20866 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 25, 2001 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

National Institute on Disability and

Rehabilitation Research

Notice of Proposed Funding Priorities

for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2001–2003 for

Two Rehabilitation Research and

Training Centers

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services, Department of

Education.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Funding

Priorities for Fiscal Years (FYs) 2001–

2003 for two Rehabilitation Research

and Training Centers.

SUMMARY: We propose funding priorities

for two Rehabilitation Research and

Training Centers (RRTC) under the

National Institute on Disability and

Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for FY

2001–2003: One on Rehabilitation of

Persons who are Blind or Visually

Impaired and one on Rehabilitation of

Persons who are Deaf or Hard of

Hearing. We may use these priorities for

competitions in FY 2001 and later years.

We take this action to focus research

attention on areas of national need. We

intend these priorities to improve the

rehabilitation services and outcomes for

individuals with disabilities.

DATES: We must receive your comments

on or before May 25, 2001.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning

these proposed priorities should be

addressed to Donna Nangle, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland

Avenue, SW., room 3414, Switzer

Building, Washington, DC 20202–2645.

Comments may also be sent through the

Internet: Donna.nangle@ed.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Donna Nangle. Telephone: (202) 205–

5880. Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

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

205–4475.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain this document in an alternative

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

audiotape, or computer diskette) on

request to the contact person listed in

the preceding paragraph.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Invitation To Comment

We invite you to submit comments

regarding these proposed priorities.

We invite you to assist us in

complying with the specific

requirements of Executive Order 12866

and its overall requirement of reducing

regulatory burden that might result from

these proposed priorities. Please let us

know of any further opportunities we

should take to reduce potential costs or

increase potential benefits while

preserving the effective and efficient

administration of the program.

During and after the comment period,

you may inspect all public comments

about these priorities in Room 3414,

Switzer Building, 330 C Street SW.,

Washington, DC, between the hours of

8 a.m. and 4 p.m., Eastern time, Monday

through Friday of each week except

Federal holidays.

Assistance to Individuals With

Disabilities in Reviewing the

Rulemaking Record

On request, we will supply an

appropriate aid, such as a reader or

print magnifier, to an individual with a

disability that needs assistance to

review the comments or other

documents in the public rulemaking

record for these proposed priorities. If

you want to schedule an appointment

for this type of aid, you may call (202)

205–8113 or (202) 260–9895. If you use

a TDD, you may call the Federal

Information Relay Service at 1–800–

877–8339.

National Education Goals

These proposed priorities will address

the National Education Goal that every

adult American will be literate and will

possess the knowledge and skills

necessary to compete in a global

economy and exercise the rights and

responsibilities of citizenship.

The authority for the program to

establish research priorities by reserving

funds to support particular research

activities is contained in sections 202(g)

and 204 of the Rehabilitation Act of

1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 762(g) and

764(b)). Regulations governing this

program are found in 34 CFR part 350.

We will announce the final priorities

in a notice in the Federal Register. We

will determine the final priorities after

considering responses to this notice and

other information available to the

Department. This notice does not

preclude us from proposing or funding

additional priorities, subject to meeting

applicable rulemaking requirements.

Note: This notice does not solicit

applications. In any year in which we choose

to use these proposed priorities, we invite

applications through a notice published in

the Federal Register. When inviting

applications we designate each priority as

absolute, competitive preference, or

invitational.

The proposed priorities refer to

NIDRR’s Long-Range Plan that can be

accessed on the World Wide Web at:

(http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/

NIDRR/#LRP).

Authority for Rehabilitation Research

and Training Centers

The authority for the RRTC program

is contained in section 204(b)(2) of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended

(29 U.S.C. 764(b)(2)). Under this

program the Secretary makes awards to

public and private organizations,

including institutions of higher

education and Indian tribes or tribal

organizations for coordinated research

and training activities. These entities

must be of sufficient size, scope, and

quality to effectively carry out the

activities of the Center in an efficient

manner consistent with appropriate

State and Federal laws. They must

demonstrate the ability to carry out the

training activities either directly or

through another entity that can provide

that training. The Secretary may make

awards for up to 60 months through

grants or cooperative agreements. The

purpose of the awards is for planning

and conducting research, training,

demonstrations, and related activities

leading to the development of methods,

procedures, and devices that will

benefit individuals with disabilities,

especially those with the most severe

disabilities.

