[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 75 (Wednesday, April 18, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23231-23237]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-9365]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; 
Notice of Proposed Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2013-2017

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

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services proposes the National Institute on Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research's (NIDRR's) Long-Range Plan (Plan) for 
fiscal years (FYs) 2013 through 2017. Pursuant to the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973, as amended, the Department is required to develop a plan 
for NIDRR that outlines NIDRR's priorities for rehabilitation research, 
demonstration projects, training, and related activities, and explains 
the basis for these priorities.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before June 18, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments about the proposed Plan to Lynn Medley, 
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5140, 
Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2700.
    If you prefer to send your comments by email, use the following 
address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#125c5b5640403f7f737b7e707d6a5277763c757d64"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="703e393422225d1d11191c121f083015145e171f06">[email protected]</span></a>. You must include the term ``Long-Range 
Plan'' in the subject line of your electronic message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Medley. Telephone: (202) 245-7338 
or by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d19da8bfbfff9cb4b5bdb4a891b4b5ffb6bea7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a3efdacdcd8deec6c7cfc6dae3c6c78dc4ccd5">[email protected]</span></a>.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Invitation to Comment: We invite you to submit comments regarding 
the proposed Plan. To ensure that your comments have maximum effect in 
developing the final Plan, we urge you to identify clearly the specific 
area of the Plan that each comment addresses and to arrange your 
comments in the same order as the proposed Plan. We are particularly 
interested in comments on the establishment of the Rehabilitation 
Research Advisory Council (RRAC) described in the Introduction of the 
Plan.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public 
comments about the proposed Plan in Room 5140, 550 12th Street SW., 
Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 
a.m. and 4 p.m., Washington, DC time, Monday through Friday of each 
week except Federal holidays.
    Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities in Reviewing the 
Rulemaking Record: On request we will provide an appropriate 
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability who 
needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the 
public rulemaking record for this notice. If you want to schedule an 
appointment for this type of accommodation or auxiliary aid, please 
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Background: In developing the research agenda in the proposed Plan, 
NIDRR considered: the legislative mandate for the Plan; stakeholder 
suggestions and public input received via email and the Internet in 
response to the notice of proposed Long Range Plan published in the 
Federal Register on January 15, 2009 (Vol. 74, No. 10); public 
responses to a January 15, 2009, email solicitation to NIDRR grantees, 
past grant applicants, disability organizations, and other interested 
parties inviting comment on the January 15, 2009, Federal Register 
notice of proposed Long Range Plan; research and program 
recommendations from NIDRR grantee state of the science conferences; an 
assessment and related recommendations by the National Academy of 
Sciences (NAS), National Research Council, of NIDRR's priority-setting, 
peer review, and grant mechanisms; and a review by NAS of the products 
of a sample of 30 NIDRR grantees (National Academy of Sciences (2012), 
Review of Disability and Rehabilitation Research: NIDRR Grantmaking 
Processes and Products, Washington, DC: National Academies Press).
    The purposes of the proposed Plan are:
    (1) To describe the broad general principles that will guide 
NIDRR's policies and use of resources;
    (2) To establish objectives for research and related activities 
from which annual research priorities can be formulated; and
    (3) To describe how NIDRR will implement the Plan, i.e., the 
process by which NIDRR establishes annual priorities.
    The authority for the Secretary to establish the Plan is contained 
in section 202(h) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 
U.S.C. 762(h)).
    The proposed Plan is published as an attachment to this notice.
    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, 
audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting the Grants and Contracts 
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., 
Room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. 
If you use a TDD or a TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.

[[Page 23232]]

    Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this 
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free 
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the 
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF 
you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the 
site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: April 13, 2012.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation (NIDRR) Proposed 
Long-Range Plan for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2013 Through 2017

Preface

    The introductory section of the National Institute on Disability 
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Long-Range Plan 2013-2017 (Plan) 
provides basic background about NIDRR and the proposed plan. The 
background explains NIDRR's mission, its intention for the Plan, and 
how the Plan will shape NIDRR's priorities. The second section of the 
Plan provides a brief summary of the Plan's proposed goals and 
objectives. The third section of the Plan provides background 
information about NIDRR's legislative mandate and purpose; NIDRR's 
applied approach to disability and rehabilitation research; how that 
approach is improving the lives of individuals with disabilities; and 
how NIDRR's proposed grant mechanisms will structure NIDRR's research 
and development programs. Section four of the Plan provides detail and 
explanation of NIDRR's proposed goals and objectives for the next five 
years.

