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National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 

Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)

2016 Report to Congress

 
1

Table of Contents

Acronyms ................................................................................................................3

Executive Summary.................................................................................................4

Funding and Grants Management ..............................................................................4

Productivity and Accomplishments.............................................................................4

Research Capacity Building.......................................................................................5

Training and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)...............5

Knowledge Translation .............................................................................................5

Future Directions.....................................................................................................5

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)

 2016 Report to Congress.....................................................................................7

Introduction ..............................................................................................................7

Grant Mechanisms...................................................................................................8

Grant Competition and Peer Review Process ...............................................................8

Monitoring and Oversight .........................................................................................9

Funding Overview....................................................................................................9

Table 1. NIDILRR-Funded Centers and Projects: Funding and Awards, FY 2016 ..........10

Exhibit 1. Research Grant Projects by Domain, FY 2016...........................................11

Exhibit 2. Development Grant Projects by Domain, FY 2016.....................................11

Grantee Activities and Progress..................................................................................12

Exhibit 3. Total Outputs Produced by all Grantees Across all Program Mechanisms, by 

Product Type, FY 2016 ........................................................................................13

Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) ...............................................13

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) ................................................15

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs) .............................................15

Knowledge Translation ...........................................................................................16
2

Model Systems......................................................................................................17

ADA National Network............................................................................................18

Exhibit 4. Inquiry Response .................................................................................19

Table 1. Product Dissemination ............................................................................19

Section 21............................................................................................................20

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)..............................................................21

Field-Initiated Projects (FIPs)..................................................................................22

Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects (ARRTs) ......................................22

Research Fellowship Program (Mary E. Switzer Fellowship Program) ............................23

Ongoing NIDILRR Activities and Initiatives ..........................................................24
3

Acronyms

AC Alternating Current

ACL Administration for Community Living 

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act 

ADA-PARC ADA Participatory Action Research Consortium 

ADAKTC American with Disabilities Act Knowledge Translation Center

APR Annual Performance Reporting Data System

ARRT Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Project

BMS Burn Injury Model Systems

CDC Centers for Disease Control

DRRP Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project 

ED Department of Education 

FCC Federal Communication Commission

FIP Field-Initiated Project 

FY Fiscal Year

HHS Department of Health and Human Services 

HUD Department of Housing and Urban Development

ICDR Interagency Committee on Disability Research 

ICT Information and Communications Technology

MSKTC Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center

NARIC National Rehabilitation Information Center

NDB National Database

NHTS National Household Travel Survey

NIDILRR National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research

NIHR National Institute on Handicapped Research

OCR Optical Character Recognition

OSTP White House Office of Science Technology and Policy 

RERC Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers 

ROI Return on Investment 

RRTC Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers 

SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

SBIR Small Business Innovation Research 

SBO Survey of Business Owners

SCI Spinal Cord Injury 

SOS State of the Science

SSA Social Security Administration

SCIMS Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems

TBI Traumatic Brain Injury 

TBIMS Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems 

UI Unemployment Insurance

VA-DARS Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services 

WIOA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
4

Executive Summary

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research’s (NIDILRR) mission 

is to generate new knowledge and to promote its effective use, to improve the abilities of individuals 

with disabilities to perform activities of their choice in the community, and to expand society’s capacity 

to provide full opportunities and accommodations for its citizens with disabilities. 

NIDILRR programs address a wide range of disabilities and impairments, across all age groups, and 

promote health and function, community living and participation, and employment. To accomplish 

these goals, NIDILRR invests in research, knowledge translation, and capacity-building activities through 

its discretionary grant-funding mechanisms. 

Funding and Grants Management

The allocation of NIDILRR grant funds for FY 2016 totaled $97,101,867. Further, the Substance Abuse 

and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provided $1,350,800 in funds to jointly support 

four RRTCs relating to mental health Issues. In addition, NIDILRR awarded $8,083,133 in contracts and 

other support activities in FY 2016. These funds supported 226 grant awards.

NIDILRR’s peer review process for grant competitions is highly rigorous, with 22.5 percent of applicants 

awarded funding during FY 2016. 

Productivity and Accomplishments

NIDILRR funds research toward the development of new knowledge and innovative new technological 

devices, prototypes, measurement tools, intervention materials, and other informational products to 

enhance community living, health and function, and employment among people with disabilities.

Grantees employ advanced methodologies to conduct research, including randomized controlled trials, 

longitudinal studies, and qualitative studies. These investments produced peer-reviewed publications, 

intervention protocols, software, and databases. Selected examples of NIDILRR grantee 

accomplishments in FY 2016 include:

 The Traumatic Brain Injury Assessment Conceptualization Therapeutic Intervention Option 

Narrative (TBI ACTION) to aid clinicians working with persons with TBI to develop case 

conceptualizations and consider treatment options.

 A self-assessment tool for use by employers that leads to planning and information resources 

that will result in improved employment practices for workers with disabilities.

 A clinical tool that creates virtual (real-world) soundscapes to support testing and adjustment of 

hearing aid parameters so as to optimize a user’s auditory performance in real world contexts. 

 Studies to identify disparities experienced by people with disabilities in community living, 

participation, and work. The grantee has created an interactive website that allows users to 

compare and contrast data at the national, state and city levels for over 35 cities. 

 Task prompting technologies for workers with Intellectual Disabilities. Supervisors search a 

nationwide repository of pre-built instructions, and then tailor or adjust their selection for their 

specific needs.
5

Research Capacity Building

Research capacity-building efforts under the Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects (ARRT) 

and Switzer Fellowship Program develop a diverse cadre of emerging disability and rehabilitation 

researchers. In addition, NIDILRR directs targeted resources to minority-serving institutions, such as 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities, to develop and 

implement programs to build disability and rehabilitation research capacity among minority-serving 

institutions. 

Training and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

NIDILRR sponsors the ADA National Network, which delivers training, technical assistance, and 

dissemination of materials for stakeholders with rights and responsibilities under the ADA through its 

network of 10 regional centers. The ADA Participatory Action Research Consortium (ADA-PARC) 

complements the Network’s activities through research on factors influencing the community living of 

persons with disabilities and health disparities at state, regional, and community levels.

Knowledge Translation

NIDILRR is committed to ensuring that the products of its sponsored research and development are used 

to promote the independent living, health and function, employment, and community living outcomes

of individuals with disabilities. Through its Knowledge Translation Centers, NIDILRR ensures that new 

knowledge and products gained through research and development are effectively communicated to 

stakeholders and used to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. 