Description of Rehabilitation Research

and Training Centers

RRTCs are operated in collaboration

with institutions of higher education or

providers of rehabilitation services or

other appropriate services. RRTCs serve

as centers of national excellence and

national or regional resources for

providers and individuals with

disabilities and the parents, family

members, guardians, advocates or

authorized representatives of the

individuals.

RRTCs conduct coordinated,

integrated, and advanced programs of

research in rehabilitation targeted

toward the production of new

knowledge to improve rehabilitation

methodology and service delivery

systems, to alleviate or stabilize

disabling conditions, and to promote

maximum social and economic

independence of individuals with

disabilities.

RRTCs provide training, including

graduate, pre-service, and in-service

training, to assist individuals to more

effectively provide rehabilitation

services. They also provide training

including graduate, pre-service, and inservice training, for rehabilitation

research personnel and other

rehabilitation personnel.

RRTCs serve as informational and

technical assistance resources to

providers, individuals with disabilities,

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 25, 2001 / Notices 20867

and the parents, family members,

guardians, advocates, or authorized

representatives of these individuals

through conferences, workshops, public

education programs, in-service training

programs and similar activities.

RRTCs disseminate materials in

alternative formats to ensure that they

are accessible to individuals with a

range of disabling conditions.

NIDRR encourages all Centers to

involve individuals with disabilities

and individuals from minority

backgrounds as recipients of research

training, as well as clinical training.

The Department is particularly

interested in ensuring that the

expenditure of public funds is justified

by the execution of intended activities

and the advancement of knowledge and,

thus, has built this accountability into

the selection criteria. Not later than

three years after the establishment of

any RRTC, NIDRR will conduct one or

more reviews of the activities and

achievements of the Center. In

accordance with the provisions of 34

CFR 75.253(a), continued funding

depends at all times on satisfactory

performance and accomplishment.

Proposed Priority 1: Rehabilitation of

Persons Who Are Blind or Visually

Impaired

Background

Based on 1996 worldwide population

estimates, approximately 45 million

persons are blind and 135 million have

low vision (World Health Organization

Programs for the Prevention of

Blindness and Deafness, 1997). One in

six Americans (17 percent, 45 years or

older, representing 13.5 million middleaged and older adults) reports some

form of vision impairment even when

wearing glasses or contact lenses (The

Lighthouse Inc., 1995). Nationally

among persons age 21 to 64 who are

visually impaired, defined as difficulty

or inability to see words and letters,

only 43.7 percent are employed. Among

individuals unable to see words and

letters, the figure decreases to 30.6

percent. This proportion is significantly

lower than the estimated 80 percent of

persons without disabilities in this age

group who are employed (based on

1994–1995 estimates: McNeil, 1997;

personal communication, November 16,

1996).

NIDRR published a Long-Range Plan

(The Plan) which is based on a

paradigm for rehabilitation that

identifies disability in terms of its

relationship between the individual and

the natural, built, cultural, and social

environment (63 FR 57189–57219). The

Plan focuses on both individual and

systemic factors that have an impact on

the ability of individuals with

disabilities to function.

In accord with this Plan, there is an

ongoing need to maintain and improve

successful employment and career

outcomes for individuals who are blind

or have visual impairments through

vocational rehabilitation, community

rehabilitation, postsecondary education,

and independent living services for

individuals who are blind or have visual

impairments. Research and training

activities under this RRTC must clearly

focus on the vocational rehabilitation

needs of adults, who, by definition, are

the primary recipients of vocational

rehabilitation services. Likewise, the

thrust of the RRTC should focus on

individuals who are blind or have

severe visual impairment as opposed to

those who have minimal vision loss.