I. Introduction

    NIDRR has a broad and complex mission. NIDRR must support the 
generation of new knowledge and promote its effective use to (1) 
improve the abilities of individuals with disabilities to participate 
in community activities of their choice and (2) to enhance society's 
capacity to provide opportunities and accommodations for these 
individuals. NIDRR fulfills its mission through research, development, 
and related activities designed to contribute to the independence, 
inclusion, employment, health, and functioning of individuals of all 
ages with all types and degrees of disability. As the number of 
Americans with disabilities is projected to increase substantially over 
the next two decades, the importance of fulfilling NIDRR's mission will 
only grow (Institute of Medicine, 2007. The future of disability in 
America. Washington, DC: National Academies Press).
    NIDRR's proposed Long-Range Plan (Plan) includes priorities, goals, 
and objectives that will enable stakeholders to understand and comment 
upon the direction that NIDRR proposes for FYs 2013 through 2017. NIDRR 
proposes to begin implementing all proposed goals at the beginning of 
FY 2013. Over the life of the Plan, NIDRR will further refine the 
Plan's priorities, goals, objectives, and timelines. These refinements 
will occur as the evolution of science and technology, the needs of 
individuals with disabilities, and the input of interested stakeholders 
dictate, and as the completion of the funding cycles of current centers 
and projects allow. Proposed refinements will be published on NIDRR's 
Web site for public comment and review. NIDRR further proposes to 
establish and to actively solicit the guidance of the broadly based 
Rehabilitation Research Advisory Council (RRAC), which is authorized 
under Title II section 205(a) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as 
amended. The proposed RRAC would engage individuals with disabilities 
and, as appropriate, their representatives; community rehabilitation 
and service professionals, including providers of assistive 
technologies; rehabilitation researchers and engineers; and other 
stakeholders to offer NIDRR ongoing advice to ensure that NIDRR 
programs reflect the principles that NIDRR has proposed for them. The 
three principles that NIDRR proposes to guide the implementation of the 
Plan and the administration of its programs are balance, quality, and 
relevance.
    Balance refers to the management of NIDRR's resource allocations 
across three dimensions: (1) Type of disability; (2) three outcome 
domains of individual well-being (i.e., employment, community living 
and participation, and health and function); and (3) whether NIDRR or 
the grant applicant defines the specific approach to a disability or 
rehabilitation research topic.
    Quality refers to the scientific merit of the research and 
development activities, whatever the method employed, and the 
appropriateness of the methods to the topic, question, or problem being 
addressed.
    Relevance refers to the likelihood that proposed research and 
development activities will make a substantial contribution to the 
well-being of individuals with disabilities, recognizing that the 
benefits of such activities may not always be direct or immediate.
    NIDRR's peer review process will help increase the quality and 
relevance of NIDRR-funded research and development activities. NIDRR is 
committed to the goal that every eligible application for NIDRR funding 
will be reviewed by a knowledgeable and topically informed panel of 
experts in research methods, policy, services and supports, including 
individuals with disabilities or, as appropriate, family members.
    NIDRR's priorities will be informed by assessments of the state of 
the science, policy and practice, the advice of the proposed RRAC, and 
the public's response to proposed priorities. NIDRR's portfolio of 
research and development activities will range from the identification 
of the needs and opportunities of individuals with disabilities to the 
widespread implementation of effective, evidence-based policies and 
practices that respond to those needs and opportunities. NIDRR 
recognizes that the development of effective, evidence-based policies 
and practices is as dependent on the exploratory stages of research as 
it is on experimental and quasi-experimental trials of potentially 
effective practices.