Future Directions

NIDILRR continues to focus on finalizing its transition into the Department of Health and Human 

Services’ (HHS) Administration for Community Living (ACL), enhancing its current partnerships within the 

disability and rehabilitation research communities, and sponsoring research of the highest quality in 

support of those communities. 

In alignment with these established priorities, NIDILRR initiated development of its statutorily-required 

FY 2018–2022 Long-Range Plan, defining its organizational and programmatic vision. Activities included

the convening of internal work teams and outside experts to assess the current and emerging state of 

the science, and otherwise inform the development of strategic goals and objectives for the 

organization. NIDILRR systematically collected input from people with disabilities, staff, ACL colleagues, 

federal partners, and other stakeholders during the long-range planning process. This was done through 

internal working groups within NIDILRR, a series of regional public listening sessions moderated by the 

NIDILRR Director, and the collection of comments from the public via email. 

Strategic partnerships with other agencies in HHS and across the federal government have been 

instrumental in advancing NIDILRR’s mission. NIDILRR’s Director serves as the Chair of the Interagency 

Committee on Disability Research (ICDR). Mandated by statute (29 U.S. Code § 763), the mission of the 

ICDR is to promote a cohesive, strategic federal program of disability, rehabilitation, and independent 

living research and to facilitate coordination and collaboration among federal departments and 

agencies. Partners within the ICDR include agencies across the federal government, and subcommittees 

include the Executive Committee, Assistive Technology & Universal Design, Community Integration & 
6

Participation, Employment & Education, Government Wide Inventory, and Health, Functioning & 

Wellness. NIDILRR plans to build upon the ongoing work of the ICDR through its leadership and 

contribution to the development of a government-wide disability and rehabilitation research strategic 

plan. 
7

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 

Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)

2016 Report to Congress

Introduction

The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is 

committed to improving independent living and community participation by funding research and 

development in the areas of community living and participation, health and function, and employment.

This Annual Report to Congress will describe NIDILRR’s actions on this commitment during the 2016

fiscal year. It begins with a brief summary of NIDILRR’s history, continues with a description of its 

funding process and fiscal allocations, and follows with descriptions of outcomes impacting the 

community, highlighting a number of accomplishments by researchers and organizations funded by 

NIDILRR. This report concludes by describing future initiatives and directions within the organization.

Congress established NIDILRR in response to a deficit of knowledge on the needs of and services for 

individuals with disabilities across the lifespan. NIDILRR was established as the National Institute on 

Handicapped Research (NIHR) by the Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental 

Disabilities Amendments of 1978 (Pub. L. No. 95—602), amending the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The 

organization was originally housed in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and later the 

Department of Education. Its original goal was to carry out research on all aspects of disability and the 

socio-economic implications of the problems encountered by individuals with disabilities. The 1986 

amendments to the Rehabilitation Act changed the agency’s name to the National Institute on Disability 

and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). On July 22, 2014, the agency was renamed the National Institute 

on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) and transferred from ED to the 

Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) 

by the signing of Pub. L. No. 113-128, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). NIDILRR 

personnel officially became HHS/ACL employees on February 8, 2015.

Today, NIDILRR’s mission is to generate new knowledge and promote its effective use to improve the 

abilities of individuals with disabilities to perform activities of their choice in the community, and to 

expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for its citizens with 

disabilities. To accomplish this mission NIDILRR: 

 Supports research, development, demonstration, training, technical assistance, and related 

activities to build new knowledge.

 Promotes the transfer, use and adoption of technology for individuals with disabilities to 

improve independent living options.

 Provides for research training to increase the number of qualified researchers, including 

researchers with disabilities and from minority backgrounds.

 Fosters widespread dissemination of practical scientific and technological information to 

advance policy, practice, and services to improve outcomes for people with disabilities. 
8

NIDILRR programs address community living and participation, health and function, and employment

outcomes of people with disabilities. NIDILRR’s investments in research, development, knowledge 

translation, and capacity-building activities are carried out through the following discretionary grantfunding mechanisms:

 Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTC) conduct advanced research and training 

on health, rehabilitation, employment, and community living topics. 

 Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) conduct engineering research and 

development on technological solutions to rehabilitation problems or environmental barriers. 

 Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) conduct research, development,

technical assistance, training, and utilization activities on health, rehabilitation, employment,

and community living topics. 

 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network projects conduct research and provide 

information, training and technical assistance to ADA stakeholders. 

 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) projects support small businesses to explore the 

feasibility, development, or evaluation of the commercialization potential of new technology 

products for people with disabilities. 

 Knowledge Translation projects promote the use of research-based knowledge in NIDILRR’s 

community of stakeholders. 

 Field-Initiated Projects (FIP) conduct three-year studies on topics proposed by applicants to

address disability and rehabilitation issues in promising and innovative ways.

 Model Systems programs in spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and burn injury conduct 

research on rehabilitation and long-term outcomes of individuals with these conditions.

Research in these programs includes collaborative, multisite research, and collection and 

analysis of longitudinal data. 

 Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects (ARRT) support institutions of higher 

education to provide advanced interdisciplinary research training to postdoctoral Fellows.

 Research Fellowship Program (RFP), or Mary E. Switzer Fellowships, are awarded to qualified 

individuals to conduct one-year independent research projects. 

 Section 21 projects focus on research capacity-building for minority-serving institutions,

including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other institutions with significant 

racial/ethnic minority student populations. Section 21 of the Rehabilitation Act requires that 

one percent of NIDILRR appropriations be set-aside to address traditionally underserved 

populations.

Grant Mechanisms

Grant Competition and Peer Review Process

NIDILRR supports quality disability research in the domains of community living and participation, health 

and function, and employment. Funding is provided to the disability, independent living, and 

rehabilitation research communities through its funding mechanisms, with priorities within these 

mechanisms determined by the agency. NIDILRR ensures a rigorous research portfolio by administering

a systematic peer review process and internal and external program evaluation. NIDILRR’s process 

assures that only the highest-quality research is funded, as required by federal regulation. During the 
9

peer review process, subject matter experts with the appropriate credentials and content knowledge

are tasked with evaluating the scientific, technical, and management aspects of proposals submitted in 

response to NIDILRR funding opportunity announcements. This process generates an average score 

across reviewers, reducing bias and facilitating the ranking of projects by scientific merit. Only the 

highest-ranking proposals are recommended for funding by NIDILRR.

