18012 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 70 / Friday, April 11, 1997 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Research in Education of Individuals

with Disabilities Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of final priority.

SUMMARY: The Secretary announces a

final priority for the Research in

Education of Individuals with

Disabilities Program. The Secretary may

use this priority in Fiscal Year 1997 and

subsequent years. The Secretary takes

this action to focus Federal assistance

on identified needs to improve results

for children with disabilities. This final

priority is intended to ensure wide and

effective use of program funds.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority takes effect

on May 12,1997.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For

further information on this priority

contact the U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue,

S.W., room 3317, Switzer Building,

Washington, D.C. 20202–2641. The

preferred method for requesting

information is to FAX your request to:

(202) 205–8717. Telephone: (202) 260–

9182.

Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the TDD number: (202)

205–9860. Individuals with disabilities

may obtain a copy of this notice in an

alternate format (e.g. Braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) by

contacting the Department as listed

above.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The

Research in Education of Individuals

with Disabilities Program, authorized by

Part E of the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C.

1441–1443), provides support to

advance and improve the knowledge

base and improve the practice of

professionals, parents, and others

providing early intervention, special

education, and related services—

including professionals in regular

education environments—to provide

children with disabilities effective

instruction and enable these children to

learn successfully.

On February 21, 1996, the Secretary

published a notice of proposed priority

for this program in the Federal Register

(61 FR 6754–6755).

This final priority supports the

National Education Goals by improving

understanding of how to enable

children and youth with disabilities to

reach higher levels of academic

achievement.

The publication of this priority does

not preclude the Secretary from

proposing additional priorities, nor does

it limit the Secretary to funding only

this priority, subject to meeting

applicable rulemaking requirements.

Funding of particular projects depends

on the availability of funds, and the

quality of the applications received.

Note: This notice of final priority does not

solicit applications. A notice inviting

applications under this competition is

published in a separate notice in this issue

of the Federal Register.

Analysis of Comments and Changes

In response to the Secretary’s

invitation in the notice of proposed

priority, five parties submitted

comments. An analysis of the comments

and of the changes in the proposed

priority follows. Technical and other

minor changes—as well as suggested

changes the Secretary is not legally

authorized to make under the applicable

statutory authority—are not addressed.

Priority—Research Institutes to

Accelerate Learning for Children With

Disabilities With Curricular and

Instructional Interventions

Comment: Two commenters noted

that minority students comprise a

disproportionate number of special

education students, and that as students

advance in grades the performance gap

between African Americans and their

white counterparts increases. The

commenter recommended that the

priority require involvement of minority

researchers either as staff of the project

or require collaboration with minority

institutions of higher education to

ensure that the specific educational

needs of minority group students with

disabilities will be addressed by the

research institute.

Discussion: The priority, as written,

requires research across multiple sites to

represent organizational and

demographic diversity, collaboration

with experts and researchers in related

subject matter and methodological

fields, as appropriate. In addition, the

selection criteria that will be used to

evaluate applications include criteria for

determining how the applicant will

provide equal access and treatment for

eligible project participants who are

members of racial or ethnic minority

groups; and the extent to which the

applicant, as part of its

nondiscriminatory employment

practices, encourages applications for

employment from persons who are

members of racial or ethnic minority

groups that have been traditionally

underrepresented.

Changes: None.

Comment: One commenter

recommended that the priority address

the needs of students with lowincidence disabilities as a main area of

concern. Specifically, the commenter

recommended the priority emphasize

students with deafness, blindness, and

physical disability, who also experience

secondary and tertiary disabilities such

as developmental disability, behavior

disorder, and multiple disabilities.

Discussion: The priority as written

does not preclude an applicant from

addressing the needs of students with

low-incidence disabilities as a main area

of concern. The Secretary prefers that

the language of the priority be broad

enough so that applicants may have the

opportunity to propose and justify their

particular project focus.

Changes: None.

Comment: Two commenters

recommended that the priority be

broadened to include students with

disabilities through the eighth grade to

include more middle school students.

One commenter noted that in many

States, students enter middle schools in

the 5th or 6th grade, thus the proposed

limit of grade six may prevent schoolwide intervention programs in some

areas. Furthermore, the commenters

stated that it may be useful to follow

students in the upper middle school

grades who have completed

interventions in grades K–6.

Discussion: The Secretary agrees with

the commenters that it would be very

useful to follow students in the upper

middle school grades in addition to

students in kindergarten through grade

six. In order to accomplish this, the

Secretary believes that the most

beneficial approach would be to support

two institutes instead of one. One

institute would focus on curricular and

instructional classroom based

interventions that accelerate subject

matter learning for children with

disabilities in kindergarten through

grade three, and the second institute

would focus on grades four through

eight.

Changes: The title and priority has

been revised to establish two research

institutes to study curricular and

instructional classroom based

interventions that accelerate subject

matter learning for children with

disabilities and promote its sustained

use by practitioners. One institute

would study curricular and

instructional classroom based

interventions in kindergarten through

grade three. The other institute would

study curricular and instructional

classroom based interventions in grades

four through grade eight.