II. Summary of Plan's Proposed Goals and Objectives

    NIDRR will maintain a balanced portfolio of high quality research 
and development centers and projects that address the most important 
problems and issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their 
families. As described further in the Plan, the following is a summary 
of NIDRR's proposed goals and objectives for FY 2013 through FY 2017.
    Goal 1: Create a portfolio of research, development, and other 
activities that balances domains, populations of focus, and who, 
whether NIDRR or the grant applicant, defines the specific approach to 
a disability or rehabilitation research topic.
    <bullet> Establish a balanced distribution of priorities focused on 
improved outcomes in the domains of

[[Page 23233]]

employment, community living and participation, and health and 
function.
    <bullet> Establish a balanced distribution of priorities to address 
the needs of individuals with different disabilities, personal 
characteristics, and social circumstances.
    <bullet> Expand field-initiated research and development 
opportunities to support innovation.
    Goal 2: Support centers and projects that conduct well-designed 
research and development activities using a range of appropriate 
methods.
    <bullet> Adopt a stages-of-research paradigm that will enhance 
NIDRR's efforts to generate evidence-based practices.
    <bullet> Support a variety of research methods as appropriate to 
the topics and research questions.
    Goal 3: Promote the effective use of knowledge in areas of 
importance to individuals with disabilities and their families.
    <bullet> Increase and improve the capabilities and activities of 
NIDRR research centers and projects to ensure the accessibility and 
effective use of their research.
    <bullet> Increase NIDRR's and NIDRR-funded centers' and projects' 
use of input from stakeholders.
    <bullet> Establish priorities that inform systems and policy 
development as well as interventions to improve individual outcomes.
    <bullet> Support topics of relevance that cut across disability 
categories and NIDRR's three domains.
    <bullet> Maintain ongoing investments that effectively address 
topics of importance to individuals with disabilities and their 
families.
Goal 4: Improve program administration
    <bullet> Streamline NIDRR's processes for establishing and 
publishing priorities for grant competitions.
    <bullet> Establish and implement a consistent schedule of 
competitions and peer reviews so that competition announcements are 
predictable for potential applicants and peer reviewers.
    <bullet> Improve NIDRR's peer review processes.

III. Background

    NIDRR was established by the 1978 amendments to the Rehabilitation 
Act of 1973, as amended (the Act). As specified in section 200 of the 
Act (29 U.S.C. 760), NIDRR's purpose is to: (a) Provide for research, 
demonstration projects, training, and related activities to maximize 
the full inclusion and integration into society, employment, 
independent living, family support, and economic and social self-
sufficiency of individuals with disabilities of all ages, with 
particular emphasis on improving the effectiveness of services 
authorized under the Act; (b) provide for a comprehensive and 
coordinated approach to the support and conduct of research, 
demonstration projects, training, and related activities; (c) promote 
the transfer of rehabilitation technology to individuals with 
disabilities through research and demonstration projects; (d) ensure 
the widespread distribution, in usable formats, of practical scientific 
and technological information; (e) identify effective strategies that 
enhance the opportunities of individuals with disabilities to engage in 
employment, including employment involving telecommuting and self-
employment; and (f) increase opportunities for researchers who are 
members of traditionally underserved populations, including researchers 
who are members of minority groups and researchers who are individuals 
with disabilities.
    NIDRR is led by a Director within the Office of Special Education 
and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of 
Education. OSERS has two other components: The Rehabilitation Services 
Administration and the Office of Special Education Programs. NIDRR 
works closely with these offices as well as other disability-related 
offices and agencies across the Federal government.
    NIDRR supports a wide range of rehabilitation research, 
development, and other activities designed to assist individuals with 
disabilities to achieve long-term outcomes such as independence, 
community participation, employment, and good health. To maximize its 
effectiveness in achieving such outcomes, NIDRR research and 
development activities focus on the complex interaction of personal, 
environmental, and supporting factors, including assistive 
technologies. In its practical and applied focus, NIDRR seeks to play a 
pivotal role in the relationship between the producers and consumers of 
knowledge.
    The value of NIDRR's applied focus on research and development can 
be found in important advances in knowledge, practice, and public 
policies that have derived fully or partially from it. In recent years 
these have included, but have not been limited to the development of 
principles, standards, and applications of universal design; standards 
and applications to enhance accessibility of the World Wide Web and the 
design of accessibility features for information technology devices, 
such as computers and cell phones; widespread applications of 
technology to rehabilitation including telerehabilitation and national 
Internet-based workforce training systems; improved understanding and 
treatments of long-term consequences of spinal cord injury, burn 
injury, or traumatic brain injury; development of rehabilitation and 
community supports for individuals recovering from psychiatric 
conditions; understanding of the costs and outcomes of 
deinstitutionalization and the development of community supports for 
individuals with disabilities; better understanding of factors and 
practices contributing to the employment experience of individuals with 
disabilities; improvements in way finding and other mobility aides for 
individuals with cognitive or sensory conditions; and on-going analysis 
of national disability statistics to guide policy and practice. NIDRR 
is committed to maintaining its focus on practical applications of 
research, development, knowledge translation, capacity building, 
technical assistance, and information dissemination to improve the 
lives of individuals with disabilities and their families.
    NIDRR currently employs nine mechanisms to make grant awards. 
Funding allocation within these mechanisms depends on the overall 
funding available to NIDRR, NIDRR's topical priorities for that year, 
and the size of the funding commitments for grants awarded in previous 
years. On average, about 25 percent of NIDRR's grants end each year. 
NIDRR's grant mechanisms include:
    <bullet> Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs) 
conduct coordinated, advanced research to maximize health and function, 
promote maximum social and economic independence of individuals with 
disabilities, and improve rehabilitation methods or service delivery 
systems. RRTCs serve as national centers of excellence in research and 
as national resource centers.
    <bullet> Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs) 
conduct programs of advanced engineering and technical research and 
development activities designed to create technological solutions for 
enhancing opportunities for individuals with disabilities, solving 
rehabilitation problems, and removing environmental barriers. RERCs 
provide for the cost-effective delivery and use of assistive technology 
devices.
    <bullet> Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs) 
emphasize a broad range of research and development projects, training, 
and knowledge translation on rehabilitation topics. DRRPs have ranged 
from