NIDILRR also incentivizes the private sector through its participation in the Small Business Innovation 

Research (SBIR) program. NIDILRR SBIR grantees develop marketable products that promote the 

community living and participation, health and function, and employment function outcomes of 

individuals with disabilities. Phase I SBIR grants support the initial feasibility-testing and prototypedevelopment phase. NIDILRR funded 16.9 percent of the SBIR Phase I applications that it received in 

FY 2016. Phase II projects, which are selected from a pool of successfully funded Phase I grants for 

further development, were also highly competitive at a funding rate of 23.5 percent.

Monitoring and Oversight

NIDILRR provides rigorous oversight of its funded initiatives through its Annual Performance Reporting 

(APR) Data System, formative review mechanisms, and close monitoring of grant activities by NIDILRR 

staff. NIDILRR’s APR is a web-based grants performance system used by grantees to provide data about 

goals and objectives, staffing, budget, research and development issues such as sample size and 

method, progress, outputs and accomplishments. This data is used to determine whether continuation 

funding should be provided to a grantee. For a new grantee, the first reporting period begins on the 

start date of the award and extends until May 31 of the following year. Subsequent reporting periods 

begin June 1 and end May 31. Grantees submit their progress reports annually on July 1.

Formative evaluations of funded awards are also conducted to provide oversight and technical 

assistance to grantees. Such reviews are conducted when NIDILRR program officers believe that a 

grantee could benefit from targeted technical assistance. A panel of subject matter experts is chosen to

provide the technical assistance and make recommendations for improvement. 

NIDILRR staff are highly accomplished program administrators and researchers who provide informed 

and collaborative oversight to NIDILRR’s grantees. They maintain ongoing, routine communication and 

oversight with grantees to help inform their scientific programs and ensure grantees are meeting goals 

and objectives. Program Officers use the HHS Grants Policy Administration Manual to provide consistent 

oversight across projects. Risk assessments are conducted with poor-performing grantees, with 

additional oversight and technical support provided as needed. Though rare, findings of ongoing poor 

performance can lead to discontinuing funding to a grantee. No grants were discontinued in FY 2016.

Funding Overview

The allocation of NIDILRR grant funds for FY 2016 for the 11 funding mechanisms discussed in this 

section is shown in Table 1. For each funding mechanism, the table includes the number of new and 

continuation awards. NIDILRR’s overall grant allocations across all 11 funding mechanisms totaled 

$97,101,867 for FY 2016. NIDILRR awarded $8,083,133 in contracts and other support activities for 

FY 2016.
10

Table 1. NIDILRR-Funded Centers and Projects: Funding and Awards, FY 2016

NIDILRR-Funded Centers and 

Projects

FY 2016 Grant Amount

Funding 

Mechanism

Award Type Number of 

Awards

Total In Thousands 

of Dollars

Total

RRTC Continuations 21 23 16,624 18,373* See 

New Awards 2 1,749 Note

RERC Continuations 15 17 11,2405 13,965

New Awards 2 1,850

DRRP Continuations 24 29 11,579 14,241

New Awards 5 2,662

ADA Network Continuations 1 12 614 12,537

New Awards 11 11,923

SBIR Continuations 5 19 1,370 3,279

New Awards 14 1,909

KT Continuations 6 9 2,577 3,669

New Awards 3 1,092

FIP Continuations 33 51 6,373 9,962

New Awards 18 3,589

Model Systems

 SCI Continuations 0 14 0 6,500

New Awards 14 6,500

 TBI Continuations 17 18 7,599 8,262

New Awards 1 633

 Burn Continuations 5 5 1,850 1,850

New Awards 0 0

ARRT Continuations 16 19 2,096 2,546

New Awards 3 450

Switzer 

Fellowships

4 4 280 280

Section 21 6 6 1,774 1,774

Total 226 97,238

*Note: SAMHSA also provided grant funding in the amount of $1,350,800 to RRTCs to partially support four RRTCS 

related to mental health Issues.

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, NIDILRR. 2016

Annual Performance Reports.

Exhibits 1 & 2 (see below) illustrate the distribution of funded research and development grant projects

in FY 2016 across NIDILRR’s three domains: health and function, community living and participation, and 

employment. “Cross-cutting” is a composite category used in the Annual Performance Report to 

describe projects that reflect two or more domains. About 50 percent of development projects, and

about 33 percent of research projects were described as cross-cutting. “Research projects” are defined 

by NIDILRR as "an intensive systematic study, based on a clear hypothesis or research question that is 

directed toward producing new scientific knowledge about the subject or problem being studied.”
11

“Development Projects” are defined as "the use of knowledge and understanding gained from research 

to create materials, devices, systems, or methods beneficial to the target population, including design 

and development of prototypes and processes."

Exhibit 1. Research Grant Projects by Domain, FY 2016

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, NIDILRR. 2016

Annual Performance Reports-Program Performance Report Table 9.

Exhibit 2. Development Grant Projects by Domain, FY 2016

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, NIDILRR. 2016

Annual Performance Reports-Program Performance Report Table 11.

Research Projects

Health and function 33%

Employment 22%

Participation and community living

14%

Cross-cutting (two or more

domains) 30%

Development Projects

Health and function 16%

Employment 11%

Participation and community

living 23%

Cross-cutting (two or more

domains) 50%
12

Grantee Activities and Progress

NIDILRR collects output data through the Annual Performance Reporting Data System (APR). Grantees 

are required to report each output from their funded activities in one of four categories: Publications; 

Tools, Measures, and Intervention Protocols; Technology Products and Devices; and Informational 

Products. 

A brief description of each category of output type follows:

 Publications are documents directly funded by a grantee’s current NIDILRR award. Publications 

include journal articles, periodicals, web journals, proceedings from meetings and symposia, 

books or book chapters, monographs, abstracts, technical or research reports, and reviews. 

Within this output category are peer-reviewed and non-peer reviewed publications. Peer-review 

is an evaluation process of the accuracy of a manuscript, and the validity of the research 

methodology and procedures by a panel of reviewers from the same scientific or academic 

discipline. This process is conducted prior to publication, and the review panel can recommend 

revisions to the work, or reject its submission for publication. Non-peer reviewed publications 

do not receive this level of critique. Documents that are currently in review, accepted for 

publication, in press, or self-published are not reported in the APR (Source: APR-PPR, Tables 18 

and 19).