With the passage of legislation such as

the Workforce Investment Act of 1998

(WIA) and the Work Incentive

Improvement Act, the expertise of

vocational rehabilitation agencies in

developing community partnerships

will play a role in establishing

vocational rehabilitation as a major

partner in the workforce development

system and the one-stop centers.

Vocational rehabilitation now

collaborates with welfare to work

programs, independent living centers,

and colleges and technical schools. The

influence of such collaboration upon

vocational outcomes for individuals

who are blind or have visual

impairments remains unknown. Thus,

there is a need to investigate and

document the impact of any changes in

disability and employment legislation

on addressing the unique employment

needs of individuals who are blind and

have visual impairments. Research

should identify barriers that hinder the

participation of individuals who are

blind or have visual impairments in

these evolving systems and develop and

document effective strategies to

eliminate such barriers.

Understanding the ongoing

employment problems of individuals

who are blind or have visual

impairments has been hampered by the

virtual absence of salient data such as

work history, use of assistive

techniques, transportation, and other

environmental features. A subtle

constraint is the tendency to ‘‘over

attribute’’ problems to individuals’

vision status without seriously

examining the dynamics of vision loss

in relation to other characteristics of the

work they do or seek to do, and

characteristics of their work settings.

Thus, there is a serious need to identify

and document salient demographic and

employment-related characteristics

associated with working-age adults who

are blind or have visual impairments,

including but not limited to highlighting

differences among this group, as well as

general differences between working-age

adults with disabilities and working-age

adults without disabilities. Research

that results in contemporary and

accurate data on employment status and

an improved understanding of

employment issues is critically

important to the development of a

national agenda and strategies to

achieve full employment for individuals

who are blind or have visual

impairments.

New computer technologies and the

growing trend toward home-based work

appear to enhance especially the

employment outcomes and earning

potential of individuals with

disabilities. New computer and

information technologies place a

premium on intellectual and

interpersonal skills and offer solid

employment opportunities for

individuals with disabilities who

remain current with the changing work

environment. Efforts to support

individuals who are blind or have visual

impairments can be enhanced by using

emerging technologies to improve

access to services (particularly for

individuals in remote areas), reduce

information dissemination barriers,

improve employment training and job

opportunities, and facilitate improved

training options for service providers.

Research should be focused on

determining how computer technology

can be effectively used to improve the

independence of individuals who are

blind or visually impaired, identifying

barriers that prevent access and

expanded use of technology, and,

increasing service provider knowledge

of and experience with using technology

to support rehabilitation service efforts.

Computer and information technology

is changing rapidly. Rehabilitation

professionals must have state-of-the-art

knowledge of accessible computer and

information technology for individuals

who are blind or visually impaired. To

address such a need, this RRTC will

facilitate collaboration between the

Rehabilitation Services Administration

(RSA) and NIDRR to support the

training of State vocational

rehabilitation agency staff through use

of a trainer model.

Since 1936 the Randolph-Sheppard

Act has been a source of employment

for individuals who are blind. This

program enables individuals who are

blind to become licensed facility

managers and operate vending facilities

on Federal and State property.

20868 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 25, 2001 / Notices

According to RSA, in fiscal year 1999,

2,809 blind vendors operated 3,352

vending facilities under the RandolphSheppard Act Program. The program

generated $448.1 million in gross

earnings with individual vendors

averaging an annual income of $32,544.

The RRTC should undertake an

assessment to identify areas of the

program that may be improved by

training Business Enterprise Program

counselors and licensed managers. The

training is intended to foster the

acquisition of improved skills by

counselors and licensed managers and

increase the capacity of the Business

Enterprise Program to be competitive

with other vending facilities.