[[Page 23234]]

collecting longitudinal data on spinal cord, traumatic brain, and burn 
injuries to studying the effects of health care coordination.
    <bullet> Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) National Network 
Regional Centers provide information, technical assistance, and 
training in areas related to the mandates of the ADA. These centers 
constitute a national network and assist disability organizations, 
individuals with disabilities, businesses, public agencies, and the 
general public in understanding, complying with, and fulfilling the 
purposes of the ADA.
    <bullet> Model Systems in Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain 
Injury, and Burn Injury support three networks of centers providing 
model rehabilitation services and supports to individuals after injury. 
The Model Systems carry out intramural programs of research as well as 
a collaborative program of longitudinal research and dissemination.
    <bullet> Field-Initiated Projects address rehabilitation issues in 
promising and innovative ways. As the name implies, topics for these 
projects are chosen by the applicants.
    <bullet> Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Projects support 
institutions of higher education to recruit qualified post-doctoral 
individuals with clinical, management, or basic research experience and 
prepare them for careers in disability and rehabilitation research.
    <bullet> Switzer Research Fellowships give individual researchers 
opportunities to develop new ideas, gain research experience, and 
concentrate on specific lines of research. NIDRR supports Switzer 
Fellows for one year as they conduct independent research projects.
    <bullet> Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants, 
administered by NIDRR as a part of the larger mandatory Federal SBIR 
program, support the production of new assistive and rehabilitation 
technologies. This two-phase program takes a rehabilitation-related 
product from development toward market readiness.
    NIDRR funds are awarded competitively on the basis of advice 
received through a peer review process to ensure the quality and 
integrity of the NIDRR portfolio. Researchers, methodologists, 
rehabilitation engineers, and other experts, including individuals with 
disabilities, serve on panels made up of three to seven individuals. 
These experts review proposals according to the selection criteria in 
the application package for the competition. NIDRR's peer review 
process is designed to ensure the scientific quality of NIDRR's 
portfolio, its contributions to the well-being of individuals with 
disabilities, and its responsiveness to the needs of the disability and 
rehabilitation communities. NIDRR continues to focus on improving the 
quality of its peer review process, including addressing the specific 
recommendations for the peer review process made in the November 2011 
review of NIDRR by the National Academy of Science (NAS) (National 
Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (2011). Review of 
disability and rehabilitation research: NIDRR grantmaking processes and 
products. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.)

IV. Proposed Goals and Objectives

    NIDRR will pursue the following proposed goals and objectives for 
FY 2013 through FY 2017.
    Proposed Goal 1: NIDRR will create a portfolio of research, 
development, and other activities that is balanced in terms of domains, 
populations of focus, and who, whether NIDRR or the grant applicant, 
defines the specific approach to a disability or rehabilitation 
research topic.