 Tools, measures and intervention protocols include instruments or processes created to 

acquire quantitative or qualitative information, knowledge, or data on a specific disability or 

rehabilitation issue, as well as research-based protocols for delivering interventions to specific 

target populations of people with disabilities. Examples include checklists; survey questionnaires 

or interview schedules; interventions; statistical or methodological techniques; databases; and

diagnosis or assessment instruments, including physiologic measures and outcome measures

(Source: APR-PPR, Table 20).

 Technology products and devices are developed, modified, tested, or evaluated by the grantee. 

This refers to any technology product or device developed under the award that the grantee

disseminated or delivered to external audiences during the current reporting period. These 

include the development of industry standards/guidelines; software or netware; invention, 

patents, licenses and patent disclosures; working prototypes; product(s) evaluated or fieldtested; product(s) transferred to industry for potential commercialization; and product(s) in the 

marketplace (Source: APR-PPR, Table 21).

 Information products refer to items such as training manuals/curricula, fact sheets, newsletters, 

audiovisual materials, marketing tools, educational aids, Websites, presentations, and other

forms of disseminated information (Source: APR-PPR, Table 22).

Exhibit 3 (see page 13) compares the number of output products produced by grantees within each 

category type in FY 2016. Additional detail has been provided for the category of publications, with 

peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications being reported separately. 

The most common types of outputs were publications, with the number of peer reviewed publications

exceeding the number that were non peer-reviewed.
13

Exhibit 3. Total Outputs Produced by all Grantees Across all Program Mechanisms, by Product Type, 

FY 2016

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, NIDILRR. 2016

Annual Performance Reports, Program Performance Report Tables 18-22.

Data obtained through the 2016 APR shows that NIDILRR 

supported 226 grantees during FY 2016, whose funding 

from HHS totaled $97,237,667 across all program 

mechanisms. These projects reflect the breadth of disability

and rehabilitation research within the agency’s outcome

domains of community living and participation, health and 

function, and employment. The knowledge and products 

that are generated by NIDILRR-sponsored research and 

development grants have a wide variety of important 

impacts in the field. The summaries that follow, organized by funding mechanism, provide examples of 

the outcomes and impacts that resulted from NIDILRR’s investments. Additional information concerning 

these projects is available through the National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) website 

(http://www.naric.com/).

Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs)

RRTCs conduct coordinated, integrated and advanced programs of research, training, and information 

dissemination in topical areas that are specified by NIDILRR. Areas of focus include the improvement of

rehabilitation methodology and service delivery systems; the improvement of health and functioning; 

and the promotion of employment, independent living, family support, and economic and social selfsufficiency for individuals with disabilities. They provide training, including graduate, pre-service, and inservice training to build capacity for disability and rehabilitation research. They also serve as centers of 

national excellence in rehabilitation research for providers and for individuals with disabilities and their 

representatives. Awards are normally made for a five-year period.

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Peer-reviewed Publications

Non Peer-reviewed Publications

Tools, Measures, and Intervention Protocols

Technology Products and Devices

Information Products (e.g. curricula, websites

NIDILRR SUPPORTED 226

GRANTEES DURING FY 2016,

TOTALING $97,237,667

ACROSS ALL PROGRAM 

MECHANISMS.
14

The following are examples of RRTC accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2016:

 Statistical Findings Highlight Transportation and Employment Disparities

University of New Hampshire: RRTC on Disability Statistics and Demographics (StatsRRTC) 

(Cooperative Agreement # 90RT5022-02-00). The StatsRRTC at the University of New Hampshire 

examined National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) data to assess transportation needs among 

people with disabilities. Findings showed there was no significant difference in the distances 

traveled among those surveyed, however, trips to medical care facilities by persons with 

disabilities took longer amounts of time than trips taken by persons without disabilities, holding 

other variables constant. This paper was highlighted on the Department of Transportation’s 

website featuring the NHTS (http://nhts.ornl.gov/). Another paper examined public housing 

programs supported by Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Linking Current 

Population Survey data with the Annual Social and Economic Supplement, analyses showed that 

working-age people with disabilities who live in public housing but do not receive Social Security 

Administration (SSA) disability program benefits were significantly less likely to be employed than 

disabled non-beneficiaries who do not reside in public housing. 

 Researchers Raise Awareness about Aging with Long-term Disability. 

University of Washington: RRTC on Healthy Aging & Physical Disability (Grant # 90RT5023). 

The NIDILRR-funded RRTC on Healthy Aging & Physical Disability at the University of Washington 

has published seven new studies that advance knowledge about secondary conditions 

(depression, anxiety, fatigue) that are prevalent among individuals with post-polio syndrome. 

Within these studies, they have examined the average age of onset for secondary conditions for 

adults with physical disabilities, helping to determine risk factors over time. They have also 

discovered that participants with long-term disability had lower resilience than adults without 

disabilities. This has highlighted the need for targeted wellness interventions to help this 

population manage these conditions. Plain language research summaries of this work are 

available at (http://agerrtc.washington.edu/info/summaries).

 BenchmarkABILITY: Benchmarking and Online Training Tools Inform Employer Practices

Cornell University: The RRTC on Employer Practices Related to Employment Outcomes Among 

Individuals with Disabilities (Grant Number # 90RT5010). The RRTC on Employer Practices 

Related to Employment Outcomes Among Individuals with Disabilities developed a selfassessment tool for use by employers that leads directly to planning and information resources 

for improved disability inclusion practices. The tool includes six sections of items: 1) recruitment 

and hiring; 2) career development and retention; 3) accessibility and accommodation;

4) compensation and benefits; 5) diversity and inclusion; and 6) metrics and analytics. The tool 

has been promoted by several organizations, including: the Center for Advanced Human 

Resource Studies in the Cornell University Industrial & Labor Relations School; the Society for 

Human Resources Management, QED Consulting, and the International Labour Organization 

Global Business and Disability Network. It has also been used by the Royal Canadian Mounted 

Police and various government organizations in Singapore. The tool can be found at: 

http://www.benchmarkability.org/
15

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs)

The purpose of the RERC program is to improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the 

Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced engineering research and development of innovative 

technologies designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or remove environmental barriers.

RERCs also demonstrate and evaluate such technologies, facilitate service delivery systems changes, 

stimulate the production and distribution of equipment in the private sector, and provide training 

opportunities to enable individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to become researchers and 

practitioners of rehabilitation technology. Awards are normally made for a five-year period.

