H. R. 1385—234
‘‘(D) provide leadership in advancing the quality of life
of individuals with disabilities.
‘‘(2) In the performance of the functions of the office, the Direc-
tor shall be directly responsible to the Secretary or to the same
Under Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Department of Edu-
cation to whom the Commissioner is responsible under section
3(a).
‘‘(b) The Director, through the Institute, shall be responsible
for—
‘‘(1) administering the programs described in section 204
and activities under this section;
‘‘(2) widely disseminating findings, conclusions, and rec-
ommendations, resulting from research, demonstration projects,
training, and related activities (referred to in this title as
‘covered activities’) funded by the Institute, to—
‘‘(A) other Federal, State, tribal, and local public agen-
cies;
‘‘(B) private organizations engaged in research relating
to rehabilitation or providing rehabilitation services;
‘‘(C) rehabilitation practitioners; and
‘‘(D) individuals with disabilities and the individuals’
representatives;
‘‘(3) coordinating, through the Interagency Committee
established by section 203 of this Act, all Federal programs
and policies relating to research in rehabilitation;
‘‘(4) widely disseminating educational materials and
research results, concerning ways to maximize the full inclusion
and integration into society, employment, independent living,
family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of
individuals with disabilities, to—
‘‘(A) public and private entities, including—
‘‘(i) elementary and secondary schools (as defined
in section 14101 of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act of 1965; and
‘‘(ii) institutions of higher education;
‘‘(B) rehabilitation practitioners;
‘‘(C) individuals with disabilities (especially such
individuals who are members of minority groups or of
populations that are unserved or underserved by programs
under this Act); and
‘‘(D) the individuals’ representatives for the individuals
described in subparagraph (C);
‘‘(5)(A) conducting an education program to inform the pub-
lic about ways of providing for the rehabilitation of individuals
with disabilities, including information relating to—
‘‘(i) family care;
‘‘(ii) self-care; and
‘‘(iii) assistive technology devices and assistive tech-
nology services; and
‘‘(B) as part of the program, disseminating engineering
information about assistive technology devices;
‘‘(6) conducting conferences, seminars, and workshops
(including in-service training programs and programs for
individuals with disabilities) concerning advances in rehabilita-
tion research and rehabilitation technology (including advances
concerning the selection and use of assistive technology devices
and assistive technology services), pertinent to the full inclusion
H. R. 1385—235
and integration into society, employment, independent living,
family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of
individuals with disabilities;
‘‘(7) taking whatever action is necessary to keep the Con-
gress fully and currently informed with respect to the
implementation and conduct of programs and activities carried
out under this title, including dissemination activities;
‘‘(8) producing, in conjunction with the Department of
Labor, the National Center for Health Statistics, the Bureau
of the Census, the Health Care Financing Administration, the
Social Security Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
the Indian Health Service, and other Federal departments and
agencies, as may be appropriate, statistical reports and studies
on the employment, self-employment, telecommuting, health,
income, and other demographic characteristics of individuals
with disabilities, including information on individuals with
disabilities who live in rural or inner-city settings, with particu-
lar attention given to underserved populations, and widely
disseminating such reports and studies to rehabilitation profes-
sionals, individuals with disabilities, the individuals’ represent-
atives, and others to assist in the planning, assessment, and
evaluation of vocational and other rehabilitation services for
individuals with disabilities;
‘‘(9) conducting research on consumer satisfaction with
vocational rehabilitation services for the purpose of identifying
effective rehabilitation programs and policies that promote the
independence of individuals with disabilities and achievement
of long-term vocational goals;
‘‘(10) conducting research to examine the relationship
between the provision of specific services and successful, sus-
tained employment outcomes, including employment outcomes
involving self-employment and telecommuting; and
‘‘(11) coordinating activities with the Attorney General
regarding the provision of information, training, or technical
assistance regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act of
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) to ensure consistency with the
plan for technical assistance required under section 506 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 12206).
‘‘(c)(1) The Director, acting through the Institute or one or
more entities funded by the Institute, shall provide for the develop-
ment and dissemination of models to address consumer-driven
information needs related to assistive technology devices and assist-
ive technology services.
‘‘(2) The development and dissemination of models may
include—
‘‘(A) convening groups of individuals with disabilities, fam-
ily members and advocates of such individuals, commercial
producers of assistive technology, and entities funded by the
Institute to develop, assess, and disseminate knowledge about
information needs related to assistive technology;
‘‘(B) identifying the types of information regarding assistive
technology devices and assistive technology services that
individuals with disabilities find especially useful;
‘‘(C) evaluating current models, and developing new models,
for transmitting the information described in subparagraph
(B) to consumers and to commercial producers of assistive tech-
nology; and
H. R. 1385—236
‘‘(D) disseminating through one or more entities funded
by the Institute, the models described in subparagraph (C)
and findings regarding the information described in subpara-
graph (B) to consumers and commercial producers of assistive
technology.