Proposed Objective 1.1--NIDRR Will Establish a Balanced Distribution of 
Priorities Focused on Improved Outcomes in the Domains of Employment, 
Community Living and Participation, and Health and Function

    One of the congressional findings in section 2(a)(3) of the Act 
states that, ``disability is a natural part of the human experience and 
in no way diminishes the right of individuals to (A) live 
independently; (B) enjoy self-determination; (C) make choices; (D) 
contribute to society; (E) pursue meaningful careers; and (F) enjoy 
full inclusion and integration in the * * * mainstream of American 
society.'' An individual's opportunity to enjoy such rights depends on 
an interaction between the individual and the physical and social 
environment. Within each of its domains, NIDRR will support research, 
development, and other activities that gather and use knowledge of 
systems, environments, individuals, and behaviors to support the 
fulfillment of such rights.
Employment
    Employment and earnings are essential to independence, self-
determination, and contribution to society. NIDRR will support centers 
and projects to address unemployment, underemployment, and unnecessary 
dependency on public benefits. NIDRR will support activities to improve 
opportunities for employment that are consistent with an individual's 
abilities, interests, and career aspirations. NIDRR will also support 
research and development activities that examine employment policies 
and practices, vocational rehabilitation services, and technologies and 
accommodations that contribute to improved employment and career 
outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
Community Living and Participation
    NIDRR is committed to improving the opportunities and abilities of 
individuals with disabilities to live as integrated members of their 
communities and to participate in community activities of their choice. 
NIDRR will fund activities consistent with the underlying principles of 
the independent living programs authorized under the Act and the ADA as 
affirmed in the U.S. Supreme Court's Olmstead decision of 1999, 
Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1991). NIDRR will support centers and 
projects to increase community living and participation through 
improvements in policy, services and support delivery, assistive 
technologies, environmental modifications, and person-centered 
therapeutic interventions.
Health and Function
    Maximizing health and function among people with disabilities is 
critical to achieving the goals of employment, community living and 
participation, and individual well-being across the lifespan. NIDRR 
will support centers and projects on health and function that improve 
understanding of the health status, health needs, and health care 
access of individuals with disabilities. These centers and projects 
will also develop and test interventions, including public policy 
interventions to improve health outcomes, increase or maintain 
functional abilities, and contribute to more effective medical 
rehabilitation and long-term services and supports, including 
integrated health and long-term service and support approaches.

Proposed Objective 1.2--NIDRR Will Establish a Balanced Distribution of 
Priorities To Address the Needs of Individuals With Different 
Disabilities, Personal Characteristics, and Social Circumstances

Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers--Centers of Excellence
    NIDRR will establish RRTCs, as authorized in the Act, that will 
function as centers of excellence. In addition to being productive 
centers of relevant and well-designed research, these RRTCs

[[Page 23235]]

will: (1) Serve as national resource centers for individuals with 
disabilities and their representatives, families, service providers, 
policymakers, and others; (2) serve as informational and technical 
assistance resources to individuals with disabilities and their 
representatives, families, service providers, policymakers, and others 
through conferences, workshops, public education programs, in-service 
training programs, and similar activities; and (3) serve as centers of 
data gathering, analysis, and knowledge translation to address systems 
and policy issues that affect individuals with disabilities of all 
ages.
    The RRTCs will serve as centers of excellence addressing the needs 
of individuals of all ages with psychiatric, intellectual and 
developmental, and physical disabilities, as well as individuals with 
significant impairments of vision and hearing. These centers will 
identify practices associated with positive outcomes across NIDRR's 
domains and assess the status and effectiveness of programs and service 
systems in achieving positive outcomes.
    NIDRR will also establish RRTC centers of excellence in such areas 
as the following:
    <bullet> Vocational rehabilitation.
    <bullet> Rural rehabilitation.
    <bullet> Rehabilitation of individuals from minority backgrounds.
    <bullet> Families with members with disabilities.
    <bullet> Disability statistics.
Rehabilitation Engineering and Research Centers
    NIDRR will establish RERCs to address the barriers confronted by 
individuals with disabilities in all aspects of their lives. To the 
maximum extent appropriate to the area of engineering, the RERCs will 
address the needs of a wide range of individuals with disabilities, 
including those with sensory and cognitive impairments, regarding the 
barriers they confront in employment, community living and 
participation, and health and function.
    NIDRR will establish RERCs that will address priorities within the 
following four areas of rehabilitation engineering:
    <bullet> Rehabilitation strategies, techniques and interventions.
    <bullet> Information and communication technologies.
    <bullet> Individual mobility and manipulation.
    <bullet> Physical access and transportation.