Examples of RERC accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2016 follow:

 Sign Finder Technology Aids Users with Visual Impairments.

Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute: RERC on Blindness and Low Vision (Grant # 90RE5024)

Researchers at the RERC, along with collaborators at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and 

Wicab, Inc., developed real-time sign detection algorithms for blind users. The computer vision 

algorithms detect two common and important types of signs (standard Exit and Restroom signs); 

these signs are difficult or impossible to detect and recognize reliably by standard text detection 

and OCR techniques, and therefore required the development of entirely new algorithms. The 

algorithms were implemented for use on either a standard computer or smartphone, and they 

run at several frames per second on both platforms. The code for this software has been 

released under an open source license, with the “Sign Finder Application Technical Report”

written to document the algorithms. The report is available online at http://www.ski.org/signfinder-application-technical-report.

 RERC for Wireless Inclusive Technologies Aides in the Development of Emergency Service 

Accessibility

Georgia Tech University: RERC for Wireless Inclusive Technologies (Grant # 90RE5025). The 

RERC is contributing to the development of ICT systems infrastructure to support broad access 

by persons with sensory impairments to the 911 Emergency Notification System. This service 

provision tool will improve the safety of individuals with sensory impairments living in the 

community. 

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs)

The DRRP funding program supports projects that carry out one or more of the following activities: 

research; development; demonstration; training; dissemination; utilization; and technical assistance.

The purpose of the DRRP program is to plan and conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and 

related activities to develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the full 

inclusion and integration of individuals with disabilities into society, employment, independent living,

and family support; and to promote economic and social self-sufficiency and improve the effectiveness 

of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act.
16

NIDILRR funds several types of DRRPs, including:

(1) Knowledge Translation projects; (2) Model Systems in 

traumatic brain injury (TBI) and burn injury; (3) ADA 

National Network projects; (4) Section 21 Program; and 

(5) individual research projects. The SCI Model System is 

not included with the other model systems as a DRRP 

because it has its own statutory authority. The first four

types of DRRPs are managed as separate programs and, 

therefore, only individual research DRRPs are described 

here under the general DRRP heading. DRRPs differ from 

RRTCs and RERCs in that they generally do not provide 

training and technical assistance. Awards range from 

three to five years.

Knowledge Translation

In the disability context, knowledge translation is a 

process of ensuring that new knowledge and products 

gained through the course of research and development 

can ultimately be used to improve the lives of individuals 

with disabilities and further their participation in society. Knowledge translation is built upon and 

sustained by ongoing interactions, partnerships, and collaborations among various stakeholders in the 

production and use of such knowledge and products, including researchers, practitioners, policymakers, 

individuals with disabilities, and others. NIDILRR has invested in knowledge translation by directly

funding research and development projects in its Knowledge Translation portfolio and by integrating the 

underlying knowledge translation principles of interactions, partnerships, and collaborations among 

stakeholders into the content of all priorities. The projected long-term outcomes are knowledge and 

products that can be used to solve real issues faced by individuals with disabilities.

The following are examples of Knowledge Translation accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2016:

 Factsheets produced by the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center are well-used by 

the public.

American Institutes for Research: The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) 

(Grant # 90DP0012). The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) is a knowledge 

translation project funded, in part, to produce consumer materials that are based on the best 

available research findings. The MSKTC, in collaboration with the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI),

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Burn Injury (Burn) Model Systems Centers, produce consumer 

factsheets in various areas for use by people with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and 

burn injury. These research-based factsheets address topics that are directly relevant to the 

lives of people with these traumatic injuries and are written in language that all users can read 

and understand. Examples of factsheet topics include Recognizing and Treating Pressure Sores;

Pain After SCI; Understanding TBI/The Recovery Process for Traumatic Brain Injury; Alcohol Use 

After Traumatic Brain Injury; Sleep Problems after Burn Injury; and Psychological Distress after 

Burn Injury, among others. In a span of one year, the factsheets in all three injury areas were 

NIDILRR funds several 

types of DRRPs, including: 

(1) Knowledge Translation 

projects; (2) Model 

Systems in traumatic brain 

injury (TBI) and burn 

injury; (3) ADA National 

Network projects; (4) 

Section 21 Program; and 

(5) individual research

projects
17

downloaded more than 600,000 times, and the MSKTC web site itself received over 1,000,000 

unique visitors, indicating users’ high levels of interest in, and use of, this information.

 The American with Disabilities Act Knowledge Translation Center (ADAKTC) hosted the first 

State of the Science conference on ADA research

University of Washington: The American with Disabilities Act Knowledge Translation Center 

(ADAKTC) (Grant # 90DP0086). The ADAKTC organized the 2016 ADA State of the Science (SOS) 

conference to disseminate information about the latest ADA-related research, as well as to 

discuss future research directions related to the ADA. This event was the first time that research 

from regional ADA centers was spotlighted along with leading national legal and academic 

researchers on the ADA. The conference was attended by many stakeholder groups including 

ADA researchers, federal agencies’ staff, and representatives from consumer organizations, 

advocates, individuals with disabilities, and others. A common theme that emerged from

national and regional research activities was the acknowledgement of the need to move from a 

focus on providing simple information about the ADA to a focus on more sophisticated, longer

term technical assistance and knowledge translation activities. Presenters noted that questions 

about the ADA often require a deep understanding of the specific contexts from which the 

questions are coming and that general information, while important, is not sufficient.

Model Systems

NIDILRR’s Model Systems programs in spinal cord injury 

(SCIMS), traumatic brain injury (TBIMS), and burn injury 

(BMS) provide coordinated systems of rehabilitation care 

and conduct research on recovery and long-term 

outcomes. These centers serve as platforms for 

collaborative, multisite research, including research on 

interventions using randomized controlled trials. Founded 

in 1973, the National SCI Database has collected injury 

follow-up data through a total of 29 funded centers. 

Fourteen funded, plus an additional five unfunded 

centers, actively collected SCI follow-up data in 2016. 

Their actions have contributed to the collection of SCI data 

from 45,809 individuals as of the end of FY 2016. TBIMS 

and BMS centers have 15,305 and 5,936 persons, 

respectively, enrolled in their National Databases. 

