National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 

Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)

2017 Report to Congress
2 

Acronyms

ACL Administration for Community Living 

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act 

ADA-PARC ADA Participatory Action Research Consortium 

APR Annual Performance Reporting 

ARRT Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Project 

BBI Burton Blatt Institute

BHBIMS Boston-Harvard Burn Injury Model System

BMS Burn Injury Model Systems

CARF Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities International

CL&P Community Living and Participation

DHCS California Department of Health Care Services

DPI Diversity Partners Intervention

DREAM Disability, Rehabilitation, Engineering Access for Minorities

DRRP Disability and Rehabilitation Research Project 

ED U.S. Department of Education 

FIP Field-Initiated Project 

FY Fiscal Year

H&F Health and Function

HHS U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

ICDR Interagency Committee on Disability Research 

IDEA the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

LTSS Long-Term Services and Supports

MSI Minority-Serving Institution 

MSKTC Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center

NARIC National Rehabilitation Information Center

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

NIDRR National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

PPMRTM Peer-to-Peer Mentor Research Team Model

RERC Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center 

RRTC Rehabilitation Research and Training Center

SBIR Small Business Innovation Research 

SCI Spinal Cord Injury 

SCIMS Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems

SEADA Southeast ADA

SMHC Serious Mental Health Conditions

TBI Traumatic Brain Injury 

TBIMS Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems 

TEAMM-RERC Technologies to Evaluate and Advance Manipulation and Mobility Rehabilitation 

Engineering Research Center

UTEP University of Texas - El Paso

VHA U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs

WIOA Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act 
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Executive Summary

The mission of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation 

Research (NIDILRR) 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

as well as to expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for 

individuals 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 capacitybuilding activities through its discretionary grant-funding mechanisms. 

Funding and Grants Management 

The allocation of NIDILRR grant funds for FY 2017 totaled $98,512,195. In addition, NIDILRR 

awarded $6,807,805 in contracts and other support activities in FY 2017. These funds 

supported 221 grant awards in 2017. 

NIDILRR’s peer review process for grant competitions is highly rigorous, with 16.2 percent of 

applicants receiving new grant funding during FY 2017. 

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, 

databases, and a wide range of other outputs and outcomes. Selected examples of NIDILRR 

grantee accomplishments in FY 2017 include:

• Publication of an issue brief, which provides information about the Workforce 

Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and its application to youth and young adults 

with serious mental health conditions. 

• Research and development to improve pattern recognition systems for control of 

myoelectric hand prostheses.

• Development and evaluation of the Diversity Partners Intervention (DPI), a collection of 

toolkits and resources to augment the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of placement 

professionals to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities.
4 

• Production of a Telly award-winning video, Exercise After Burn Injury, that features three

burn survivors who share their experiences beginning and maintaining an exercise

routine after experiencing a burn injury.

• Studies to improve outcomes for persons from traditionally underserved racial and

ethnic populations and communities and enhance research capacity and infrastructure

at minority-serving institutions (MSIs).

Research Capacity Building 

Research capacity-building efforts under the Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training 

Projects (ARRT), Switzer Fellowship Program, and NIDILRR’s Center grant programs develop a 

diverse cadre of emerging disability and rehabilitation researchers. In addition, NIDILRR directs 

targeted resources to MSIs, 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 

individuals with disabilities 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. 

Ongoing NIDILRR Activities 

NIDILRR will focus on implementing and integrating the visions of the newly appointed NIDILRR 

Director and Administration for Community Living (ACL) Administrator. Publication of NIDILRR’s 

FY 2018–2022 Long-Range Plan is imminent. This document defines the organizational and 

programmatic vision, and it will frame NIDILRR’s research agenda for the coming years. The 

new Administrator has identified five Pillars: Connecting People to Resources, Supporting 

Families and Caregivers, Strengthening the Networks, Protecting Rights and Preventing Abuse, 

and Expanding Employment Opportunities. These Pillars encompass both aging and disability, 
5 

and NIDILRR will contribute research and subject matter expertise throughout the planning and 

implementation of the work in each of the Pillar areas. 

Strategic partnerships with other agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human 

Services (HHS) and across the federal government have been instrumental in advancing 

NIDILRR’s mission. As such, NIDILRR will continue to enhance its existing partnerships and seek 

out new collaborative opportunities within HHS and more broadly across the federal disability 

and rehabilitation research communities. 

NIDILRR’s Director serves as the Chair of the Interagency Committee on Disability Research 

(ICDR). Under the ICDR Director’s leadership, efforts will focus on building on the ongoing work 

of the ICDR, contributing to the achievement of goals set forth in the recently drafted 

government-wide disability and rehabilitation research strategic plan. 
6 

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and 

Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)

2017 Report to Congress

Introduction

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

is committed to improving independent living and community participation among people with 

disabilities by funding research and development in the areas of community living and 

participation, health and function, and employment. This Report to Congress will describe 

NIDILRR’s actions on this commitment during the 2017 fiscal year (FY). It begins with a 

summary of the organization’s historical foundation, provides a description of its funding 

process and fiscal allocations, and follows with descriptions of programmatic outcomes 

impacting the community. This report concludes by describing ongoing initiatives and 

directions within the organization.

NIDILRR was established by Congress to conduct research that would lead to improved 

rehabilitation methods resulting in enhanced community living outcomes for individuals with 

disabilities. First constituted as the National Institute on Handicapped Research by the 

Rehabilitation, Comprehensive Services, and Developmental Disabilities Amendments of 1978 

(P.L. 95–602), amending the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the organization was originally housed 

in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and later the U.S. Department of 

Education (ED). 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 and transferred from ED to the Administration for Community Living (ACL) within the 

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This change occurred with the passage 

of P.L. 113–128, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). NIDILRR personnel 

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

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 as 

well as to expand society’s capacity to provide full opportunities and accommodations for 

individuals with disabilities. To accomplish this mission, NIDILRR: 

• Supports research, development, training, technical assistance, and related activities to 

build new knowledge. 

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

to improve health and function, employment, and independent community living and 

participation outcomes. 
7 

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

researchers with disabilities and from minority backgrounds. 

• Fosters widespread dissemination and use of scientific and technological information to 

advance policy, practice, and services that improve outcomes for people with 

disabilities. 

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 grant-funding mechanisms: 

• Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTC) conduct advanced research and 

training on a wide variety of health, rehabilitation, employment, and community living 

topics. 

• Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC) conduct rehabilitation engineering 

research and development toward 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 

feasibility and develop or evaluate 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 (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), 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 Programs, 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 
8 

significant racial/ethnic minority student populations. Section 21 of the Rehabilitation 

Act requires that one percent of NIDILRR appropriations be invested to address 

traditionally underserved populations.