Proposed Objective 1.3--NIDRR Will Expand Field-Initiated Research and 
Development Opportunities To Support Innovation

    In order to take advantage of the field's expertise, knowledge, and 
creativity, NIDRR plans to provide an increased number of field-
initiated opportunities for research, demonstration, and developing 
technological solutions to significant problems faced by individuals 
with disabilities. After consulting with the proposed RRAC, publishing 
the proposed priorities for comment, and considering those comments, 
NIDRR will publish final priorities that include broad topical areas 
for which applicants will have the discretion to define a specific 
approach. Applicants also may propose cross-domain projects that have 
the potential to make a substantial contribution to solving significant 
problems.
    Proposed Goal 2: NIDRR will support centers and projects that 
conduct well-designed research and development activities using a range 
of appropriate methods.

Proposed Objective 2.1--NIDRR Will Adopt a Stages-of-Research Framework 
That Will Enhance Its Efforts To Generate Evidence-Based Practices

    NIDRR will support a range of well-designed research methods using 
a stages-of-research framework. When inviting applicants to apply 
appropriate research methods to important research questions, NIDRR 
will require applicants to identify the stage of research appropriate 
to their proposed research and will evaluate that proposed research 
using selection criteria appropriate to that stage. NIDRR's framework 
will include the following stages of research:
Exploration
    Exploration has the research objective of generating new and 
refined analyses of data, observational findings, and other sources of 
information to guide hypotheses and theories. Exploration seeks to 
advance the state of knowledge regarding the status of individuals with 
disabilities and the barriers to and facilitators of improved 
employment, community living and participation, health and function, 
and other outcomes for individuals with disabilities. This research 
stage may include identifying or describing existing practices, 
programs, policies, or circumstances that are associated with important 
aspects of the lives of individuals with disabilities, the needs of 
people with disabilities, or outcomes of services and supports provided 
to them. Results achieved under this research objective may be used to 
inform new lines of research related to practices, programs, or 
policies to inform decisions or priorities.
Intervention Development
    Intervention development has the research objective of generating 
and testing interventions that have the potential to improve outcomes 
for individuals with disabilities. Intervention development involves 
determining the features of possible interventions that are most 
significant in achieving desired outcomes, measures that would be 
required to illustrate outcomes, specification of target populations, 
field tests, and assessment of the feasibility of conducting a well-
designed interventions study. Results from this research objective may 
be used to inform the design of a study to test the efficacy of an 
intervention.
Intervention Efficacy
    Intervention efficacy has the research objective of evaluating and 
testing whether the interventions are feasible, are practical, and can 
yield positive outcomes for individuals with disabilities. Efficacy 
research may assess the strength of an intervention, identify factors 
or individuals characteristics associated with outcomes, and inform 
decisions about whether there is sufficient evidence to support 
``scaling-up'' an intervention to other sites and contexts. Issues 
addressed may include training needed for wide scale implementation and 
approaches to evaluation of the intervention in real world 
applications.
Scale-Up Evaluation
    Scale-up evaluation has the research objective of evaluating 
whether interventions are effective in producing improved outcomes for 
individuals with disabilities when implemented in real-world settings. 
This research tests the outcomes of evidence-based practices operating 
in different settings. It examines the challenges to successful 
replications and the circumstances and activities that contribute to 
successful wide-scale adoption of interventions, programs, policies, 
and technologies. Research in this area may also include well-designed 
studies of interventions that have been widely adopted in practice, but 
lack a sufficient evidence-base on its effectiveness.

[[Page 23236]]

Proposed Objective 2.2--NIDRR Will Support a Variety of Research 
Methods as Appropriate to the Topics and Research Questioned

    NIDRR will support quantitative and qualitative research 
methodologies, as well as research approaches that combine both 
methodologies. NIDRR will provide guidance on its expectations for the 
various research methods.
    Proposed Goal 3: NIDRR will promote the generation and effective 
use of knowledge in areas of importance to individuals with 
disabilities and their families.

