[Federal Register: April 10, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 18687-18692]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr10ap01-137]
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Part II
Department of Education
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National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Proposed
Funding Priorities for FY 2001-2003; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research;
Proposed Funding Priorities for FY 2001-2003
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of proposed funding priorities for Fiscal Years (FY)
2001-2003 for two rehabilitation engineering research centers.
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SUMMARY: We propose funding priorities for one Rehabilitation and
Engineering Research Program (RERC) on Technology for Successful Aging
and one RERC on Transportation Safety under the National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for FY 2001-2003. 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 10, 2001.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning these proposed priorities should be
addressed to Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue, S.W., room 3414, Switzer Building, Washington, D.C. 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, D.C., 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)(4)). 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).
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers Program
The authority for RERCs is contained in section 204(b)(3) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 764(b)(3)). The
Assistant Secretary may make awards for up to 60 months through grants
or cooperative agreements to public and private agencies and
organizations, including institutions of higher education, Indian
tribes, and tribal organizations, to conduct research, demonstration,
and training activities regarding rehabilitation technology in order to
enhance opportunities for meeting the needs of, and addressing the
barriers confronted by, individuals with disabilities in all aspects of
their lives. An RERC must be operated by or in collaboration with an
institution of higher education or a nonprofit organization.
Description of Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers
RERCs carry out research or demonstration activities by:
(a) Developing and disseminating innovative methods of applying
advanced technology, scientific achievement, and psychological and
social knowledge to (1) solve rehabilitation problems and remove
environmental barriers, and (2) study new or emerging technologies,
products, or environments;
(b) Demonstrating and disseminating (1) innovative models for the
delivery of cost-effective rehabilitation technology services to rural
and urban areas, and (2) other scientific research to assist in meeting
the employment and independent living needs of individuals with severe
disabilities; or
(c) Facilitating service delivery systems change through (1) the
development, evaluation, and dissemination of consumer-responsive and
individual and family-centered innovative models for the delivery to
both rural and urban areas of innovative cost-effective rehabilitation
technology services, and (2) Other scientific research to assist in
meeting the employment and independent needs of individuals with severe
disabilities.
Each RERC must provide training opportunities to individuals,
including individuals with disabilities, to become researchers of
rehabilitation technology and practitioners of rehabilitation
technology in conjunction with institutions of higher education and
nonprofit organizations.
Proposed Priority 1: RERC on Technology for Successful Aging
Background
Americans are living longer, and because of this demographic
revolution the landscape of disability is also changing. Since 1900,
average life expectancy has increased dramatically
[[Page 18689]]
from less than 50 years of age to approximately 76 years, and
centenarians now represent the fastest growing age group in the United
States (Bureau of the Census, ``Current Population Reports,'' pgs. 70-
73, 1993). During this same time period, the percentage of Americans
who are 65 years or older has more than tripled (from 4.1% in 1900 to
12.7% in 1999) and the actual number increased eleven times from 3.1
million to 34.5 million. This number is expected to double by the year
2030 (Administration on Aging, ``Profile of Older Americans, 2000,'':
http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/aoa/stats/profile/).
In 1994-1995 more than half of those 65 and older (52.5%) reported
having at least one disability and it is estimated that one-third of
this population has a severe disability. Over 4.4 million (14%) have
difficulty in carrying out activities of daily living (ADLs), which
includes bathing, dressing, eating, and getting around the house, and
6.5 million (21%) reported difficulty in carrying out instrumental
activities of daily living (IADLs) such as preparing of meals,
shopping, managing money, using the telephone, doing housework, and
taking medication. However, despite the increased risks of disability
associated with aging, ninety-five percent of older Americans choose to
remain in their own homes, use public services and function
independently as they age (Current Population Reports, ``Americans with
Disabilities, 1994-1995,'' http://www.census.gov/main/cprs.html).
Although there are many similarities between younger and older
persons with disabilities (e.g., the goal of independent living), there
are also important differences. Younger persons with disabilities are
much more likely to experience impairment or disability in only one
area (e.g., cognitive, hearing, vision, or mobility), whereas older
persons tend to have multiple chronic conditions, presenting a mix of
symptoms, impairments, and functional limitations. Older persons with
disabilities also differ from their younger counterparts in that they
are predominantly female, have lower income, and have a smaller network
of social support.
As the baby boomer generation ages, the challenge for policymakers
and industry is to fully leverage advances in information,
communications, sensors, advanced materials, lighting, and many other
technologies to optimize existing public and private investments and to
create new environments that respond to an aging society's needs
(Coughlin, J.F., ``Technology Needs of Aging Boomers,'' Issues in
Science and Technology Online: http://bob.nap.edu/issues/16.1/
coughlin.htm, pg. 5, 1999). There is a need for an integrated
infrastructure for independent aging that should include a safe home, a
productive workplace, personal communications, and lifelong
transportation.