Grant Mechanisms

Grant Competition and Peer Review Process 

NIDILRR sponsors disability and rehabilitation research and development in the outcome 

domains of community living and participation, health and function, and employment. Funding 

is provided to the research community through its funding mechanisms, with priorities within 

these mechanisms determined by the agency. NIDILRR utilizes a rigorous peer review process, 

as required by federal regulation, and internal and external program evaluation to ensure the 

quality of its sponsored research and development activities. Subject matter experts with the 

appropriate credentials and content knowledge evaluate 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 incentivizes private sector disability research and development through its 

participation in the SBIR program. NIDILRR SBIR grantees develop marketable products that 

promote the community living and participation, health and function, and employment

outcomes of individuals with disabilities. Phase I SBIR grants support the initial feasibility

testing and prototype development phase. NIDILRR funded 15.2 percent of the SBIR Phase I 

applications that it received in FY 2017. 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 28.6 percent. 

Grant Competitions

Table 1 describes NIDILRR’s FY 2017 grant competitions. The number of eligible applicants, 

review panels, reviewers, awards made, and percentage of applicants receiving funding are 

shown. A large percentage of applications receive high peer review scores that indicate strong 

technical merit and significant need. NIDILRR’s limited resources allow only a small percentage 

of these applicants to receive grants each year.
9 

 

Table 1. NIDILRR Peer Review Process Overview, FY 2017

Grant Opportunity # Eligible 

Applicants

# Panels # Reviewers # Awards 

Made

% of Applicants 

Receiving Funding

FIP 179 15 75 16 8.9%

FIP Section 21 10 1 5 1 10%

ARRT H&F 7

1 5 

2 28.5%

ARRT CL&P 2 1 50%

ARRT Employment 1 0 0%

ARRT Policy 2 1 4 1 50%

SBIR Phase I 66 6 30 10 15.2%

SBIR Phase II 14 2 10 4 28.6%

Switzer Fellowship 42 4 16 6 14.3%

Field-Initiated 

DRRP in CL&P

19 2 10 1 5.3%

Field-Initiated 

DRRP in H&F

32 3 14 2 6.3%

TBI Model Systems 24 3 15 16 66.7%

Burn Model 

Systems

4 1 5 4 100%

ADA National 

Network Collab

2 1 5 1 50%

SCI Collaborative 5 1 5 1 20%

RERC-STI 7 1 5 1 14.3%

RERC Exercise 

Access

1 1 5 1 100%

DRRP 

Transportation

12 1 5 1 8.3%

DRRP KTDRR 2 1 5 1 50%

Total 431 45 219 70 16.2%

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, National Institute on 

Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. 2017 Annual Performance Reports. 

Monitoring and Oversight 

NIDILRR uses its Annual Performance Reporting (APR) System, formative review mechanisms, 

and close monitoring of grant activities by NIDILRR staff to provide rigorous oversight of its 

funded initiatives. NIDILRR’s APR is a web-based grants performance system used by grantees 

to provide data about goals and objectives, staffing, budget, and research and development 

issues such as sample size and method, progress, outputs, and accomplishments. Data are 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. 
10

Formative evaluations of funded awards are used as supplemental oversight and technical 

assistance tools for grantees. Such reviews are conducted when NIDILRR program officers 

believe that a grantee could benefit from targeted technical assistance in addition to that 

available from the program officer. A panel of subject matter experts is chosen to provide the 

technical assistance and make recommendations for improvement if needed. 

NIDILRR program officers maintain ongoing, routine communication and oversight with 

grantees to help inform their scientific programs and ensure that they are meeting goals and 

objectives. The HHS Grants Policy Administration Manual serves as guidance to ensure 

consistency in the provision of oversight across projects. Risk assessments are conducted to 

identify poor-performing grantees, with additional oversight and technical support provided as 

needed. Though rare, findings of ongoing poor performance can lead to a discontinuation of 

funding to a grantee. 

Funding Overview

The allocation of NIDILRR grant funds for FY 2017 for the 11 funding mechanisms discussed in 

this section is shown in Table 2. 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 $98,512,195 for FY 2017. NIDILRR awarded $6,807,805 in contracts and 

other support activities for FY 2017.
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Table 2. NIDILRR-Funded Centers and Projects: Funding and Awards, FY 2017 

NIDILRR-Funded Centers and 

Projects

FY 2017 Grant Amount

Funding 

Mechanism

Award Type Number of 

Awards

Total In Thousands 

of Dollars

Total

RRTC Continuations 22 22 19,245 19,245

New Awards 0 0

RERC Continuations 15 17 13,277 15,127

New Awards 2 1,850

DRRP Continuations 26 31 11,730 14,627

New Awards 5 2,897

ADA Network Continuations 11 12 11,924 12,424

New Awards 1 500

SBIR Continuations 4 18 1,139 3,289

New Awards 14 2,150

Knowledge 

Translation

Continuations 8 9 2,966 3,716

New Awards 1 750

FIP Continuations 31 47 6,183 9,383

New Awards 16 3,200

Model Systems

 SCI Continuations 14 14 6,500 6,500

New Awards 0 0

 TBI Continuations 2 18 1,263 8,463

New Awards 16 7,200

 Burn Continuations 1 5 350 1,850

New Awards 4 1,500

ARRT Continuations 14 18 2,098 2,698

New Awards 4 600

Switzer 

Fellowships

6 6 440 440

Section 21 4 4 750 750

Total 221 98,512

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, National Institute on 

Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. 2017 Annual Performance Reports. 

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

grant projects in FY 2017 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. Forty-nine 

percent of development projects and about 33 percent of research projects were described as 

cross-cutting. NIDILRR defines a research project 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.” Development projects are defined as 
12

“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 2017 

Exhibit 2. Development Grant Projects by Domain, FY 2017 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, National Institute on 

Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. 2017 Annual Performance Reports. “Program 

Performance Report Table 11.” 

Grantee Activities and Progress

NIDILRR collects output data through the 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

Research Projects

Health and function 34%

Employment 17%

Participation and

community living 17%

Cross-cutting (two or

more domains) 33%
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meetings and symposia, books or book chapters, monographs, abstracts, technical or 

research reports, and reviews. Within this output category are peer-reviewed and nonpeer-reviewed publications. Peer review is a process to evaluate the accuracy of a 

manuscript and the validity of the research methodology and procedures described. 