Priority

We propose to establish a RRTC on

improving vocational services for

individuals who are blind or have visual

impairments. In carrying out this

purpose, the Center must:

(a) Investigate and document the

impact of changes in disability and

employment legislation to address the

unique employment-related needs of

individuals who are blind or have visual

impairments;

(b) Investigate, document, and analyze

existent State and Federal data sets (e.g.,

RSA 911 data, NCHS data sets on

population health conditions, the

national Independent Living Center

survey and, the annual State-by-State

VR agency data sets detailing

performance outcomes), including client

and service provider characteristics

(e.g., age of onset of blindness or visual

impairment relative to successful

employment outcomes), to determine

different employment outcomes for

persons who are blind or have visual

impairments;

(c) Investigate and document how

State vocational rehabilitation agencies,

other public agencies, and private

service providers overcome

environmental barriers (e.g., using

assistive technology and jobsite

modifications) in order to improve

employment outcomes for individuals

who are blind or have visual

impairments; and

(d) Develop a national information

and resource referral data base for the

training needs of State business

enterprise program facilities; develop

and deliver training programs to meet

the identified training needs; and

develop measures that can be applied to

evaluate the efficacy of the training.

In carrying out the purposes of the

priority, the RRTC must conduct at least

three conferences to train vocational

rehabilitation staff on state-of-the-art

information and computer technology

for individuals who are blind or have

visual impairments.

In addition to the activities proposed

by the applicant to carry out these

purposes, the RRTC must:

• Involve individuals who are blind

or have visual impairments and, if

appropriate, their representatives, in

planning, developing, and

implementing the research, training,

dissemination and evaluation activities

of the RRTC;

• Coordinate with appropriate

Federally funded projects; and

• Identify coordination

responsibilities through consultation

with the assigned NIDRR Project Officer;

these responsibilities may include

outreach to specific NIDRR Disability

and Rehabilitation Research Projects,

Rehabilitation Engineering and Research

Centers, RRTCs, Disability Business and

Technical Assistance Centers, Assistive

Technology projects, Office of Special

Education programs, and RSA projects.

Proposed Priority 2: Vocational

Rehabilitation Services for Individuals

Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Background

According to the National Center for

Health Statistics, approximately 8.6

percent of the national population

experience hearing loss (Ries, Vital and

Health Statistics, 10, 1995). Using

population projections for the year 2000

and adjusting for the increase in

prevalence of hearing loss due to aging,

it is estimated that approximately 26.5

million persons experience hearing loss.

Of these persons, 80 percent experience

permanent, irreversible hearing damage

(National Strategic Research Plan for

Hearing and Hearing Impairment and

Voice and Voice Disorders, National

Institute on Deafness and

Communicative Disorders, 1992).

Furthermore, this population is quite

heterogeneous, varying with respect to

degree and type of hearing loss, age at

onset, individual communication mode,

level of personal or employment

functionality and race or ethnic

background. As a result, the population

needs diverse vocational rehabilitation

(VR) services.

Degree of hearing loss functionally

distinguishes persons who are hard of

hearing and persons who are deaf.

Persons identified as hard of hearing

may understand conversational speech

with or without amplification and are

not primarily dependent on visual

communication (Rehabilitation Services

Administration, 1995). Estimates

indicate there are more than 10.5

million hard of hearing individuals of

working age. Persons who are deaf are

primarily dependent upon visual

communication such as writing, text

reading (also known as CART or

computer-aided real-time translation),

speech reading, sign language, and sign

language interpreting. This population

includes persons who are born deaf as

well as those who become deaf later in

life.

The age at which one becomes deaf

strongly influences their language,

academic and vocational development,

and therefore figures prominently in

that person’s VR needs. Persons born

deaf or who become deaf during early

childhood are likely to need specialized

services such as access to service

providers who can communicate using

American Sign Language or other

visual-gesture languages and vocational

assistance to enhance their employment

prospects (Easterbrooks & BakerHawkins, Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Students Educational Service

Guidelines, National Association of

State Directors of Special Education).

Estimates indicate that there are

approximately 479,000 deaf individuals

of working age (18–64) who became deaf

during early childhood.