Nineteen centers contributed data to the TBIMS National 

Database in 2016. The BMS collected data from four 

centers in FY 2016. Studies using these databases have 

provided researchers opportunities to explore the social 

and environmental factors influencing the community 

living and participation of individuals affected by these injuries, best clinical practices for screening and 

treatment, physiological aspects of the conditions, and long-term outcomes.

AS OF OCTOBER 2015, THE 

SPINAL CORD INJURY MODEL 

SYSTEMS (SCIMS) HAS OVER 

45,809 INDIVIDUALS IN ITS 

NATIONAL DATABASE.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 

(TBIMS) AND BURN INJURY 

(BMS) HAVE 15,305 AND 

5,936 PERSONS, RESPECTIVELY,

ENROLLED IN THEIR NATIONAL 

DATABASES.
18

The following is an example of a Model Systems accomplishment reported to NIDILRR in FY 2016:

 Joint CDC-NIDILRR TBIMS Policy Factsheet Released: “Moderate and Severe TBI is a Lifelong 

Condition”

Craig Hospital: Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Data and Statistical Center. 

(Grant # 90DP0084). CDC and NIDILRR collaborated with NIDILRR’s TBIMS Centers Program to 

conduct research utilizing the TBIMS National Database (NDB). The long-term, longitudinal 

nature of the TBIMS-NDB and its known relationship to the U.S. population provided a unique 

opportunity to estimate the prevalence of disability among Americans over the age of 15 who 

require inpatient rehabilitation for more severe TBIs. This project has resulted in several studies 

characterizing the natural course of moderate and severe TBI as a chronic, disabling health 

condition. In addition to producing numerous scientific peer-reviewed publications, the 

collaborating agencies have produced an evidence-based policy factsheet entitled, “Moderate 

and Severe TBI is a Lifelong Condition”. The fact sheet outlines the estimated burden of TBI on 

public health and offers key policy strategies to address the long term consequences of TBI. The 

factsheet can be found at:

https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/pdf/moderate_to_severe_tbi_lifelong-a.pdf

ADA National Network

The ADA National Network consists of 10 regional centers that provide information, training, and 

technical assistance to individuals, businesses, and agencies with rights and responsibilities under the 

ADA. The network also includes research and knowledge translation components, which are carried out 

by two network grantees, the ADA National Network Collaborative Research Project, and the ADA 

National Network Knowledge Translation Center. 

Research funded under the first grantee is known as the ADA Participatory Action Research Consortium 

(ADA-PARC). ADA-PARC activities focus on: 1) looking at participation disparities experienced by people 

with disabilities post ADA and Olmstead; 2) identifying and examining key environmental

factors contributing to these disparities; 3) benchmarking participation disparities and highlighting

promising practices at state and city levels; and, 4) planning strategies for dissemination and utilization

of findings to be used by ADA Centers and others in community capacity building and systems change 

initiatives.

Knowledge Translation (KT) efforts in the ADA National Network are led by the ADA Knowledge 

Translation Center. The Center has three primary goals; 1) increase efficiency and impact by serving as a 

central resource to support the development, coordination, and deployment of ADA information, 

training, technical assistance, and capacity building activities across the AD National Network; 

2) increase awareness and use of ADA research findings to inform practice; and, 3) improve 

understanding of stakeholders’ need for and receipt of ADA services.

ADA National Network Grantees are highly responsive to the community, providing advice, information 

and training through multiple modalities. In FY 2016, the Centers received 98,815 inquiries from the 

public. Exhibit 4 presents the modalities used to respond to these questions. 
19

Exhibit 4. Inquiry Response

The 10 ADA National Network Centers delivered 165 training activities/projects during the 2016 APR 

Reporting Year. Audiences included service providers, individuals with disabilities and their families, 

business groups, state and local government agencies, architects and design professionals, and other 

professional groups. 

In addition to training and technical assistance, the ADA National Network and its regional centers 

produce numerous, highly popular products to aid in disseminating information to the public, 

employers, and individuals with disabilities about their rights and responsibilities. Table 1 shows the 

types and number of times a product was disseminated.

Table 1. Product Dissemination

Type Number Disseminated

Journal Articles 164

Project Publications 302,935

Video and Audio Tapes 12,221

CDs and DVDs 345

Books or Book Chapters 7,457

Bulletins, Newsletters or Factsheets 531,515

Research Reports and Conference Proceedings 2,282

The following are examples of ADA Network accomplishments reported to NIDILRR for FY 2016:

 ADA Center Provides Accessibility Training to Local Government Officials

Institute for Human Centered Design: New England ADA Center (Grant # 90DP0087)

The New England ADA Center implemented ADA Field-based Training Day Interventions for a 

number of local government entities, which recently resulted in completion of several identified 

projects for access improvement in various communities, one being Bethel, VT. ADA field-based 

Inquiry Response

Phone (37.4%)

Email (41.4%)

In-Person (19.4%)

Other (1.6%)
20

trainings provided hands-on-training interventions to assist municipalities in identifying the best 

solutions for structural changes to existing facilities to meet accessibility requirements using the 

Center’s ADA Checklist for Existing Facilities (www.ADAChecklist.org). Training participants were

taught how to use survey tools at a facility identified by the local government entity as 

inaccessible, and received help with identifying short, intermediate and long-term goals toward

implementing the ADA. ADA Coordinators, Disability Commission members, town facilities 

managers, maintenance directors, and planners were the primary audiences. The New England 

ADA Center then conducted three and six month follow-up activities with training recipients. 

The Center conducted follow-up activities with Bethel, VT and learned of the town’s successful 

outcome as a result of the field-based training intervention. The town recently began renovation 

of the bath house, paved accessible parking spaces to comply, and has begun constructing

accessible walkways. Further information is available at newenglandada.org/blog/success-storyimplementing-ada-bethel-vt.

 Manual De Derecho De Discapacidad De La Red Nacional De La ADA

TIRR Memorial Hermann, Independent Living Research Utilization (ILRU) (Grant #90DP0092)

The Disability Law Handbook is one of the most popular national network products. ADA 

National Network constituents and regional centers have been requesting that it also be made 

available in Spanish to meet the needs of the growing Spanish-speaking population within the 

US. The handbook is a comprehensive guide written in plain language about the ADA and other 

laws that address the rights of people with disabilities such as construction law, social security 

law, housing law, and other civil rights laws. The handbook is intended for both individuals with 

disabilities and entities that have obligations under various disability laws, and provides basic 

information about disability rights, as well as resources for finding out more. A variety of users 

of this handbook gain knowledge about disability law and can then use this knowledge to act

and ensure disability rights and obligations are realized.

