, 

and manufacturers regarding barriers to 

and methods for facilitating the use of 

wireless technologies by individuals 

with disabilities. 

Requirements Applicable to Both 

Proposed Priorities 

A RERC established under either of 

the proposed priorities in this notice 

must be designed to contribute to the 

following outcomes: 

(1) Increased technical and scientific 

knowledge relevant to its designated 

priority research area. The RERC must 

contribute to this outcome by 

conducting high-quality, rigorous 

research and development projects. 

(2) Increased innovation in 

technologies, products, environments, 

performance guidelines, and monitoring 

and assessment tools applicable to its 

designated priority research area. The 

RERC must contribute to this outcome 

through the development and testing of 

these innovations. 

(3) Improved research capacity in its 

designated priority research area. The 

RERC must contribute to this outcome 

by collaborating with the relevant 

industry, professional associations, 

institutions of higher education, health 

care providers, or educators, as 

appropriate. 

(4) Improved awareness and 

understanding of cutting edge 

developments in technologies within its 

designated priority research area. The 

RERC must contribute to this outcome 

by identifying and communicating with 

NIDRR, individuals with disabilities, 

their representatives, disability 

organizations, service providers, 

professional journals, manufacturers, 

and other interested parties regarding 

trends and evolving product concepts 

related to its designated priority 

research area. 

(5) Increased impact of research in the 

designated priority research area. The 

RERC must contribute to this outcome 

by providing technical assistance to 

relevant public and private 

organizations, individuals with 

disabilities, employers, and schools on 

policies, guidelines, and standards 

related to its designated priority 

research area. 

(6) Increased transfer of RERCdeveloped technologies to the 

marketplace. The RERC must contribute 

to this outcome by developing and 

implementing a plan for ensuring that 

all technologies developed by the RERC 

are made available to the public. The 

technology transfer plan must be 

developed in the first year of the project 

period in consultation with the NIDRRfunded Disability Rehabilitation 

Research Project, Center on Knowledge 

Translation for Technology Transfer. 

In addition, under each priority, the 

RERC must— 

• Have the capability to design, build, 

and test prototype devices and assist in 

the technology transfer and knowledge 

translation of successful solutions to 

relevant production and service delivery 

settings; 

• Evaluate the efficacy and safety of 

its new products, instrumentation, or 

assistive devices; 

• Provide as part of its proposal, and 

then implement, a plan that describes 

how it will include, as appropriate, 

individuals with disabilities or their 

representatives in all phases of its 

activities, including research, 

development, training, dissemination, 

and evaluation; 

• Provide as part of its proposal, and 

then implement, in consultation with 

the NIDRR-funded National Center for 

the Dissemination of Disability 

Research, a plan to disseminate its 

research results to individuals with 

disabilities, their representatives, 

disability organizations, service 

providers, professional journals, 


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manufacturers, and other interested 

parties; 

• Conduct a state-of-the-science 

conference on its designated priority 

research area in the fourth year of the 

project period, and publish a 

comprehensive report on the final 

outcomes of the conference in the fifth 

year of the project period; and 

• Coordinate research projects of 

mutual interest with relevant NIDRRfunded projects, as identified through 

consultation with the NIDRR project 

officer. 

Types of Priorities 

When inviting applications for a 

competition using one or more 

priorities, we designate the type of each 

priority as absolute, competitive 

preference, or invitational through a 

notice in the Federal Register. 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 (1) awarding additional 

points, depending on 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 

priority. However, we do not give an 

application that meets the priority a 

preference over other applications (34 

CFR 75.105(c)(1)). 

Final Priorities: We will announce the 

final priorities in a notice in the Federal 

Register. We will determine the final 

priorities after considering responses to 

this notice and other information 

available to the Department. This notice 

does not preclude us from proposing 

additional priorities, requirements, 

definitions, or selection criteria, subject 

to meeting applicable rulemaking 

requirements. 

Note: This notice does not solicit 

applications. In any year in which we choose 

to use these priorities, we invite applications 

through a notice in the Federal Register. 

Executive Order 12866: This notice 

has been reviewed in accordance with 

Executive Order 12866. Under the terms 

of the order, we have assessed the 

potential costs and benefits of this 

proposed regulatory action. 

The potential costs associated with 

this proposed regulatory action are 

those resulting from statutory 

requirements and those we have 

determined as necessary for 

administering this program effectively 

and efficiently. 

In assessing the potential costs and 

benefits—both quantitative and 

qualitative—of this proposed regulatory 

action, we have determined that the 

benefits of the proposed priorities 

justify the costs. 

Discussion of Costs and Benefits 

The benefits of the Disability and 

Rehabilitation Research Projects and 

Centers Programs have been well 

established over the years in that similar 

projects have been completed 

successfully. These proposed priorities 

will generate new knowledge through 

research and development. Another 

benefit of these proposed priorities is 

that the establishment of new RERCs 

will improve the lives of individuals 

with disabilities. The new RERCs will 

generate, disseminate, and promote the 

use of new information that will 

improve the options for individuals 

with disabilities to fully participate in 

their communities. 

Intergovernmental Review: This 

program is not subject to Executive 

Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 

CFR part 79. 

Accessible Format: Individuals with 

disabilities can obtain this document in 

an accessible format (e.g., braille, large 

print, audiotape, or computer diskette) 

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, call the FRS, toll 

free, at 1–800–877–8339. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

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) 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. 

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: March 24, 2011. 

Alexa Posny, 

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2011–7355 Filed 3–28–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

[CFDA: 84.133B–1] 

Proposed Priorities: Interventions To 

Promote Community Living Among 

Individuals With Disabilities 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for 

Special Education and Rehabilitative 

Services proposes a funding priority for 

the Disability and Rehabilitation 

Research Projects and Centers Program 

administered by NIDRR. Specifically, 

this notice proposes a priority for an 

RRTC on Interventions to Promote 

Community Living Among Individuals 

with Disabilities. The Assistant 

Secretary may use this priority for 

competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2011 

and later years. We take this action to 

focus research attention on areas of 

national need. We intend this priority to 

improve participation and community 

living outcomes for individuals with 

disabilities. 

DATES: We must receive your comments 

on or before April 28, 2011. 

ADDRESSES: Address all comments about 

this notice to Marlene Spencer, U.S. 

Department of Education, 400 Maryland 

Avenue, SW., Room 5133, Potomac 

Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 

20202–2700. 

If you prefer to send your comments 

by e-mail, use the following address: 

marlene.spencer@ed.gov. You must 

include the term ‘‘Proposed Priority— 

RRTC on Promoting Community Living’’ 

in the subject line of your electronic 

message. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Marlene Spencer. Telephone: (202) 245– 

7532 or by e-mail: 

marlene.spencer@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD), call the 

Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 

1–800–877–8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice of proposed priority is in concert 

with NIDRR’s currently approved LongRange Plan (Plan). The Plan, which was 

published in the Federal Register on 

February 15, 2006 (71 FR 8165), can be 

accessed on the Internet at the following 

site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/ 

list/osers/nidrr/policy.html. 

Through the implementation of the 

Plan, NIDRR seeks to: (1) Improve the 

quality and utility of disability and 

rehabilitation research; (2) foster an 

exchange of expertise, information, and 


jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with NOTICES