Yet another category of individuals is

those persons who become deaf after

having experienced hearing as well as

speech and language development.

Members of this group may include

people who have already completed

substantial formal education,

maintained a career, and generally

functioned as a hearing person before

being deafened. While these individuals

already possess speech and language,

they will be dependent primarily on

visual receptive communication.

Estimates indicate that there are

approximately 2.8 million such

individuals in the United States.

The population of persons who are

deaf also includes a subgroup identified

largely on the basis of functional needs

in addition to hearing loss. This group

of deaf persons has been described as

‘‘low functioning.’’ (Serving Individuals

Who Are Low Functioning Deaf, 25th

Institute on Rehabilitation Issues,

Rehabilitation Services Administration,

1999). Persons who are deaf and low

functioning vary with respect to

rehabilitation needs due to a diagnosed

secondary disability or related

academic, language, or behavioral

factors. Those individuals may require

rehabilitation assistance in areas such as

communication, education,

independent living skills, and a full

continuum of employment preparation,

entry, and ongoing supports. Estimates

of the population indicate that there are

approximately 144,000 individuals of

working age who are deaf and low

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 25, 2001 / Notices 20869

functioning (25th Institute on

Rehabilitation Issues, 1999).

When provided appropriate and

effective VR services, deaf individuals

whose level of social and vocational

function is severely limited can obtain

and maintain employment (Conway,

Work Place Issues, Career

Opportunities, Advancement and

Deafness, Volta Review, 1995). Often,

however, a broad range of services are

needed, and these services must be

provided in an accessible manner that

recognizes individual communication

needs and preferences (Conway, 1995).

Among the cases closed by State VR

agencies were 17,863, or 72.9 percent

closed as rehabilitated and 6,627, or

27.1 percent closed as non-rehabilitated.

Of the ‘‘rehabilitated’’ group closures,

77.4 percent were in competitive

employment; 1.9 percent in extended

employment, 2.6 percent in selfemployment and the balance in other

employment sectors (RSA, Caseload

Services data, 1996). Interestingly, close

examination of closure rates for specific

target groups indicate that deaf persons

achieve employment at significantly

lower percentages than their hard of

hearing counterparts. Research is

needed to address different services in

order to obtain optimal outcomes.

Despite this disparity in outcome, these

data clearly document the role and

contributions of the State and Federal

VR system in providing services that

lead to employment outcomes for

significant numbers of individuals who

are deaf.

Currently, the State and Federal VR

system is undergoing significant change

in response to conditions occurring in

the labor market and the resulting need

for workers. The labor force is

characterized by economic growth, a

low rate of unemployment,

technological advances, and demand for

jobs that require higher education and

training. Plans to meet the State and

local workforce needs of persons with

disabilities, including persons who are

deaf or hard of hearing, must be

responsive to current thrusts in service

delivery policy such as presumptive

eligibility, continuing emphasis on

order of selection, informed choice, onestop service delivery, and increased

demands for new approaches in training

and personnel preparation (25th

Institute on Rehabilitation Issues, 1999).

It is clear that agencies will require

significant technical assistance and

resources in developing service models

and approaches for serving special

populations such as deaf and hard of

hearing persons in response to these

changes (Hopkins & Walter, 1999;

PEPNet Needs Assessment: Summary of

Findings, In Kolvitz, (Ed.),

Empowerment through partnerships:

PEPNet 1998; Boone & Watson,

Identifying the Technical Assistance

Needs of Community Based

Rehabilitation Centers Serving Persons

who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, 1999).

Research is needed to identify service

delivery needs of persons who are deaf

or hard of hearing and to develop

interventions that result in satisfactory

employment outcomes.

There is a clear need for ongoing

research to maintain and improve

successful employment and career

outcomes resulting from VR, community

rehabilitation, postsecondary education,

and independent living services for

persons who are deaf (NIDRR LongRange Plan, 63 FR 57189–57219).