Manuscripts are typically reviewed by a panel from the same scientific or academic 

discipline as the authors. 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 review and feedback. 

Documents that are currently in review, accepted for publication, in press, or selfpublished 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 category 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; inventions, patents, licenses, and patent

disclosures; working prototypes; product(s) evaluated, or field tested; product(s)

transferred to industry for potential commercialization; and product(s) in the

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

• Informational 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 below) compares the number of output products produced by grantees within 

each category type in FY 2017. Additional detail has been provided for the category of 

publications, with peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed publications being reported 

separately. 
14

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

Type, FY 2017 

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Community Living, National Institute on 

Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. 2017 Annual Performance Reports. “Program 

Performance Report Tables 18-22.” 

Data obtained through the 2017 APR show that NIDILRR supported 221 grantees during FY 

2017, totaling $98,512,195 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 self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities. RRTCs provide 

training, including graduate, pre-service, and in-service training, to build capacity for disability 

and rehabilitation research. They also serve as centers of national excellence in rehabilitation 

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

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

Peer-reviewed Publications

Non-peer-reviewed Publications

Tools, Measures, and Intervention Protocols

Technology Products and Devices

Informational Products (e.g. curricula, websites)
15

The following are examples of RRTC accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2017:

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and its Application to Youth and Young 

Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions (SMHC) Issue Brief

University of Massachusetts Medical School (Massachusetts): The Learning and Working 

During the Transition to Adulthood Center (Grant # 90RT5031). The center developed this 

issue brief, which provides information about WIOA and its application to youth and young 

adults with SMHC. This brief's purpose is to point out to youth and young adults with SMHC 

that under WIOA, the workforce system has to be accessible to those with mental health 

challenges and increase access and opportunities for the employment, education, training, and 

support services needed to succeed in the workforce. The brief describes: (1) requirements in 

the law; (2) key areas for youth and young adults to explore; (3) specific issues relevant to 

youth and young adults with SMHC; and (4) measures of accountability and success. The brief 

was disseminated to key stakeholders, including advocates, service providers, and individuals 

with disabilities and/or family members, to increase knowledge about how WIOA can be 

effectively accessed and used to improve outcomes. The brief was hosted on the grantee’s 

website and sent out via electronic media to a listserv comprising 1,559 members. As of the 

end of May 2017, the brief had been downloaded 760 times, spanning 114 institutions and 23 

countries. Documentation/link: 

http://escholarship.umassmed.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1105&context=pib

RRTC Generates New Knowledge of the Characteristics and Experiences of Youth who are 

Deaf-Blind 

Mississippi State University (Mississippi): National Research and Training Center on Blindness 

and Low Vision (NRTC) (Grant # 90RT5040). This report provides an examination of a 

nationally representative sample of deaf-blind youth during the 2000s (from 2001 to 2009) 

obtained from the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2. Prior to this report, the literature 

about transition-age youth with deaf-blindness was extremely limited. The report was 

generated to fill the gap in this literature. It describes the characteristics, secondary school 

experiences, academic achievements, postsecondary school attendance, and employment 

experiences of this population from the perspectives of parents/guardians, youth, and teachers. 

Documentation/link: 

http://blind.msstate.edu/our-products/youth-with-deaf-blindness

Research Findings are Used to Improve Health and Long-Term Care Services for Program 

Beneficiaries in California 

University of California, San Francisco (California): RRTC on Community Living Policy (Grant # 

90RT5026). Researchers from the RRTC on Community Living Policy collaborated on an 

evaluation of Cal MediConnect, which is part of California’s Coordinated Care Initiative and the 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Financial Alignment Initiative. The Financial 

Alignment Initiative is tested under the authority of CMS’ Center for Medicare and Medicaid 
16

Innovation (Innovation Center). Cal MediConnect, which operates across seven California 

counties, is a demonstration that coordinates all medical, behavioral health, and long-term 

services and supports (LTSS) through a single organized service delivery system for beneficiaries 

who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid. The RRTC co-authored a number of reports 

to describe the findings of the evaluation, including a report entitled Evaluation of Cal 

MediConnect: Key Findings from a Survey With Beneficiaries. One of the findings of the 

evaluation is that program beneficiaries wanted to keep the health care providers that they had 

before joining Cal MediConnect and were concerned that they may not be able to. Another key 

finding in this evaluation is that more than a third of program beneficiaries with functional 

limitations reported having unmet needs for personal assistance services. As required for all 

models tested under the authority of the Innovation Center, CMS is conducting a separate 

independent evaluation of Cal MediConnect, which will include an analysis of the quality of care 

furnished under the model and the changes in spending by reason of the model, and results 

from that evaluation are forthcoming.

The findings and recommendations in this RRTC output were a basis for important program 

adjustments that aim to address beneficiary concerns and improve access to needed LTSS. 

These included “continuity of care” policies that make it easier for beneficiaries to continue 

seeing out-of-network specialists and to have longer relationships with their doctors. Program 

administrators have expanded awareness of these revised continuity of care policies through 

development of a “Beneficiary Toolkit,” with simple instructions on how to exercise continuity 

of care options (see page 8). DHCS also designed and implemented a new standardized Health 

Risk Assessment with specific questions that prompt referrals for non-medical LTSS. Program 

administrators also strengthened their data collection efforts related to LTSS referrals to better 

track how effectively Cal MediConnect is linking beneficiaries to needed services in the 

community.

Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) 

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

Rehabilitation Act by conducting advanced rehabilitation engineering research and developing

innovative technologies designed to solve particular rehabilitation problems or remove 

environmental barriers. RERCs 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 rehabilitation engineers. Awards are normally made for 

a five-year period.