Proposed Objective 3.1--NIDRR Will Increase and Improve the 
Capabilities of NIDRR Research Centers and Projects To Ensure the 
Accessibility and Effective Use of Their Research

    NIDRR will increase expectations for its research centers and 
projects to provide research-based knowledge and resources to 
individuals with disabilities and their families, service providers, 
and policymakers. NIDRR will support training, technical assistance, 
and knowledge translation activities to enhance the capabilities of 
individuals with disabilities, researchers, practitioners, and 
organizations and agencies to use the best available information in 
order to obtain desired outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
    All of NIDRR's centers and projects will carry out knowledge 
translation activities. Knowledge translation promotes the use of 
research-based knowledge to support the ability of individuals to live 
successfully in society. Key components of knowledge translation are: 
requiring that grantees involve relevant stakeholders in the design and 
conduct of research activities to optimize the relevance and use of 
proposed outputs; using tools like systematic reviews and research 
synthesis to assess and disseminate the information generated through 
research; and translating research findings into information that is 
usable by individuals with disabilities and their families, 
practitioners, and policymakers.

Proposed Objective 3.2--NIDRR and NIDRR-Funded Centers and Projects 
Will Increase Their Use of Input From Stakeholders

    In order to ensure that its centers and projects address important 
issues affecting individuals with disabilities and their families, 
NIDRR will develop and implement a process that continuously 
communicates with a wide range of stakeholders to share information 
about NIDRR's activities, solicit feedback on the impact of NIDRR's 
investments, obtain recommendations for research topics, and gather 
stakeholder input on NIDRR's long-range plans.
Rehabilitation Research Advisory Council
    As authorized by section 205 of the Act and consistent with a 
recommendation in the 2012 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) review 
report, NIDRR proposes to establish the RRAC. The RRAC will advise 
NIDRR's Director about research priorities and the development and 
revision of its current and future Long range Plans.
Improved Use of Information Technology
    NIDRR will continue to upgrade its use of information technology, 
including its Web site, in order to improve its information 
dissemination activities, increase its capacity to obtain input and 
feedback from stakeholders, and facilitate on-going discussions with 
and among NIDRR grantees, individuals with disabilities, and other 
stakeholders.

Proposed Objective 3.3--NIDRR Will Establish Priorities That Inform 
Systems and Policy Development as Well as Interventions To Improve 
Outcomes for Individuals

    Across its three domains, NIDRR will support centers and projects 
that address systems and policy issues as well as interventions that 
directly improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities and their 
families. Across its employment, community living and participation, 
and health and functioning domains, NIDRR will support centers and 
projects that measure systems and policy effects, as well as the 
effects of interventions to directly improve outcomes for individuals 
with disabilities and their families.

Proposed Objective 3.4--NIDRR Will Support Topics of Relevance That Cut 
Across Disability Categories and NIDRR's Three Domains

    NIDRR will support important projects that cut across disability 
categories or outcome domains when such projects are relevant, well-
designed, and offer promise of significant benefit to multiple groups 
of individuals with disabilities and their families. Examples of these 
cross-cutting priorities will include, but may not be limited to, 
disability demographics and technology for access and function.
Disability Demographics
    Valid and reliable demographic data help all agencies and research 
in the disability field. NIDRR will continue its work with other 
Federal agencies to meet its statutory mandate to collaborate in 
producing demographic and statistical data that describe the population 
of individuals with disabilities. NIDRR's disability demographics 
effort will generate and disseminate new and current information that 
can be used by individuals with disabilities, service providers, 
policymakers, and others working to identify and eliminate disparities 
in employment, community living and participation, and health and 
function.
Technology for Access and Function
    For individuals with disabilities, technology plays a vital role by 
improving function and increasing access, thereby enhancing the ability 
to lead increasingly independent, secure, and productive lives. At the 
individual level, NIDRR will focus on assistive technology devices that 
enhance the physical, sensory, and cognitive abilities. At the systems 
level, NIDRR will emphasize applying technology research and 
development in ways that enhance community integration, independence, 
productivity, competitiveness, and equal opportunity by mitigating or 
eliminating barriers found in large social systems such as public 
transportation, telecommunications, information technology, and the 
built environment.
    NIDRR will continue to support technology-related centers and 
projects to conduct research and development, with the end goal of 
transferring technology into commercialized or non-commercialized 
products that can be readily accessed and used to improve the lives of 
individuals with disabilities. NIDRR will continue to play a leadership 
role within the Federal government on accessibility of information and 
computer technologies.
Leadership in Cloud Computing
    NIDRR is committed to ensuring access to and benefit from cloud 
computing for individuals with disabilities. It recognizes the 
existence of substantial international activity in this area, from 
which the individuals stand to benefit and to which the United States 
should contribute. NIDRR and its grantees will play leadership roles in 
national and international activities to ensure accessibility, and to 
exploit the potential of cloud computing to support the independence, 
employment, and

[[Page 23237]]

functional capabilities of persons with disabilities. In its efforts 
NIDRR will support grantees working on cloud-based infrastructure and 
applications, and will work cooperatively across government agencies 
and with private entities to leverage the resources available for this 
important work.