Research under this competition must

clearly focus on the VR needs of deaf

individuals, including subgroups within

this population with prevocational and

post-vocational hearing loss, and those

individuals identified as low

functioning. There is need to examine

decisionmaking processes as they

impact upon deaf individuals and

relevant others such as service

providers, advocates, advisors, and

family members, in relation to issues of

access and participation by deaf and

hard of hearing individuals in

appropriate VR, postsecondary training,

and independent living services. When

such research analysis or mapping of

decision processes and information

sharing reveals problems, then

appropriate resource development

activities must be pursued, such as

development of curriculum materials,

training, evaluation, and technical

assistance. In particular, strategies will

be needed to involve new partners such

as ‘‘one-stops’’ and centers for

independent living, and underserved

subgroups within the deaf and hard of

hearing populations, such as those

individuals described as low

functioning and others with special

needs. Research must investigate

variables related to specific deafness

and hard of hearing subgroups, services

settings, measures of program

participation, and measures of success

within the changing policy, labor

market, and service delivery

environments.

Priority

We propose to establish an RRTC on

VR services for individuals who are deaf

or hard of hearing that will conduct

research and training activities and

develop and evaluate model approaches

to improve the employment outcomes

for such individuals. In carrying out this

purpose, the center must:

(a) Investigate and document the

impact of changes in disability and

employment legislation (e.g., Workforce

Investment Act of 1998, Rehabilitation

Act Amendments of 1998) and service

delivery options and policy (e.g., State

and Federal VR, Community

Rehabilitation Programs, One-Stop

Centers, presumptive eligibility, order of

selection, informed choice, CSPD) using

formal research protocols on workforce

participation and employment outcomes

achieved by persons who are deaf or

hard of hearing (including those

identified as low functioning) and

considering such factors as age, gender,

race or ethnic background, education,

severity of impairment, and secondary

disability;

(b) Identify, evaluate, and document

contemporary business policies and

practices that contribute to accessible

work, workplace supports, and

environments to enhance the

employment of persons who are deaf or

hard of hearing;

(c) Identify, develop, and measure the

impact of innovative rehabilitation

practices, resource materials, postsecondary training, and technology (for

State and Federal VR, Independent

Living, and Community-based

Rehabilitation Programs) that will

enhance the workforce participation,

employment, and community living

outcomes achieved by persons who are

deaf or hard of hearing; and

(d) Develop and disseminate

resources through a national technical

assistance, information and referral

network for consumers who are deaf or

hard of hearing (including those referred

to as low functioning deaf), their

employers, advocates, family members,

and rehabilitation service providers.

In carrying out these purposes, the

center must:

• Coordinate the activities of this

Center with the efforts of grantees from

NIDRR, the Office of Special Education

Programs (OSEP), or RSA who are

involved in postsecondary training,

transition, job-related or vocational and

career studies, independent living

needs, and aspects of rehabilitation

technology addressing the needs of

persons who are deaf, particularly those

referred to as low functioning deaf;

• Solicit, maximize, and utilize direct

input from persons who are deaf, their

service providers, and their employers

as part of the ongoing planning,

development, and implementation of

the Center’s research activities;

• Construct scientific and measurable

techniques for each research project;

• Provide dissemination to

rehabilitation professionals, through

training and technical assistance of new

20870 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 80 / Wednesday, April 25, 2001 / Notices

and effective rehabilitation techniques

and practices that may enhance service

delivery, quality employment, and

community integration findings; and

• Develop sources for supplementary

funding that will permit the Center

more latitude in exploring additional

related studies, in addition to the

Federal monies available from this

RRTC grant.

Applicable Program Regulations: 34

CFR part 350.

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and

764(b)(2).

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(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

Number: 84.133B, Rehabilitation Research

and Training Centers Program)

Dated: April 19, 2001.

Francis V. Corrigan,

Deputy Director, National Institute on

Disability and Rehabilitation, Research.

[FR Doc. 01–10196 Filed 4–24–01; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P