[Federal Register: January 16, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 11)]
[Notices]
[Page 2403-2406]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16ja03-154]
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Part II
Department of Education
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Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Disability
Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program; Notice of Final
Priority and Notice Inviting Applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003;
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program;
Notice of Final Priority
AGENCY: National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of final priority.
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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services announces a final priority on Capacity
Building, Coordination, and Collaboration projects under the Disability
and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program of the National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). The
Assistant Secretary may use this priority for competitions in fiscal
year 2003 (FY) and later years. We take this action to focus research
attention on an identified national need. We intend this priority to
improve rehabilitation services and outcomes for individuals with
disabilities from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic
populations.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority is effective February 18, 2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3412, Switzer Building,
Washington, DC 20202-2645. Telephone: (202) 205-5880 or via the
Internet: donna.nangle@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you 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 under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Program
The purpose of the DRRP Program is to plan and conduct research,
demonstration projects, training, and related activities that help to
maximize the full inclusion and integration of individuals with
disabilities into society and to improve the effectiveness of services
authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (the Act).
Section 21
Section 21(b)(2)(A) of the Act authorizes NIDRR to make awards to
minority entities and Indian tribes to carry out activities authorized
under title II of the Act. A minority entity is defined as a
historically black college or university (a Part B institution, as
defined in section 322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as
amended), a Hispanic-serving institution of higher education, an
American Indian tribal college or university, or another institution of
higher education whose minority student enrollment is at least 50
percent. Consistent with section 21(b)(2)(A), eligibility is limited to
minority entities and Indian tribes.
New Freedom Initiative and the NIDRR Long-Range Plan
This priority reflects issues discussed in the New Freedom
Initiative (NFI) and NIDRR's Long-Range Plan (the Plan). The NFI can be
accessed on the Internet at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/freedominitiative/freedominiative.html
.
The Plan can be accessed on the Internet at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.gov/offices/OSERS/NIDRR/Products
.
Through the implementation of the NFI and the Plan, NIDRR seeks to:
(1) Improve the quality and utility of disability and rehabilitation
research; (2) foster an exchange of expertise, information, and
training to facilitate the advancement of knowledge and understanding
of the unique needs of traditionally underserved populations; (3)
determine best strategies and programs to improve rehabilitation
outcomes for underserved populations; (4) identify research gaps; (5)
identify mechanisms of integrating research and practice; and (6)
disseminate findings.
Analysis of Comments and Changes
There are no differences between the notice of proposed priority
(NPP) and this notice of final priority (NFP).
In response to our invitation in the NPP, three parties submitted
comments on the proposed priority. An analysis of the comments and of
any changes in the priorities since publication of the NPP follows.
Comment: One commenter suggested that issues of minority-focused
capacity building and rehabilitation research should be a shared
responsibility across all NIDRR funded projects and activities. The
commenter communicated that a more equitable sharing of this
responsibility will improve research outcomes and provide greater
educational opportunities for qualified minority students. It was
further suggested that a collaborative model proposed under the
priority for addressing underserved populations might be more effective
if research area four of the priority was made mandatory or the wording
in the first bullet following the proposed priorities was revised to
identify non-minority institutions specifically.
Discussion: NIDRR continues to encourage collaboration between
minority and non-minority entities across the NIDRR research agenda.
The suggested activities specified in the published priority emphasize
the need for applicants to propose and establish collaborative efforts
with minority and non-minority entities, especially partnerships among
minority entities and Indian Tribes for the purpose of capacity
building, and particularly with a focus on establishing partnerships
with non-minority entities. An applicant is required to demonstrate in
its application for funding how it will address the requirement to
collaborate. The peer review process will evaluate the merits of the
proposed approach in establishing such collaborative efforts.
Change: None.
Comment: One commenter welcomed approaches that would improve the
public rehabilitation system by increasing its capacity to address the
needs of all individuals with disabilities. The commenter suggested
that the availability of such approaches could assist in identifying
staff training needs and strategies for use in responding to these
needs.
Discussion: NIDRR intends that the proposed priority recognizes the
need for research focused on achieving improved understanding of the
needs of all individuals with disabilities, including individuals from
diverse racial and ethnic groups, cultures, and backgrounds. This DRRP
is being established for the purpose of fostering activities that will
improve service delivery, the availability of appropriate support
systems, training and dissemination of research information, and
facilitating collaborative partnerships that can ensure and enhance
capacity to address the needs of all individuals with disabilities.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter noted that drug and alcohol abuse, as well
as mental health issues, affect the Native American population
disproportionately in comparison to the non-Native population. It was
also suggested that when this factor is compounded with the special
issues of disability and the unavailability of local services, the
problem becomes severe. The commenter noted that increased assistance
is needed by way of services, input from the individual and tribe,
discussions by all parties involved, communication, and oversight.