Examples of RERC accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2017 follow:

Enhanced Accessibility for Visitors to the Shedd Aquarium 
17

State University of New York at Buffalo (New York): RERC on Universal Design and the Built 

Environment (Grant # 90RE5022). Researchers at the RERC formed a partnership with Touch 

Graphics in which Touch Graphics applied technology developed at the RERC at the Shedd 

Aquarium in Chicago Touch Graphics applied and commercialized 3-D Talking Tactile Maps that 

vocalize building information and directions when touched; these Talking Tactile Maps help 

visitors understand and navigate Shedd’s many levels and exhibit spaces. By placing the map 

on a floor stand, users in wheelchairs can easily pull up on three sides to access it. The map’s 

horizontal orientation reduces cognitive load for blind users, who may find it difficult to 

interpret vertical, wall-mounted maps. The Talking Tactile Maps show the locations of every 

exhibit that includes tactile materials, such as a talking seahorse and talking penguin model, 

various skeletons and fossils, and a stingray touch tank. Additionally, Touch Graphics applied 

RERC’s technology to select exhibits, transforming them into interactive “touchable models” 

that provide users both audio and tactile feedback. With the application of these innovative 

technologies, the aquarium is ensuring its cultural and scientific resources are welcoming and 

accessible to everyone, including visitors with disabilities. Documentation/link: 

http://touchgraphics.com/portfolio/shedd-aquarium-talking-tactile-maps/

Improved Pattern Recognition Systems for Control of Myoelectric Partial Hand Prostheses

Technologies to Evaluate and Advance Manipulation and Mobility Rehabilitation Engineering 

Research Center (TEAMM-RERC) (Grant # H133E130020). Previous pattern recognition control 

systems for partial hand devices rely on intrinsic muscles, which may be missing or damaged, or 

on extrinsic muscles, which compromise wrist movement and reduce overall function. The 

system created by NIDILRR’s TEAMM-RERC allows users to freely move their wrist while 

controlling the device using either intrinsic, extrinsic, or a combination of both types of muscles 

to control the prosthesis. The control system was developed and tested in several individuals 

with intact hands and in individuals with partial hand amputations. The product is an 

enhancement of a foundational NIDRR-funded project (H133G100107), which developed an 

embedded pattern recognition controller. Publication/citation: Adewuyi, A. A., Hargrove, L. J., 

& Kuiken, T. A. (2017). Resolving the effect of wrist position on myoelectric pattern recognition 

control. Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation, 14, 1–11. Documentation/link: 

https://jneuroengrehab.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12984-017-0246-x

Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs) 

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

activities: research, development, training, dissemination, utilization, and technical assistance. 

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

independent living and to promote economic and social self-sufficiency and improve the 

effectiveness of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act. 
18

NIDILRR funds several types of DRRPs, including: (1) Knowledge Translation projects; (2) Model 

Systems in traumatic brain injury (TBIMS) and burn injury (BMS); a separate statutory authority 

created the Model System Program in Spinal Cord Injury (SCIMS); (3) ADA National Network 

projects; (4) Section 21 Program; and (5) individual research projects. The SCIMS is typically not 

included with the other Model Systems as a DRRP because of its unique statutory authority but 

is included in this section of the report for conciseness and efficiency in reporting. 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. 

Examples of DRRP accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2017 follow:

Resources Describing Changes in Laws to Protect the Rights of Parents with Disabilities

Brandeis University (Massachusetts). Parents Empowering Parents: National Research Center 

for Parents with Disabilities and their Families (Grant # 90DPGE0001). The center has created 

two resources that provide an overview of recent changes in state laws that protect the rights 

of parents with disabilities. These resources include a summary of state legislation and a table 

of legislation by state. The table provides a link to the legislation, status of the legislation, and 

disability types covered by legislation. The summary describes key trends in legislation 

regarding parents with disabilities. The information conveyed in the table and summary 

provide parents, advocates, policymakers, and researchers a greater understanding of the 

current state of legislation and recent successes. These materials have been shared extensively 

via social media, with documentation showing that more than 2,000 individuals receive current 

legislation information through Twitter and more than 670 receive it through the center’s 

Facebook page. Documentation/link: http://heller.brandeis.edu/parents-withdisabilities/professionals/legal/current-legislation.html

The Diversity Partners Intervention: Adding Value to Talent Acquisition Providers and the 

Business Community

Cornell University (New York) (Grant # 90DP0065). This project developed and evaluated the 

Diversity Partners Intervention (DPI), a collection of toolkits and resources to augment the 

knowledge, skills, and behaviors of general placement professionals and disability placement 

professionals for the purpose of improving employment outcomes for people with disabilities. 

The DPI prepares organizations to develop practices and policies that support meaningful 

relationships with employers and aids in the development and testing of intervention tools 

designed to provide ongoing support to placement professionals in their daily practice. 

Placement professionals improve their knowledge of best practice around all aspects of 

employing people with disabilities, strengthening their ability to engage employers around 

hiring and retaining employees with disabilities and helping employers to build disability-
19

inclusive organizational cultures and practices that support their ongoing recruitment, hiring, 

retention, and career advancement of people with disabilities. Communications received by 

the grantee from officials from the Texas Workforce System describe interest in integrating the 

DPI into the practices of the newly merged Texas Workforce System and Department of 

Assistive and Rehabilitative Services. To enhance practice adoption, the project has also 

created systems and tools to support national dissemination and broad adoption of these tools 

in provider organizations within the context of their work and their local communities. 

Documentation/link: http://www.buildingdiversitypartners.org/

Knowledge Translation Knowledge translation, when applied to disability and rehabilitation research, 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 individuals with disabilities, 

researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and others. NIDILRR has invested in knowledge 

translation by directly funding research and development projects in its Knowledge Translation 

portfolio and by integrating underlying knowledge translation principles into the content of all 

priorities. 

Examples of Knowledge Translation accomplishments during FY 2017 include:

Materials Produced by the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) Used by 

the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) International to Train 

Health Care Providers

American Institutes for Research: The MSKTC (Grant #90DP0012). The MSKTC, which is 

operated by the American Institutes for Research, is a knowledge translation project funded, in 

part, to produce materials that are based on the best available research findings for people 

with disabilities and other key stakeholders. In collaboration with the SCIMS, TBIMS, and BMS

centers, the MSKTC produced research-based consumer factsheets, educational videos, 

narrated slides, and other informational materials in various topics that are directly relevant to 

the lives of people with these traumatic injuries. These resources are presented in language 

that all users can read and understand. As an evidence of their high quality, the MSKTC 

resources were adopted and used by a wide variety of organizations for their staff and patient 

education activities. For example, CARF International, a nonprofit organization focused on 

advancing the quality of services through accreditation of health and human service providers, 

used the MSKTC factsheets in their training of health care providers as well as distributing them 

to individuals and organizations around the world. 
20

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

Collaborates with Boston-Harvard Burn Injury Model Systems Producing Award-Winning 

Video American Institutes for Research: The MSKTC (Grant #90DP0012). The MSKTC, in 

collaboration with the Boston-Harvard Burn Injury Model System (BHBIMS), produced a video 

(Exercise After Burn Injury) that won a bronze Telly Award. The video highlights the benefits of 

exercise after experiencing a burn injury. The 18-minute video features three burn survivors 

who share their experiences beginning and maintaining an exercise routine after burn injury. 

