21940 Federal Register / Vol. 60, No. 85 / Wednesday, May 3, 1995 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[CFDA No.: 84.133C]

Office of Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services; National

Institute on Disability and

Rehabilitation Research; Notice

Inviting Applications Under the

Innovation Grants Program for Fiscal

Year (FY) 1995

Purpose of Program: The Innovation

Grants Program is designed to provide

financial support to projects that test

new concepts and innovative ideas,

demonstrate research results of high

potential benefits, purchase and

evaluate prototype aids and devices,

develop unique rehabilitation training

curricula, and respond to special

initiatives of the Secretary, including

projects to conduct feasibility, planning,

and evaluation studies, conferences, and

other activities to disseminate specific

research findings.

Invitational Priorities: Under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(1) the Secretary is particularly

interested in applications that address

the following invitational priority.

However, an application that meets an

invitational priority does not receive

competitive or absolute preference over

other applications.

NIDRR has observed that disability

research is hampered by the lack of

researchers with training to assess the

comprehensive phenomenon of

disability and its complex interaction

with all aspects of society, particularly

from the perspective of individuals with

disabilities. Therefore, the Secretary is

interested in supporting innovative

projects that study the feasibility of and

develop model approaches to teaching

disability studies at the postsecondary

level. Research projects in this area

might address one or more of the

following issues: The current

availability of disability studies in

institutions of higher education and the

feasibility of instituting disability

studies curricula; model curricula at the

undergraduate or graduate levels; and

the relative advantages of creating

disability studies as a specialty area in

core disciplines or as an

interdisciplinary program.

A body of NIDRR research and other

writings has suggested that the goals of

the Rehabilitation Act of full integration

into society, empowerment, and

personal independence would be

facilitated by an increased awareness of

the history, nature, consequences, and

culture of disability among individuals

with disabilities and others within

society as a whole. Therefore, the

Secretary is also interested in

supporting projects that study the

feasibility of and develop models for

teaching disability studies to adults in

community settings. Projects addressing

disability studies in community settings

(e.g., adult education programs,

independent living centers, or other

accessible community facilities) would

be most useful if they explore ways of

accommodating various cognitive,

sensory, and other disabilities and

various ethnic and language populations

in the learning experiences.

This notice supports the National

Education Goal that calls for all

Americans to possess the knowledge

and skills necessary to compete in a

global economy and exercise the rights

and responsibilities of citizenship.

Eligible Applicants: Parties eligible to

apply for grants under this program are

public and private nonprofit and forprofit agencies and organizations,

including institutions of higher

education and Indian tribes and tribal

organizations.

Deadline for Transmittal of

Applications: June 19, 1995.

Applications Available: May 4, 1995.

Available Funds: $150,000.

Estimated Average Size of Awards:

$50,000.

Estimated Number of Awards: 3.

Maximum Award: The Secretary does

not consider an application that

proposes a budget exceeding $50,000 for

each 12-month budget period.

The Secretary may change the

maximum amount award through a note

accompanying the application package.

Note: The estimates of funding levels and

awards in this notice do not bind the

Department of Education to a specific level

of funding or number of grants.

Project Period: Up to 12 months.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The

Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR),

34 CFR Parts 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82,

85, 86; and (b) the regulations for this

program in 34 CFR parts 350 and 358.

In order to obtain information about

the invitational priorities contact Betty

Jo Berland, U.S. Department of

Education, 600 Independence Avenue,

S.W., Switzer Building, Room 3422,

Washington, DC 20202. Telephone:

(202) 205–8801. Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

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

205–8133.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: In

order to obtain an application package,

contact William H. Whalen, U.S.

Department of Education, 600

Independence Avenue SW., Switzer

Building, Room 3411, Washington, DC

20202. Telephone: (202) 205–9141.

Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

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

205–8887.

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; or on the Internet Gopher Server

at GOPHER.ED.GOV (under

Announcements, Bulletins, and Press

Releases). However, the official

application notice for a discretionary

grant competition is the notice

published in the Federal Register.

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 761a and

762.

Dated: April 27, 1995.

Howard R. Moses,

Acting Assistant Secretary for Special

Education and Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 95–10802 Filed 5–2–95; 8:45 am]

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