Priority

Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the

Secretary gives an absolute preference to
Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 70 / Friday, April 11, 1997 / Notices 18013

applications that meet the following

priority. The Secretary will fund under

this competition only applications that

meet this absolute priority:

Absolute Priority—Research Institutes to

Accelerate Learning for Children With

Disabilities With Curricular and

Instructional Interventions:

Kindergarten Through Grade Three and

Grade Four Through Grade Eight

Background

The consequences of failing to learn

are serious. Lack of learning in one

domain reduces an individual’s capacity

to benefit from educational experience.

Failure establishes a self-perpetuating

cycle and negatively affects the

individual’s disposition toward lifelong

learning, employment, and contribution

to society. Most children with

disabilities face challenges to learning.

These challenges are amplified as calls

are made for higher standards to be

achieved by all students, including

children with disabilities, and as more

children with disabilities are educated

in general education classrooms.

Evidence from the National

Longitudinal Transition Study indicates

children with disabilities are not

learning subject matter content. An

urgency exists to develop powerful

curricular and instructional

interventions that maximize rates of

development, promote generalized

learning, and reduce discrepancies

between their performance and that of

their peers.

Intervention research has

demonstrated that children with

disabilities possess the potential to

learn, participate, and contribute in

school, home, community, and work

place. Research on instructional

interventions for children with

disabilities has been the hallmark of

special education research. For

example, research on direct instruction,

behavioral management interventions,

learning strategies, peer mediated

learning, and reciprocal teaching has led

to improvements in professional

practice.

Yet, single solution interventions are

insufficient for teaching children with

disabilities complex subject matter

content. In many instances, these

interventions are content free.

Moreover, little empirical evidence is

available on the context of the

classroom for supporting the

implementation of these solutions.

Priority

The Secretary establishes an absolute

priority for the purpose of establishing

two research institutes to study

curricular and instructional classroom

based interventions that accelerate

subject matter learning for children with

disabilities and promote its sustained

use by practitioners. One institute will

be established to study curricular and

instructional classroom based

interventions that accelerate subject

matter learning in kindergarten through

grade three. Another institute will be

established to study curricular and

instructional classroom based

interventions that accelerate subject

matter learning in grade four through

grade eight.

Both institutes must examine—

(1) The effectiveness of the

intervention for children with

disabilities; and

(2) The classroom context that

supports the implementation of the

interventions that produce and sustain

positive learning outcomes for children

with disabilities, including such factors

as classroom groups; classroom and

cross-classroom management strategies;

curriculum design principles; classroom

settings; instructional materials; amount

of time on task; integration into the

curriculum; and teacher actions, skills,

and attitudes.

The research may include, but need

not be limited to, studying classroom

based exemplars and models, designing

and implementing interventions, and

collecting student and teacher data from

exemplars, using a rich array of research

methods to reach the intended goals of

this priority and as articulated by the

proposed research hypotheses.

Both the Kindergarten through Grade

Three Research Institute, and the Grade

Four through Grade Eight Research

Institute must—

(a) Design and conduct a strategic

program of research that focuses on

helping students with disabilities learn

subject matter content in critical areas

such as reading and math, and builds

upon the existing research knowledge

for teaching children with disabilities;

(b) Design and conduct a strategic

program of research across multiple

sites to represent organizational and

demographic diversity;

(c) Collect, analyze, and communicate

student outcome data and supporting

context data, and multiple outcome data

for teachers, parents, and

administrators, as appropriate;

(d) Collaborate with other research

institutes supported under the

Individuals with Disabilities Education

Act and experts and researchers in

related subject matter and

methodological fields, as appropriate for

the program of research, to design and

conduct the strategic program of

research;

(e) Collaborate with communication

specialists and professional and

advocacy organizations to ensure that

findings are prepared in formats that are

useable for specific audiences such as

teachers, administrators, and other

service providers;

(f) Develop linkages with Education

Department technical assistance

providers to communicate research

findings and distribute products;

(g) Provide training and research

opportunities for a limited number of

graduate students including students

who are from traditionally

underrepresented groups; and

(h) Meet with the Office of Special

Education Programs (OSEP) project

officer in the first four months of the

project to review the program of

research and communication

approaches.

The project must budget for two trips

annually to Washington, D.C. for: (1) A

two-day Research Project Directors’

meeting; and (2) another meeting to

meet and collaborate with the OSEP

project officer.

Under this priority, The Secretary will

make two awards:

(a) One award for a Research Institute

to Accelerate Learning for Children with

Disabilities with Curricular and

Instructional Interventions in

Kindergarten through Grade Three; and

(b) One award for a Research Institute

to Accelerate Learning for Children with

Disabilities with Curricular and

Instructional Interventions in Grade

Four through Grade Eight.

Both awards will be for cooperative

agreements with project periods of up to

60 months subject to the requirements

of 34 CFR 75.253(a) for continuation

awards. In determining whether to

continue the institutes for the fourth

and fifth years of the project periods, the

Secretary, in addition to the

requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), will

consider—

(1) The recommendation of a review

team for each institute consisting of

three experts selected by the Secretary.