‘‘(d)(1) The Director of the Institute shall be appointed by
the Secretary. The Director shall be an individual with substantial
experience in rehabilitation and in research administration.
‘‘(2) The Director, subject to the approval of the President,
may appoint, for terms not to exceed three years, without regard
to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing appoint-
ment in the competitive service, and may compensate, without
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter
53 of such title relating to classification and General Schedule
pay rates, such technical and professional employees of the Institute
as the Director determines to be necessary to accomplish the func-
tions of the Institute and also appoint and compensate without
regard to such provisions, in a number not to exceed one-fifth
of the number of full-time, regular technical and professional
employees of the Institute.
‘‘(3) The Director may obtain the services of consultants, with-
out regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, governing
appointments in the competitive service.
‘‘(e) The Director, pursuant to regulations which the Secretary
shall prescribe, may establish and maintain fellowships with such
stipends and allowances, including travel and subsistence expenses
provided for under title 5, United States Code, as the Director
considers necessary to procure the assistance of highly qualified
research fellows, including individuals with disabilities, from the
United States and foreign countries.
‘‘(f )(1) The Director shall provide for scientific peer review
of all applications for financial assistance for research, training,
and demonstration projects over which the Director has authority.
The scientific peer review shall be conducted by individuals who
are not Federal employees, who are scientists or other experts
in the rehabilitation field (including the independent living field),
including knowledgeable individuals with disabilities, and the
individuals’ representatives, and who are competent to review
applications for the financial assistance.
‘‘(2) In providing for such scientific peer review, the Secretary
shall provide for training, as necessary and appropriate, to facilitate
the effective participation of those individuals selected to participate
in such review.
‘‘(g) Not less than 90 percent of the funds appropriated under
this title for any fiscal year shall be expended by the Director
to carry out activities under this title through grants, contracts,
or cooperative agreements. Up to 10 percent of the funds appro-
priated under this title for any fiscal year may be expended directly
for the purpose of carrying out the functions of the Director under
this section.
‘‘(h)(1) The Director shall—
‘‘(A) by October 1, 1998, and every fifth October 1 there-
after, prepare and publish in the Federal Register for public
comment a draft of a 5-year plan that outlines priorities for
rehabilitation research, demonstration projects, training, and
related activities and explains the basis for such priorities;
H. R. 1385—237
‘‘(B) by June 1, 1999, and every fifth June 1 thereafter,
after considering public comments, submit the plan in final
form to the appropriate committees of Congress;
‘‘(C) at appropriate intervals, prepare and submit revisions
in the plan to the appropriate committees of Congress; and
‘‘(D) annually prepare and submit progress reports on the
plan to the appropriate committees of Congress.
‘‘(2) Such plan shall—
‘‘(A) identify any covered activity that should be conducted
under this section and section 204 respecting the full inclusion
and integration into society of individuals with disabilities,
especially in the area of employment;
‘‘(B) determine the funding priorities for covered activities
to be conducted under this section and section 204;
‘‘(C) specify appropriate goals and timetables for covered
activities to be conducted under this section and section 204;
‘‘(D) be developed by the Director—
‘‘(i) after consultation with the Rehabilitation Research
Advisory Council established under section 205;
‘‘(ii) in coordination with the Commissioner;
‘‘(iii) after consultation with the National Council on
Disability established under title IV, the Secretary of Edu-
cation, officials responsible for the administration of the
Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights
Act (42 U.S.C. 6000 et seq.), and the Interagency Commit-
tee on Disability Research established under section 203;
and
‘‘(iv) after full consideration of the input of individuals
with disabilities and the individuals’ representatives,
organizations representing individuals with disabilities,
providers of services furnished under this Act, researchers
in the rehabilitation field, and any other persons or entities
the Director considers to be appropriate;
‘‘(E) specify plans for widespread dissemination of the
results of covered activities, in accessible formats, to rehabilita-
tion practitioners, individuals with disabilities, and the individ-
uals’ representatives; and
‘‘(F) specify plans for widespread dissemination of the
results of covered activities that concern individuals with
disabilities who are members of minority groups or of popu-
lations that are unserved or underserved by programs carried
out under this Act.
‘‘(i) In order to promote cooperation among Federal departments
and agencies conducting research programs, the Director shall con-
sult with the administrators of such programs, and with the Inter-
agency Committee established by section 203, regarding the design
of research projects conducted by such entities and the results
and applications of such research.
‘‘( j)(1) The Director shall take appropriate actions to provide
for a comprehensive and coordinated research program under this
title. In providing such a program, the Director may undertake
joint activities with other Federal entities engaged in research
and with appropriate private entities. Any Federal entity proposing
to establish any research project related to the purposes of this
Act shall consult, through the Interagency Committee established
by section 203, with the Director as Chairperson of such Committee