Section 21 

NIDILRR's capacity-building research agenda, as identified in its long-range plan, includes developing the 

talent of future leaders in rehabilitation research and development, including individuals with disabilities 

and those from minority backgrounds. This part of the plan also supports NIDILRR's mandate under 

Section 21 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide one percent of its annual appropriations to address 

traditionally underserved populations. The Section 21 program focuses on research capacity building for 

minority entities such as Historically Black Colleges and Universities and institutions serving primarily 

Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian students, and non-minority entities with an interest in improving 

understanding about the needs and outcomes of individuals with disabilities from minority populations.

Program activities include assisting minority entities with networking that supports enhanced 

collaboration between minority entities and non-minority entities, and the exchange of expertise and 

advanced training across program areas. 

Over the past fiscal year, NIDILRR has enhanced its efforts under the Section 21 program by 

implementing specific strategies aimed at increasing minority participation and representation 

throughout the NIDILRR portfolio and increasing knowledge of NIDILRR funding programs among 

minority-serving institutions. As part of this initiative, NIDILRR conducted both field-initiated projects 
21

and advanced rehabilitation research training project Section 21 competitions during FY 2016 to 

improve the quality and use of research related to individuals with disabilities from traditionally 

underserved racial and ethnic populations and to enhance the opportunity for minority entities to 

conduct such research across various NIDILRR funding mechanisms.

The following accomplishment is from the RRTC on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities:

 Improving the Pipeline of Qualified Disability and Rehabilitation Researchers from Minority 

Serving Institutions.

Langston University, RRTC on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities (Grant # 

90AR5029). Langston University’s RRTC on Research and Capacity Building for Minority Entities 

is studying ways to enhance research capacity and infrastructure at minority serving institutions. 

The RRTC is examining factors that contribute to disability and rehabilitation research leaders’ 

career development and success in an effort to increase the number of talented researchers 

available to mentor junior investigators at minority entities. The grantee conducted a national 

study investigating contributing factors, with the following elements emerging as key systems 

facilitators for growing the number of seasoned minority disability and health researchers: 1) 

research career pathways and pipeline training programs; 2) social justice integration in 

organizational culture; 3) new designated research capacity building and R&D funding streams;

4) inter-professional multidisciplinary collaboration; 5) mentorship programs; 6) postdoctoral 

training programs; 7) grant writing training; 8) expert panel reviewer participation; 9) agency 

advisory/scientific committee participation; and 10) conference sponsorships.

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

The intent of NIDILRR’s SBIR program is to help support the development of new ideas and projects that 

are useful to persons with disabilities by inviting the participation of small business firms with strong 

research capabilities in science, engineering, or educational technology. Small businesses must meet 

eligibility criteria to participate: the company must be American-owned and independently operated, it 

must be for-profit, employ no more than 500 employees, and the principal researcher must be 

employed by the business. During Phase I, NIDILRR funds firms to conduct feasibility studies to evaluate 

the scientific and technical merit of an idea. During Phase II, NIDILRR-funded firms expand on the results 

of Phase I to pursue further development.

The following is an example of a SBIR accomplishment reported to NIDILRR during FY 2016: 

 Portable Dialysis Machine Enhances Freedom of Individuals with Impaired Kidney Function

Chemica Technologies, Inc.: Physiologically Compatible Hemodialysis Through Advanced 

Dialysate Regeneration. (Grant #90BISB0002). Dr. Tsukamoto (Phase II SBIR) is developing a 

portable, high performance dialysis device. In addition to great reductions in size and weight 

differences, Dr. Tsukamoto’s dialysis system presents an improvement in terms of efficiency and 

effectiveness of blood waste product removal. Using separate funding, Dr. Tsukamoto is also 

determining whether his dialysis unit can be run off battery rather than AC power. In summary, 

the dialysis unit is a rehabilitation technology (replacing a body function) that will improve 
22

medical and functional outcomes in the domains of Health and Function and Community Living 

and Participation, of persons with significant (severe, complete) impairment of kidney function. 

Field-Initiated Projects (FIPs)

Field-Initiated Projects (FIPs) are investigator-initiated research projects intended to supplement 

NIDILRRs agency-directed research portfolio. These projects cross all of NIDILRR’s domains, and 

generate new knowledge through research or development on a smaller scale relative to DRRPs and 

Center grants. All FIP grantees must carry out research or development projects to further one or both 

of the following purposes: (1) develop methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology, that 

maximize the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent living, family support, 

and economic and social self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the 

most severe disabilities; and (2) improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. Typical FIP awards are three years in duration.

The following is an example of a FIP accomplishment reported to NIDILRR in FY 2016:

 Return on Investment (ROI) Model Examines the Earnings Outcomes of Individuals with 

Disabilities Who Received VR Services.

University of Richmond: VR-ROI Project: Estimating Return on Investment in State Vocational 

Rehabilitation Programs. (Grant # 90DP0070).

The University of Richmond examined the earning outcomes of de-identified individuals who 

received services from the Virginia Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services (VA-DARS). 

Findings from longitudinal modeling of agency data showed that 80 percent of Virginians with 

disabilities who received VA-DARS services, beginning in 2000, earned more in the following 

decade than they would have if they had not received VA-DARS services. For every $1000 in VADARS expenditure, service participants earned an additional $7,100 over the following 10 years 

compared to a comparison group who had not received VA-DARS services. The top 10 percent of 

VA-DARS service users earned an additional $45,100 over a 10 year period than a comparison 

group who had not received VA-DARS services. Similarly supportive findings were shown 

through an analysis of the Postsecondary Education Rehabilitation Transition (PERT) program, 

an initiative for high school aged students and young adults. Findings showed that with an 

average per student investment of $3,500, PERT participants were 31 percent more likely to

obtain and maintain employment than a comparison group. Findings also showed that at least 

one additional year of education increased the chances of obtaining and maintaining 

employment by 96 percent. 

Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects (ARRTs)

ARRTs seek to increase capacity for high-quality rehabilitation research by supporting grants to 

institutions to provide advanced research experience to individuals with doctorates or similar advanced 

degrees who have clinical or other relevant experience. Grants are made to institutions to recruit 

qualified persons, including individuals with disabilities, and prepare them to conduct independent 

research related to disability and rehabilitation, with particular attention to research areas that support 

the implementation and objectives of the Rehabilitation Act and that improve the effectiveness of 

services authorized under the Act. These research projects may integrate disciplines, teach research 

methodology, and promote the capacity for disability studies and rehabilitation science. Training 
23

projects must operate in interdisciplinary environments and provide training in rigorous scientific 

methods.