The services of the review teams,

including a two-day site visit to the

institutes are to be performed during the

last half of each institute’s second year

and may be included in that year’s

evaluation required under 34 CFR

75.590. Costs associated with the

services to be performed by the review

teams must also be included in each

institute’s budget for year two. These

costs are estimated to be approximately

$4,000 for each institute;

(2) The timeliness and effectiveness

with which all requirements of the

negotiated cooperative agreement have
18014 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 70 / Friday, April 11, 1997 / Notices

been or are being met by each institute;

and

(3) The degree to which each

institute’s research designs and

methodologies demonstrate the

potential for advancing significant new

knowledge.

Applicable Program Regulations: 34

CFR Part 324.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441–1443.

(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Number 84.023, Research in Education of

Individuals with Disabilities Program)

Dated: April 8, 1997.

Judith E. Heumann,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 97–9401 Filed 4–10–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.023V]

Research in Education of Individuals

With Disabilities Program; Notice

Inviting Applications for New Awards

for Fiscal Year (FY) 1997

Purpose of Program: To advance and

improve the knowledge base and

improve the practice of professionals,

parents, and others providing early

intervention, special education, and

related services—including

professionals in regular education

environments—to provide children with

disabilities effective instruction and

enable them to learn successfully.

This notice supports the National

Education Goals by improving

understanding of how to enable

children and youth with disabilities to

reach higher levels of academic

achievement.

Eligible Applicants: Eligible

applicants are State and local

educational agencies, institutions of

higher education, and other public

agencies and nonprofit private

organizations.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The

Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in

34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 85,

and 86; and (b) The regulations for this

program in 34 CFR Part 324.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR Part 86

apply to institutions of higher education

only.

Priority

Absolute Priority—Research Institutes to

Accelerate Learning for Children With

Disabilities With Curricular and

Instructional Interventions:

Kindergarten Through Grade Three and

Grade Four Through Grade Eight

(84.023V)

The priority Research Institutes to

Accelerate Learning for Children with

Disabilities with Curricular and

Instructional Interventions:

Kindergarten through Grade Three and

Grade Four through Grade Eight in the

notice of final priority for this program,

published elsewhere in this issue of the

Federal Register, applies to this

competition.

Applications available: April 16,

1997.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: June 2, 1997.

Estimated Number of Awards: Two.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Maximum Award: The Secretary

rejects and does not consider an

application that proposes a budget

exceeding $700,000 for any single

budget period of 12 months. However,

because of budgetary considerations

contingent upon congressional action,

the Secretary may change the maximum

amount through a notice published in

the Federal Register.

Page Limits: Part III of the application,

the Application Narrative, requires

applicants to address the selection

criteria that will be used by reviewers in

evaluating individual proposals. The

applicant must limit the Part III—

Application Narrative, to no more than

60 double-spaced 8 1⁄2 x 11′′ pages (on

one side only) with one inch margins

(top, bottom, and sides). This page

limitation applies to all material

presented in the application narrative—

including, for example, any charts,

tables, figures, and graphs. The

application narrative page limit does not

apply to: Part I—the cover sheet; Part

II—the budget section (including the

narrative budget justification); and Part

IV—the assurances and certifications.

Also, the one-page abstract, resumes,

bibliography, or letters of support, while

considered part of the application, are

not subject to the page limitation.

Applicants should note that reviewers

are not required to review any

information provided in addition to the

application information listed above.

All sections of text in the application

narrative must be double-spaced (no

more than 3 lines per vertical inch). If

using a proportional computer font, use

no smaller than a 12-point font, and an

average character density no greater

than 14 characters per inch. If using a

nonproportional font or a typewriter, do

not use more than 12 characters to the

inch. Double-spacing and font

requirements do not apply within

charts, tables, figures, and graphs, but

the information presented in those

formats should be easily readable. The

Secretary rejects and does not consider

an application that does not adhere to

these requirements.

Note: The Department of Education is not

bound by any estimates in this notice.

For Applications and General

Information Contact: Requests for

applications and general information

should be addressed to the U.S.

Department of Education,, 600

Independence Avenue, S.W., room

3317, Switzer Building, Washington,

D.C. 20202–2641. The preferred method

for requesting information is to FAX

your request to: (202) 205–8717.

Telephone: (202) 260–9182.

Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call the TDD number: (202)

205–8953. Individuals with disabilities

may obtain a copy of this notice in an

alternate format (e.g. Braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) by

contacting the Department as listed

above.

Information about the Department’s

funding opportunities, including copies

of application notices for discretionary

grant competitions, can be viewed on

the Department’s electronic bulletin

board (ED Board), telephone (202) 260–

9950; on the Internet Gopher Server (at

Gopher://gcs.ed.gov); or on the World

Wide Web (at http://gcs.ed.gov).

However, the official application notice

for a discretionary grant competition is

the notice published in the Federal

Register.

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1441–1443.

Dated: April 8, 1997.

Judith E. Heumann,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 97–9402 Filed 4–10–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P