The NIDRR Long-Range Plan suggests that aging of the disabled
population in conjunction with quality of life issues dictates a
particular focus on prevention and alleviation of secondary
disabilities and coexisting conditions and on health maintenance over
the lifespan. Research in this area must focus on the development and
evaluation of environmental options in the built environment and the
communications environment, including such approaches as universal
design, modular design, and assistive technology that enable
individuals with disabilities and society to select the most
appropriate means to accommodate or alleviate limitations (NIDRR, Long-
Range Plan: 1999-2003, pg. 49).
Home environmental interventions and assistive and universally
designed technologies have the potential to increase independence for
community-based older persons with disabilities. A new generation of
home-based monitoring and communication technologies could enable
caregivers at any distance to monitor and respond to the needs of older
friends, family, residents, and patients. Systems that make full use of
the existing telecommunications infrastructure could be used to ensure
that medicine has been taken, that physical functions are normal, and
that minor symptoms are not indicators of a larger problem. They could
provide early identification of problems that, if left untreated, may
result in hospitalization for the individual and higher health care
costs to society (Coughlin, J.F., op cit., pg. 7, 1999).
The fact that most older adults choose to remain in their own homes
as they age is a cost effective option from a public policy perspective
provided that the home can be used as a platform to ensure overall
wellness and community integration. For example, introduction of a new
generation of appliances, health monitors, and related devices that can
safely support independence and remote caregiving could make the home a
viable alternative to longterm care for many older adults. Research
should go beyond questions of design and physical accessibility to the
development of an integrated home that is attractive to us when we are
younger and supportive of us as we age (Coughlin, J.F., op cit., pg. 6,
1999).
In the emerging, evolving field of assistive technology, there are
gaps in the research. This is particularly true for older adults with
disabilities. To create enabling home environments, research is needed
on assistive and universally designed technologies and environmental
interventions that are safe, affordable, support independence and
social participation, and involve the integration of information
technology and ergonomic principles. As part of achieving this goal,
there is a need to develop appropriate devices that unobtrusively
monitor key needs (i.e., taking medications, eating, and drinking), as
well as critical events (i.e., falls or stove left on). There is also a
need for research to determine the most effective ways to inform
professionals, families, and consumers about new and emerging assistive
and universally designed technologies, the best ways to use them, and
ways to pay for them.
Another important area relates to the needs of older persons with
cognitive impairments. This population presents the greatest challenge
to creating enabling environments. According to recent findings,
individuals with cognitive impairment use the fewest numbers of
assistive devices but could benefit from the development of ``smart''
environments--devices that anticipate needs, suggest (or actually
provide) alternatives, and limit the amount of sensory input and/or
decision making required (Mann, W., Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation
8(2), pgs. 35-52, 1993).
Proposed Priority 1: RERC on Technology for Successful Aging
We propose to establish an RERC on technologies for successful
aging that will focus on technological solutions to promote the health,
safety, independence, active engagement and quality of life of older
persons with disabilities. The RERC must:
(a) Identify, assess, and evaluate current and emerging needs, and
barriers to meeting those needs, for home-based monitoring and
communication technologies that promote heath, independence, and active
engagement of older persons with disabilities in the community and with
family and friends;
(b) Investigate, develop, and evaluate home-based monitoring and
communication technologies to promote health independence, and active
engagement of older persons with disabilities;
(c) Investigate, develop, and evaluate technologies that can be
used to create
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``smart'' environments that anticipate needs, suggest (or actually
provide) alternatives, and limit the amount of sensory input and/or
decision making required of older persons with multiple types of
impairments, including sensory, mobility, and cognitive;
(d) Identify, develop and evaluate strategies and training
materials to promote knowledge about new and existing technologies for
use by caregivers, home health providers, case managers and by older
persons with disabilities; and
(e) Develop and explore various strategies for strengthening
partnerships with industry to facilitate the development of new
technologies and applications that are appropriate for use by older
persons with multiple types of impairments and functional capabilities.
In addition to activities proposed by the applicant to carry out
these purposes, the RERC must:
Develop and implement in the first year of the grant, and
in consultation with the NIDRR-funded National Center for the
Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR), a plan to disseminate the
RERC's research results to all relevant target audiences including, but
not limited to, clinicians, engineers, manufacturers, service
providers, older persons with disabilities, families, disability
organizations, technology service providers, case managers, businesses,
and appropriate journals;
Develop and implement in the first year of the grant, and
in consultation with the NIDRR-funded RERC on Technology Transfer, a
utilization plan for ensuring that all new and improved technologies
developed by this RERC are successfully transferred to the marketplace;
Conduct in the third year of the grant a state-of-the-
science conference on home-based monitoring and communication
technologies to promote the health, independence, and active engagement
of older persons with disabilities and publish a comprehensive report
on the final outcomes of the conference in the fourth year of the
grant; and * Collaborate on research projects of mutual interest with
NIDRR-funded projects, such as the RERCs on Universal Design and the
Built Environment, Mobile Wireless Technologies, Information Technology
Access, and Telecommunications Access and the RRTC on Aging with a
Disability, as identified through consultation with the NIDRR project
officer.