The video also includes health care professionals at the BHBIMS center who explain the 

importance of exercising after experiencing a burn injury. In addition, survivors and health care 

professionals featured in the video offer strategies to encourage exercise after one experiences 

a burn injury. The Telly Awards were founded in 1978 to honor film and video productions, 

groundbreaking web commercials, videos and films, and outstanding local, regional, and cable 

TV commercials and programs. Exercise After Burn Injury is the third video produced by the 

MSKTC to be recognized with a Telly Award. The video Relationships After Traumatic Brain 

Injury received a Telly Award in 2013, and Employment After Burn Injury received a Telly Award 

in 2014. A link to the video series follows: http://www.msktc.org/burn/HotTopics/Exercise/Exercise-After-Burn-Injury

Knowledge Dissemination 

The National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC) is an information resource center 

funded by NIDILRR to disseminate information about disability, independent living, and 

rehabilitation research to the public. NARIC serves as the public library of NIDILRR by collecting, 

cataloging, and disseminating the articles, reports, curricula, guides, and other publications and 

products of the research projects funded by NIDILRR. It provides information on current and 

completed NIDILRR projects.

The following is an accomplishment of NARIC during FY 2017:

NARIC Produces New Publication for Laypersons Titled Research in Focus, a Weekly Digest

During FY 2017, NARIC produced a new publication, Research in Focus, a weekly digest of new 

research from the NIDILRR community. The purpose of this new weekly digest is to make 

available in lay language information obtained from new research studies published in peerreviewed articles. It is aimed to increase the availability and usability of research information 

for lay audiences by ensuring that they have access to new research information in a timely 

fashion and in ways that they can understand and use. NARIC services are available through

their website, social media, and other outreach avenues. During this reporting period, NARIC 

received over 176,000 visitors on its website, had over 10,000 social media followers, and 

connected with users via presentations and exhibits at various conferences—with more than 

25,000 attendees combined. A link to the resource follows: http://www.naric.com/?q=en/rif
21

Model Systems

NIDILRR’s Model Systems programs in SCIMS, TBIMS, and BMS provide coordinated systems of 

rehabilitation care and conduct research on rehabilitation 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

centers, plus an additional five unfunded centers, actively collected SCI follow-up data in 2017. 

Their actions have contributed to the collection of SCI data from 46,599 individuals as of the 

end of May 2017. TBIMS and BMS centers have 16,261 and 6,057 persons, respectively, 

enrolled in their national databases. Nineteen centers contributed data to the TBIMS National 

Database in 2017. The BMS collected data from four centers in FY 2017. 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. The SCIMS has its own statutory authority but is included 

in this section of the report for conciseness and efficiency in reporting.

The following are examples of Model Systems accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 

2017:

Return to Work After Burn Injury Website to Facilitate Return to Work for Burn-Insured 

Workers 

University of Washington: Burn Injury Model System (BMS) Center (Grant # 90DP0029). This 

BMS center has a recent history of research focused on identifying barriers to returning to 

work. To advance their long-term efforts of facilitating return to work, grantees at the 

University of Washington have used internet technology to establish a web-based 

dissemination effort to provide education regarding challenges and processes encountered 

following a significant burn injury. The target audience for this collaborative dissemination 

project includes burn survivors, families, employers, medical professionals, case managers, 

third-party payers, workers’ compensation, and vocational rehabilitation agencies. This 

informational site will benefit patients from rural catchment areas including Native American 

communities. Because this center’s largest non-English-speaking patient cohort is Hispanic, the 

website will offer all web-based consumer information in both English and Spanish. 

Documentation/link: 

http://burnrehab.washington.edu/work; http://www.msktc.org/burn/hot-topics/employment

Trajectory of Headache over Five Years after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) 

University of Washington (Washington): TBI Model System Center (Grant # 90DP0031).

Headache is a substantial problem after TBI, with a large portion of individuals reporting 

frequent headaches with significant long-term impact. Research was conducted to: (1) 
22

determine whether patterns or trajectories of headache occur over five years following 

moderate to severe TBI; (2) identify demographic and injury characteristics that may be related 

to these trajectories; and (3) examine the relationship to employment and satisfaction with life 

at five years post injury. Four trajectories were found for pain: chronic, improving, worsening, 

and minimal. Three trajectories were found for headache impact: chronic, worsening, and 

minimal. Being female, injured by violence, being unemployed prior to injury, and history of 

headache were related to both chronic pain and impact trajectories. Chronic pain trajectory 

was associated with lower satisfaction with life; chronic impact was associated with 

unemployment. Planned next steps focus on analysis of interventions/outcomes to ascertain 

which treatments are most effective for which trajectories. Publication/citation: Stacey, A., 

Lucas, S., Dikmen, S., Temkin, N., Bell, K. R., Brown, A., Brunner, R., Diaz-Arrastia, R., Watanabe, 

T. K., Weintraub, A., & Hoffman, J. M. (2017). Natural history of headache five years after 

traumatic brain injury. Journal of Neurotrauma, 34, 1–7. 

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, respectively. 

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

Consortium (ADA-PARC). ADA-PARC activities focus upon: (1) looking at participation

disparities experienced by individuals 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 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 ADA 

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, technical assistance, and training through multiple modalities. In FY 2017, the 

centers received 66,999 inquiries from the public. Exhibit 4 (see below) presents the modalities 

used to provide technical assistance in response to these questions. 
23

Exhibit 4. Inquiry Response 

The 10 ADA National Network Centers delivered 100 training activities/projects during the 2017 

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 products to aid in disseminating information to the public, 

employers, and individuals with disabilities about their rights and responsibilities. Table 3 

shows the types and number of times a product was disseminated.

Table 3. Product Dissemination 

Type Number Disseminated

Journal Articles 170

Project Publications 20,5426

Video and Audio Tapes 1,207

CDs and DVDs 636

Books or Book Chapters 4,833

Bulletins, Newsletters, or Factsheets 44,1688

Research Reports and Conference Proceedings 53

The following are examples of ADA National Network accomplishments reported to NIDILRR for 

FY 2017:

ADA and Self-Advocacy for Youth: Train-The-Trainer Curriculum Developed

Southeast ADA (SEADA) Center (Georgia) (Grant: 90DP0090). The ADA and Self-Advocacy for 

Youth: Train-the-Trainer Curriculum has been developed in collaboration with the Georgia 

Vocational Rehabilitation Agency as part of its Career Pathways to Work: Explore, Engage, and 
24

Employ program designed to connect youth with disabilities to jobs. The Burton Blatt Institute 

(BBI) at Syracuse University was subcontracted to develop the curriculum. BBI leveraged funds 

and staff of the SEADA Center to ensure that the curriculum could be fully developed with 

accurate ADA information. The curriculum has eight modules that can be presented in standalone sessions and adapted to the student’s skill set. The training addresses youth selfadvocacy, which is part of the pre-employment transition services of WIOA. The eight modules 

include: (1) Module 1, Pathways to Careers: An Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Roadmap; 

(2) Module 2, Disclosure Decisions and Talking About My Disability; (3) Module 3, The ADA in

the Workplace; (4) Module 4, The ADA in Higher Education; (5) Module 5, Advocating for My

Rights Under the ADA; (6) Module 6, Skills for Successful Employment; (7) Module 7, The ADA

and Reasonable Accommodations on the Job; and (8) Module 8, The ADA in the Community.