Proposed Objective 3.5--NIDRR Will Maintain On-Going Investments That 
Effectively Address Topics of Importance To Individuals With 
Disabilities and Their Families

    NIDRR has invested in a number of projects for many years. The 
value of these long-term investments is an important consideration as 
NIDRR plans for its future commitments. For example, NIDRR has 
supported projects that have created national rehabilitation and 
disability services databases, supported accessibility of the built 
environment and information technologies, as well as other nationally 
valued projects in other areas. On a project-by-project basis and with 
the input of the RRAC and other stakeholders, NIDRR will continue to 
support centers and projects in certain priority areas in which NIDRR 
has substantial long-term investments and that continue to contribute 
significantly to NIDRR's goals and objectives.
    Proposed Goal 4: NIDRR will improve program administration.

Proposed Objective 4.1--NIDRR Will Streamline Processes for 
Establishing and Publishing Priorities for Grant Competitions

    Historically, most of NIDRR's priorities have included a number of 
detailed required activities that demanded a great deal of time to 
develop and publish. As indicated in Objective 1.3 of the Plan, NIDRR 
will provide applicants with more field-initiated opportunities by 
issuing priorities for each domain that consist of broad topical areas 
and fewer specifically required activities. These topical areas will 
remain open for competition for up to five years. This will provide 
applicants with increased discretion to propose specific projects that 
fall within the topical areas and enhance NIDRR's ability to publish 
its funding priorities on a more-timely basis. In addition, because 
NIDRR staff will devote less time developing and publishing new 
priorities, they will have more time for providing technical assistance 
to their grantees, monitoring grants, and participating in cross-agency 
research and development activities.

Proposed Objective 4.2--NIDRR Will Establish and Implement a Regular 
Schedule of Competitions and Peer Reviews

    The NAS review report noted that NIDRR has not established a 
regular schedule for publishing priorities, publishing notices inviting 
applications, or conducting peer review. An irregular schedule may 
negatively affect the ability of qualified applicants to submit 
proposals and limit the availability of expert reviewers. Consistent 
with the NAS recommendations, and aided by streamlining its priority 
development process, NIDRR will establish a regular schedule of 
competitions that potential applicants and peer reviewers can depend on 
for planning purposes. Having the topical areas in place for up to five 
years will provide the field with stable and reliable opportunities for 
funding, and applicants who are not successful in one competition can 
revise and improve their applications for future competitions under the 
same topic.

Proposed Objective 4.3--NIDRR Will Improve Its Peer Review Process

    The NAS review report commented on NIDRR's peer review processes 
and made a number of recommendations for enhancement. Consistent with 
the NAS recommendations and ongoing quality improvement goals within 
NIDRR, during the next five years NIDRR will improve the following:
    <bullet> Recruitment of qualified reviewers.
    <bullet> Peer reviewer orientation.
    <bullet> Review criteria and scoring.
    <bullet> Stakeholder representation and support for these 
stakeholders to participate on review panels.
    <bullet> Consistency across review panels.
    A number of other changes will be explored by NIDRR as potential 
means of enhancing the ability of peer reviewers to carry out their 
responsibilities. These include, but are not limited to: (1) 
Establishing page limits for some or all NIDRR program applications; 
and (2) limiting the number of applications reviewed per panel with 
limits depending on the page limits of the applications.

V. Summary

    With the adoption of this Plan, as refined by comments and 
suggestions from stakeholders and other parties, NIDRR believes it will 
be positioned to better reflect the principles of balance, quality, and 
relevance in its activities. This approach will make NIDRR more 
effective in fulfilling its role as a leading Federal agency in 
generating and promoting the use of knowledge to improve the lives of 
individuals with disabilities and their families.

[FR Doc. 2012-9365 Filed 4-17-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P


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