There were 71 Fellows enrolled in the ARRT program in

FY 2016. Fellows contribute to and lead multidisciplinary 

research projects with mentors and peers and are 

encouraged to publish their research. In FY 2016, Fellows 

were the lead author on 72 publications and contributed to 

69 others. The program supports a diverse cadre of young

research professionals. An estimated 45 percent of Fellows in 

the ARRT funding program identify themselves as Latino, 

African American, American Indian, Asian, or Native 

Hawaiian. Six of the seventy-one Fellows reported having a 

disability.

Research Fellowship Program (Mary E. Switzer Fellowship Program)

The Mary E. Switzer Fellowship Program seeks to increase capacity in rehabilitation research by giving 

qualified individual researchers, including individuals with disabilities, the opportunity to develop new 

ideas and further their research expertise. Awards go directly to individuals, not their institutions, 

allowing Fellows to pursue independent research and training activities. Distinguished Fellows are 

seasoned in their careers, must hold a doctorate or comparable academic status, and have had seven or 

more years of experience relevant to rehabilitation research. Merit Fellowships are given to persons 

with rehabilitation research experience who do not meet the qualifications for Distinguished 

Fellowships, usually because they are in earlier stages of their careers. Fellows work for one year on an 

independent research project of their design. Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply for 

each of these Fellowships.

Four Switzer Fellowships were awarded in FY 2016, with a total of 13 Fellows submitting Annual or Final 

Performance Reports in 2016. Five of the thirteen self-identified as a racial/ethnic minority. Similar to 

ARRT Fellows, Switzer Fellows were actively engaged in independent research. Of the 13 Switzer Fellows 

submitting an annual or final performance report, four of these Fellows produced 10 publications.

In addition to publications, Fellows also produce tools and measures, technology, products, and 

information products which are intended to educate various target groups about the findings of their 

research. In 2016, three of the 13 Switzer Fellows submitting annual or final reports produced three 

information products. These included scientific presentations (information products) by one Fellow on 

patient engagement in inpatient spinal cord injury rehabilitation, as well as a presentation highlighting 

the importance of patient engagement in rehabilitation. A second Switzer Fellow was invited to present 

at the 2015 Wellness & Epilepsy Conference for the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan on the topic of 

"Employment Barriers and Strategies for Transition Youth with Epilepsy". 

Switzer Fellowships support the professional development of established and emerging disability and 

rehabilitation researchers. A recent beneficiary, Dr. Ekaterina Dobryakova, a 2015 Switzer Fellow and 

Kessler Foundation researcher, was recently featured in a BBC Futures article focusing on brain function 

AN ESTIMATED 45 PERCENT

OF FELLOWS IN THE ARRT

FUNDING PROGRAM IDENTIFY 

THEMSELVES AS LATINO,

AFRICAN AMERICAN,

AMERICAN INDIAN, ASIAN,

OR NATIVE HAWAIIAN.
24

and its influence on fatigue. The article can be found at http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160817-

the-daily-struggle-of-living-with-extreme-fatigue

Ongoing NIDILRR Activities and Initiatives

The accomplishments presented are a sample of the research and development sponsored by NIDILRR, 

and its far-reaching impact on individuals with disabilities, the families and care communities who 

support them, and society writ large. NIDILRR will continue its work identifying the day-to-day needs of 

individuals with sensory, mental, physical, and developmental/intellectual disabilities, and align goals 

and initiatives to those needs. Development of the statutorily-required NIDILRR Long-Range Strategic 

Plan, which began in the final quarter of FY 2016, has continued in FY 2017.

NIDILRR program officers and senior management officials drafted an initial framework for the LongRange Plan that reflected the organization’s mission, long-standing commitments, and its new home 

within the Administration for Community Living. This new partnership provides ACL an enhanced 

capacity to use research to drive policy and practice. NIDILRR also initiated an extensive public input 

campaign which opened in October, 2016. Input was collected from advocacy leaders and experienced 

researchers during a session held in Washington, DC. Community public input sessions were then held in 

Denver, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, and Denver. Supplemental input was collected from callers into 

each of these sessions, as well as through a dedicated email account. The collected community input 

was utilized to develop a draft Long-Range Plan for 2018-2022. This draft was announced in the Federal 

Register in January 2017. Feedback from this draft is being collected by NIDILRR for integration into a 

finalized Long-Range Plan.

As NIDILRR enters into a new era, several key commitments continue. NIDILRR will continue to sponsor 

grantee disability and rehabilitation research that is far-reaching, compelling, and impactful. NIDILRR will 

build on its long history of collaborating across federal departments to identify best practices, conduct 

co-sponsored research, and address shared goals. The organization’s participation and leadership within 

the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR), a NIDILRR-led statutorily-required Federal 

partnership, charged to promote a cohesive, strategic federal program of disability, rehabilitation, and 

independent living research; broker partnerships; and facilitate coordination and collaboration among 

federal departments and agencies conducting such research, is key to the organization’s commitment to 

promoting research of the highest quality and greatest impact. 

Inclusion and access are longstanding commitments of NIDILRR, commitments that will be built upon in 

the coming years. Priorities for funding will be established by NIDILRR, with consultative input from an 

advisory committee that includes NIDILRR leadership, researchers, and representatives from disability 

groups. NIDILRR will continue to actively include its stakeholders, particularly individuals with 

disabilities, ethnic minorities, and/or underserved populations, in all aspects of its work, including 

setting clear standards for grantees. At present, the agency requires grantees to document and report 

efforts at including persons with disabilities in any capacity, such as by seeking their participation in an 

advisory committee, soliciting their guidance in the research or development design, recruiting them to 

help with the dissemination of materials and outputs, employing individuals with disabilities, and 

recruiting them as research subjects. NIDILRR will also be expanding the inclusiveness and accessibility 

of its supported research and development activities through its recently instituted Public Access Plan. 
25

This plan will make available free, public access to NIDILRR funded peer reviewed publications through 

the PubMed system and, to the extent feasible and permissible by law, digital data developed through 

its federal funding. These actions will serve to promote research and development that is rigorous, 

relevant, and accessible to the interested researchers and the public.