Each module contains PowerPoint slides with presentation content and talking notes; a training

facilitator guide with talking points and speaker notes; videos and other multimedia content

(when appropriate); interactive exercises such as roleplaying, quizzes, and art activities; and

relevant resources such as documents, organizations, and websites. The ADA and SelfAdvocacy Curriculum is currently being tested for validity at the Atlanta Area School for the

Deaf (Clarkston, GA), Decatur County Schools (Bainbridge, GA), Georgia Academy for the Blind

(Macon, GA), Hall County Schools (Gainesville, GA), and Troup County Schools (LaGrange, GA).

Publication/citation: Whaley, B. A., Cummins, R., Williamson, P., Killeen, M., Adya, M., & Morris,

M. W. (2016). Pathways to careers: An Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) roadmap.

Factsheet Developed: Making Web-Based Job Application Forms Accessible to All Users

Northwest ADA Center (Washington) (Grant: 90DP0095). The Northwest ADA Center 

developed a factsheet titled Making Web-Based Job Application Forms Accessible to All Users. 

Online applications have become the main platform for employment for both employers and 

jobseekers but are often not easily accessible to individuals with disabilities. This factsheet is 

designed to assist employers in making online job applications more user-friendly to persons 

with disabilities. To facilitate ease-of-use for individuals with disabilities and remove barriers 

previously faced in connecting applicants with disabilities with jobs, the factsheet aims to assist 

employers in understanding the importance of addressing accessibility and improving their 

online applications. The following topics are included on the factsheet: “Why Address 

Accessibility?”; “How Do you Know that your Online Recruitment Process is Accessible to All 

Qualified Applicants or Users?”; “Key Accessibility Best Practices for Design”; and “Key 

Considerations for Accessible Web Form Application Process.” It also includes links to tools that 

enable employers to test and evaluate both their website and their job application forms for 

accessibility and usability. The information is made possible through consultation and 

collaboration with the University of Washington Center for Technology and Disability Studies as 

well as experts with in-depth knowledge of working with blind and low-vision clients, screenreader users, and information technology specialists from blind organizations. 

Documentation/link: http: //nwadacenter.org/factsheet/making-web-based-job-applicationforms-accessible-all-users
25

Section 21 

NIDILRR's capacity-building research agenda includes developing the talent of future leaders in 

rehabilitation research and development. Statutory requirements within Section 21 of the 

Rehabilitation Act requires that, at a minimum, one percent of its annual appropriations be 

used to address traditionally underserved populations such as those from minority 

backgrounds. NIDILRR supports research capacity building for minority entities such as 

Historically Black Colleges and Universities and institutions serving primarily Hispanic, Asian, 

and American Indian students. Program activities include assisting minority entities with 

networking that supports enhanced research capacity at minority-serving institutions (MSIs). 

The following highlights some of the accomplishments of the Section 21 program during FY 

2017: 

HBCU Publishes Journal Report on the Diagnosis, Treatment, Management, and Prevention of 

Sports-Related Concussion, Enhancing Research Capacity

Grantee: University of Texas - El Paso (UTEP) (Texas) (Grant #90AR5016). This ARRT grant was 

awarded to UTEP to support advanced disability research training at MSIs. This research 

highlights the work of a recent fellow of this program. Grantee researchers and a fellow 

associated with the ARRT at UTEP published a scientific journal article that is contributing to the 

diagnosis, treatment, management, and prevention of sports-related concussion. The study 

involved the participation of 60 student athletes at UTEP, and research assistance was provided 

from both undergraduate and graduate students in the speech-language pathology program. 

Investigators examined the nature of recovery of auditory comprehension behavior following a 

concussion over time. Researchers suggest the assessment of auditory comprehension 

behavior should play a more prominent role in the development of return-to-classroom and 

return-to-play decision-making. The report is an example of disability research training at a 

Historically Black College/University. Publication/citation: Salvatore, A. P., Cannito, J., Brassil, 

H., Bene, E. R., & Taylor, B. S. (2017). Auditory comprehension in college students with and 

without sports concussion: Computerized-Revised Token Test Subtest VIII. Concussion, 2(1), 1. 

Retrieved from https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/full/10.2217/cnc-2016-0024

HBCU Conducts Research toward Developing the Research Capacity of Researchers at 

Minority-Serving Institutions

Langston University (Oklahoma): RRTC on Research and Capacity Building for Minority 

Entities (Grant # 90RT5024/H133B130023). The research group at Langston University is 

conducting research to improve outcomes for persons from traditionally underserved racial and 

ethnic populations and communities and enhance research capacity and infrastructure at MSIs. 

As part of their research activities, Langston is investigating innovative research mentorship 

approaches that build the research skills of investigators from MSIs and contribute to a more 
26

diversified cadre of disability and rehabilitation researchers. Langston RRTC researchers 

evaluated the Peer-to-Peer Mentor Research Team Model (PPMRTM). The model represents a 

new approach that implements mentoring across groups (i.e., between fellow research team 

cohorts and mentor panels) and within fellow research teams. Study findings indicate mentor 

and fellow satisfaction with the mentorship relationship, the program design, and processes. 