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Discussion: The published priority does not preclude applicants
from investigating, evaluating, and demonstrating strategies that are
consistent with the suggestions of the commenter. The peer review
process will enable the merits of strategies proposed in an application
to be evaluated.
Change: None.
The background for the priority was published in the NPP.
Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in
which we choose to use this priority, we invite applications through
a notice in the Federal Register. When inviting applications we
designate the priority as absolute, competitive preference, or
invitational. The effect of each type of priority follows:
Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by either
(1) awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent to
which the application meets the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or
(2) selecting an application that meets the priority over an
application of comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are
particularly interested in applications that meet the invitational
priority. However, we do not give an application that meets the
priority a competitive or absolute preference over other applications
(34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Priority
This priority is intended to improve the quality and utility of
research related to individuals with disabilities from traditionally
underserved racial and ethnic populations and to enhance knowledge and
awareness of issues related to these populations. The priority will
achieve this goal by (1) building the capacity of researchers,
especially individuals from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic
populations, and (2) conducting disability research that examines the
unique needs and factors that influence rehabilitation outcomes for
individuals with disabilities from traditionally underserved racial and
ethnic populations.
Applicants must choose a minimum of three and up to a maximum of
five research areas below. Due to the need to focus research and
capacity-building activities on specific groups or topics, applicants
may target those populations appropriate to the activities that they
propose.
The DRRP research and capacity-building areas are:
(1) To investigate and evaluate disability and rehabilitation
outcomes for individuals with disabilities from traditionally
underserved racial and ethnic populations in State vocational
rehabilitation systems (VR), and assess between State and within State
differences in outcomes.
(2) To investigate and evaluate access to and acceptance rates for
VR services, types of services provided, and costs of rehabilitation
services for individuals with disabilities from traditionally
underserved racial and ethnic populations compared to non-minority
individuals.
(3) To investigate, evaluate, and develop, as needed, indices and
measures to assess the capacity of the disability and VR personnel
workforce to provide quality services to individuals with disabilities
from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic populations.
(4) To investigate, evaluate, and report activities that strengthen
disability-related research collaboration between minority entities and
non-minority entities, particularly collaboration to improve
rehabilitation services and outcomes for traditionally underserved
racial and ethnic populations.
(5) To investigate, develop as needed, and evaluate strategies for
strengthening resources and research capacity of minority entities and
Indian tribes, particularly the expertise and infrastructure
requirements that are needed to ensure the optimal participation of
minority entities and Indian tribes in disability and rehabilitation
research.
(6) To investigate, develop, and evaluate strategies, such as
cultural competency training, targeted recruitment efforts, and
incentives, to include and enhance retention of students and
investigators from traditionally underserved racial and ethnic
populations as rehabilitation researchers, administrators, and
educators.
(7) To investigate and evaluate the effect of persons from
traditionally underserved racial and ethnic populations participating
in disability and rehabilitation research activities, direct service
delivery, and training programs, and determine to what extent
participation assists to improve VR outcomes for underserved
populations.
The DRRP project will provide information leading to better
understanding of: (1) Factors that contribute to different VR outcomes
for traditionally underserved racial and ethnic populations compared to
non-minorities, (2) training needs and effective training strategies,
(3) effective approaches for improving collaboration between minority
entities and Indian tribes and other institutions, and (4) strategies
that strengthen the research infrastructure and capacity-building for
minority entities and Indian tribes.
In carrying out the purposes of the priority, the DRRP must:
[sbull] Through consultation with the NIDRR project officer,
coordinate and establish partnerships, as appropriate, with other
academic institutions and organizations that are relevant to the
project's proposed activities, including minority entities and Indian
tribes;
[sbull] Demonstrate use of culturally appropriate data collection,
evaluation, dissemination, training, and research methodologies and
significant knowledge of the needs of individuals with disabilities
from traditionally underserved populations;
[sbull] Develop, implement, and evaluate dissemination strategies
for research and capacity-building products developed by the project;
[sbull] Demonstrate appropriate multidisciplinary linkages;
[sbull] Develop and regularly update an online information
dissemination system and make materials readily available in alternate
formats;
[sbull] Conduct an annual evaluation of all activities undertaken
in support of capacity-building using formal measures and indicators;
[sbull] Provide expertise, consultation, and technical assistance
on capacity-building and cultural competence to individuals and
organizations seeking information; and
[sbull] Ensure an interdisciplinary outreach effort in conducting
research and capacity-building activities.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is not subject to Executive Order 12372 and the
regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may review this document, as well as all other Department of
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
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Government
[[Page 2406]]
Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the
Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.
Note: 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 on GPO access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/index.html
.
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.133A, Disability
Rehabilitation Research Project.)
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b).
Dated: January 13, 2003.
Robert H. Pasternack,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 03-1016 Filed 1-15-03; 8:45 am]
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