As a core goal of the program, fellows submitted research proposals for the first time in their 

career to NIDILRR’s MSI FIP competition. Fellows also reported improved confidence in 

conducting research. The overall study findings were published as a policy research brief and 

suggest the PPMRTM represents a promising conceptual framework for improving the research 

skills and self-efficacy levels of MSI-based investigators. Publication/citation: Moore, C., L., 

Manyibe, E. O., Aref, F., & Washington, A. L. (2017). A Historically Black College/University 

based evaluation of a disability and health peer-to-peer mentor research team model: Case 

study approach. Policy Research Brief, 2(1). Retrieved from 

http://www.langston.edu/sites/default/files/basic-contentfiles/Research%20Brief%20Vol%202%20Issue1-3-23-17.pdf

Researchers at Hispanic-Serving University Examine the Impact of Exercise on the 

Cardiovascular Health of Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)

California State University, Los Angeles (California): The Disability, Rehabilitation, Engineering 

Access for Minorities (DREAM) project (Grant # 90IFST0001). California State University, Los 

Angeles, is credited as a “Hispanic-serving community.” Researchers on the DREAM project 

have included undergraduate and graduate students as well as fellows in its SCI study. The 

researchers received funding to study the impact of increased physical fitness on improving 

health and lowering the rates of both chronic disease and metabolic syndrome for individuals 

with SCI. Specifically, the grantee is studying whether repeated, prolonged exposure to 

exercise leads to long-term improvement in cardiovascular health. In addition, researchers are 

determining whether a personal digital feedback system is effective in helping individuals with 

SCI achieve exercise goals. Documentation/link:

http://www.calstatela.edu/univ/ppa/publicat/cal-state-la-receives-federal-grant-improvefitness-wheelchair-users

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) 

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

products 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-funded firms conduct feasibility studies to evaluate the scientific and technical merit of 
27

an idea. During Phase II, NIDILRR-funded firms expand on the results of Phase I to pursue 

further development and commercialization. 

The following are examples of a SBIR accomplishments reported to NIDILRR during FY 2017: 

Universally Accessible Technology Developed that Enables Listening to Digital Content in 

Audiovisual Form 

Charmtech Labs, LLC (Grant #90BI0005 & #90BI0004). Charmtech Labs, LLC, developed the 

Capti Narrator, a universally accessible technology that helps people listen to digital print 

content in an audiovisual form. The content can be imported to a Capti Playlist in a variety of 

formats and from multiple sources, such as the web, OneDrive, and Dropbox, and can be 

narrated by high-quality synthetic voices speaking in different languages and accents. Capti 

Narrator can be used as an application in most web browsers and installed on personal 

computers or as an app on mobile devices. It has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of 

times. Capti Narrator was developed as assistive technology for people with vision 

impairments and proved to be useful for people with illiteracy as well as disabilities such as 

dyslexia. The technology is being adopted by public schools and universities, and this 

collaboration has helped to further develop additional functionalities needed in educational 

settings. The Capti Narrator received a Federal Communications Commission Chairman’s 

Award for Advancing Accessibility. Its Principal Investigator, Dr. Yevgen Borodin, was 

recognized as a MIT Technology Review Innovator under 35 for his work on Capti Narrator and 

other accessibility research. Capti Narrator can be accessed via http://www.captivoice.com/. 

Development of a Wearable Robot for Motor Rehabilitation in Acute Stroke

Rehabtek, LLC (Illinois) (Grant # 90BISB0001). The grantee is developing a wearable 

rehabilitation technology to help patients recover from stroke and regain mobility. During this 

project period, the grantee improved the mechanical structure of the ankle system and 

included an ergonomic design of replaceable foot restraint with an individual shoe attachment. 

The grantee also designed a compact circuit unit with function modules, the central control 

unit, motor control unit, wireless access module, a power management unit, and EMG module. 

They also included a new emergency switch designed for in-bed application and a 3-D printing 

solution to expedite their mechanical prototype design and testing. Through the development 

process, the grantee is building capacity related to medical design standards and procedures 

necessary to prepare medical device certification for the market. 

Field-Initiated Projects (FIPs) 

FIPs are investigator-initiated research projects drawn from a pool of applicants proposing a 

wide variety of target populations and a wide variety of research and development aims. These 

projects 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
28

to improve outcomes of people with disabilities in the health and function, employment, or

community living and participation domains. Typical FIP awards are three years in duration. 

The following are examples of FIP accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2017: 

Researchers Publish Report on Computer-Based Treatments for Aphasia: Advancing Clinical 

Practice and Research

Center for Aphasia Research and Treatment at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Illinois)

(Grant # 90IF0034). As part of a three-year grant titled Improving Electronic Written 

Communication in Persons with Aphasia: A Trial, investigators have been researching a variety 

of treatments targeting various language modalities and measuring different outcomes of 

computer interventions for aphasia, a language disorder that impacts communication. Key 

findings include: (1) the tendency for computer-based treatments to focus on impairment, with 

fewer targeting the activity and outcomes; (2) the many methodological weaknesses in the 

current literature, including small numbers of subjects and lack of assessor blinding; (3) 

computer-based treatment offers an array of benefits to people with aphasia; (4) computer 

treatments are advancing the field of aphasiology by offering high-intensity treatment, tracking 

patient performance, permitting treatment of high fidelity across participants, and providing a 

platform to study treatment variables of interest; and (5) in clinical practice, the clinician plays 

an important role in critically evaluating computerized treatments, identifying the active 

ingredients of the intervention, and ensuring that tasks are appropriate for their clients with 

aphasia. Principal investigators have published a journal report highlighting some of the 

methodological weaknesses of studies of computer-based treatments for aphasia cited in the 

literature, setting the stage for their comparison and evaluation of “T-WRITE” to “ORLA+WTG.” 

The report addresses efficacy of computer-based treatment, samples of computer-based 

treatments, benefits to people with aphasia, advances to the field, current limitations, and 

clinical considerations. This report is significant as it serves as a review of computer-based 

treatments for aphasia and demonstrates the need for treatments such as “ORLA+Writing.” 

Publication/citation: Lee, J. B., & Cherney, L. R. (2016). Computer-based treatments for 

aphasia: Advancing clinical practice and research. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest 

Groups, 1, 5–17. Retrieved from 

http://perspectives.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=2512131

 

Development of a Passive Ankle with Energy Return that Matches that of a Natural Ankle

Marquette University (Wisconsin) (Grant # 90IF0040). Researchers developed an ankle 

prosthesis designed to convert energy stored in leg deflection into energy used to propel the 

walker forward and tested it in three prototypes. The investigator developed and is now 

patenting a third intervention prototype that does not need sensors or actuators to achieve the 

active behavior associated with normal walking. It was designed to realize active behavior in 

the ankle using only passive components. This design allows deflection along the leg (and 

energy storage) to occur at heel strike (as the foot hits the ground). Energy is stored in a spring 
29

and then later released after the ankle has achieved maximum dorsiflexion for well-timed pushoff. The amount of energy provided during push-off is related to the speed of the walker. This 

relationship between walking speed and energy generated at the ankle has recently been 

documented in the analysis of normal healthy walkers. A series of progressively higherperforming prosthesis prototypes was then developed and is culminating in a patent showing 

promise for future commercialization. These should allow below-knee amputees to walk with 

near normal gait using a relatively low-cost ankle prosthesis. This third prototype was 

developed during a no-cost extension of the grant. Documentation/link: 

http://search.naric.com/research/redesign_record.cfm?search=1&type=all&criteria=90IF0040

%20&phrase=no&rec=3236

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 training and 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 improve the effectiveness of services authorized under the Act. Training 

projects must operate in interdisciplinary environments and provide training in rigorous 

scientific methods.

There were 73 fellows enrolled in the ARRT program in FY 2017. Fellows contribute to and lead 

multidisciplinary research projects with mentors and peers and are encouraged to publish their 

research. In FY 2017, fellows were the lead author on 50 publications and contributed to 

others. The program supports a diverse cadre of young research professionals. An estimated 

47 percent of fellows in the ARRT funding program identify themselves as Latino, African 

American, American Indian, Asian, or Native Hawaiian. One of the 73 fellows reported having a 

disability. 

The following are examples of ARRT accomplishments reported to NIDILRR in FY 2017:

Well-Being of Veterans with Disabilities during Transition from Military to Civilian Life Guide

University of Florida (Florida) (Grant # 90AR5017). An exhaustive search of the literature on 

well-being of veterans with disabilities during the reintegration period was conducted with the 

help of research librarians from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VHA) and the 

University of Florida. This project is a partnership with VHA to train postdoctoral fellows in 

conducting high-quality, multidisciplinary disability policy research in the area of community 

living and participation for veterans with disabilities with the goal of improving the lives of 

veterans with disabilities. The findings of this literature search were disseminated to VHA’s 

Office of Policy and Planning and to international allies of the United States with the purpose of 
30

describing what well-being means to veterans with disabilities during the reintegration period. 

Topics discussed were: What is measured? How is it measured? What interventions are 

currently being used to help improve well-being of veterans with disabilities? The research was 

also presented to VHA researchers for feedback prior to presentation. Publication/citation: 

Henry, M. (2016). Well-being of veterans with disabilities during transition from military to 

civilian life. Washington, DC: Research Policy Directorate. VA Central Office. 

Testing the Feasibility of a Parent Advocacy Training Curriculum

University of Illinois-Chicago (Illinois) (Grant # 90AR5007). Parents of children with disabilities 

are expected to be equal partners in the special education process in accordance with the 

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). However, many parents struggle to advocate 

for their children with disabilities. The training curriculum, developed by researchers at the 

University of Illinois-Chicago, was designed to help families advocate for better services for 

their school-age children with disabilities. Researchers compared attendance, attrition, and 

participant satisfaction before and after the intervention to examine changes in family 

empowerment, special education knowledge, and family-school partnerships. The curriculum 

was evaluated for feasibility by an ARRT fellow in this program. Publication/citation: Burke, M.

M., Mello, M., & Goldman. (2016). Examining the feasibility of a special education advocacy 

training. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 28, 539–556. 

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.

Six Switzer Fellowships were awarded in FY 2017, with a total of 14 fellows submitting annual or 

final performance reports in 2017. Table 4 displays the current Switzer Fellows. 

Table 4. Current Switzer Fellows and Project Titles 

Name Project Title

Peter Meulenbroek Workplace Communication Training Program for Persons with Traumatic 

Brain Injury
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Wing Kai Wong Improving Patient Outcomes through Engagement in Inpatient Spinal Cord 

Injury Rehabilitation: Perspectives of Patients, Clinicians, Administrators, 

and Policymakers

Milapjit Sandhu Timing and Dosage of Intermittent Hypoxia Therapy for Persons with Spinal 

Cord Injury

Vanessa Klodnick Creating a Multidimensional Model of Engagement for Young Adults with 

Psychiatric Disabilities in Adult System Team-Based Community Outreach 

and Support Services

Ekaterina Dobryakova Motivational Influences on Cognitive Fatigue in Individuals with Traumatic 

Brain Injury

Carmen Capo-Lugo Promoting Community-Based Physical Activity Early Post-Stroke: An 

Adaptation of the 14-Weeks to a Healthier You Program

Silvana L Costa Processing Speed Deficits in Multiple Sclerosis: Exploring the Complex 

Sensorial Cognitive Motor Interaction

Kelli Gary A Cultural Family Intervention after Brain Injury (CFIaBI) for African 

Americans

Erica Weber Self-Generation of Prospective Memory in TBI

Marcus Poppen Pre-Employment Transition Services (PETS) for Young Adults with 

Disabilities

Linda Long-Bellil Barriers and Unmet Needs for Reproductive Health Care Experienced by 

Women with Early Onset Mobility Impairments

Hongwu Wang Development of a Pneumatic Power Assist Wheelchair (PneuPAW)

Laysha Ostrow Workers with Psychiatric Disabilities and Self-Employment Through 

Microenterprise

Vicki Gray A Comparison of Reactive and Voluntary Lateral Step Training to Improve 

Balance and Reduce Falls in Person Post-Stroke

Ongoing NIDILRR Activities 

The accomplishments presented are a small sample of the achievements realized as a result of 

the research and development sponsored by NIDILRR and their broad impact on individuals 

with disabilities, the families and care communities who support them, and society writ large. 

Moving forward, NIDILRR will continue its work to identify and address the day-to-day needs of 

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

its goals and initiatives to those needs. 

NIDILRR will also focus on implementing and integrating the visions of the appointed NIDILRR 

Director and the ACL Administrator. NIDILRR’s FY 2018–2022 Long-Range Plan publication is 

imminent, and it defines the organizational and programmatic framework and research agenda 

for the coming years. The ACL Administrator has identified five Pillars: Connecting People to 

Resources, Supporting Families and Caregivers, Strengthening the Networks, Protecting Rights 

and Preventing Abuse, and Expanding Employment Opportunities. These Pillars serve as focal 

points of priority for ACL and encompass both aging and disability. They are also 
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complementary to the themes defined in the NIDILRR Long-Range Plan. NIDILRR will contribute 

research and subject matter expertise throughout the planning and implementation of the 

work across all of the Pillars. 

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

instrumental in advancing NIDILRR’s mission. As such, NIDILRR will build on its historical 

collaborations to identify best practices, conduct co-sponsored research, and address shared 

goals. NIDILRR’s Director will continue to serve as the Chair of the Interagency Committee on 

Disability Research (ICDR), a 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. NIDILRR also intends to continue to lead and contribute to 

the advancement of the goals and objectives set forth in the recently drafted government-wide 

disability and rehabilitation research strategic plan.