Proposed Priority 2: RERC on Transportation Safety
Background
Americans live in a very mobile society where access to, and use
of, public and private transportation services is essential to daily
living. There are roughly 1.7 million Americans living outside of
institutions who use wheelchairs and scooters (Kaye, H.S., Kang, T.,
and LaPlante, M.P., ``Mobility Device Use in the United States,''
Disability Statistics Report, (14), Washington, DC: U.S. Department of
Education, NIDRR, June, 2000), including those who rely heavily on
public and private transportation services to commute to work and
school, participate in recreational activities, and carry out daily
activities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
requires that children with disabilities, including those who use
wheelchairs, must be transported safely to educational settings. The
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires that all public
and private transportation systems, including trains, buses, and
subways be accessible to persons with disabilities, including those who
use wheelchairs. (The ADA does not address air transportation and
school buses.) However, in a recent report eighty-two percent of
wheelchair users stated they have difficulty accessing their local
public transportation system (Kaye, H.S., Kang, T., and LaPlante, M.P.,
``Mobility Device Use in the United States.'' Disability Statistics
Report, (14), Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, NIDRR,
June, 2000).
Many wheelchair users are not capable of transferring into a
vehicle seat and instead are required to travel seated while in their
wheelchairs. However, most wheelchairs are not designed to function as
vehicle seats, thus putting wheelchair-seated travelers at greater risk
of injury compared to those who sit in standard vehicle seats
(Bertocci, G.E., et al., ``Computer Simulation and Sled Test Validation
of a Powerbase Wheelchair and Occupant Subjected to Frontal Crash
Conditions,'' IEEE Transactions on Rehabilitation Engineering, Vol. 7,
No. 2, pg. 234, June, 1999). Providing effective occupant protection in
a motor vehicle is a multifaceted problem that involves the vehicle
seat, how the seat is anchored to the vehicle, and an occupant
restraint system (seatbelts, airbags, etc). Manufacturers of motor
vehicle seats are required to perform extensive testing to ensure that
vehicle seating systems are designed and constructed to provide support
for the occupant under crash conditions (Department of Transportation,
U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, ``Federal Motor Vehicle
Safety Standards Seating Systems,'' U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, DC, 49 CFR 571.207). However, wheelchairs used as motor
vehicle seats are not necessarily designed for such use and must rely
upon after-market products to secure or anchor the wheelchair to the
vehicle. Unfortunately, tie-down systems are not afforded the same
scrutiny as vehicle seating systems thereby increasing the likelihood
that the tie-down systems could fail and the wheelchair and its
occupant could become a projectile in crash settings.
Laboratory research has dramatically demonstrated the potential
danger for wheelchair riders not adequately secured using wheelchair
tie-down and restraint systems (WTORS) during vehicle collisions
(Benson, J.B. and Schneider, L.W., ``Improving the crashworthiness of
restraints for handicapped children,'' In: Advances in belt restraint
systems, design, performance, and usage: Society of Automobile
Engineers Technical Paper #840528, Warrandale, PA., pgs. 389-404.
1984). Although there has been an increased awareness about wheelchair
rider safety, there is a paucity of information regarding the risk to
wheelchair riders while riding in motor vehicles. In an effort to
better characterize wheelchair rider risk, an analysis of motor vehicle
accident data for the general public was conducted. According to Shaw,
the most readily accessible and quantifiable information regarding
vehicle accidents involving onboard wheelchairs was found in the
National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database that is
maintained by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). CPSC staff
collect information from a sample of 95 (out of an estimated 6,000)
hospitals nationwide that are equipped to accommodate emergency visits.
Based upon data collected from January 1988 through September 1996, an
estimated 1,320 wheelchair riders were injured as a result of vehicle
accidents (Shaw, G., ``Wheelchair rider risk in motor vehicles: A
technical note,'' Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development,
Vol. 37, No. 1, Pgs. 89-100, January/February, 2000).
Similar results were found in a different study that looked at
NEISS data from 1986 to 1990. In that study, an estimated 2,200
wheelchair riders were injured and the author concluded that ``improper
securement accidents generally occur when the vehicle stops
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too quickly or makes a sharp turn.'' Furthermore, the author could only
find the record of one fatality between 1973 and 1991 that resulted
from an occupant falling from the wheelchair due to a sudden stop
(Richardson, H.A., ``Wheelchair occupants injured in motor vehicle-
related accidents,'' U.S. Department of Transportation National Center
for Statistics and Analysis, Mathematical Analysis Division,
Washington, DC, 1991).
Both studies expressed the need for caution when using NEISS data
to define wheelchair rider injury risk. Although the NEISS data source
provides a perspective regarding the approximate number of incidents
and insight as to the kinds of injury-producing situations, it does not
provide sufficient specific detail such as a consistent reporting and
classification of vehicle type and size (i.e., large, heavy vehicles
versus small, lighter vehicles), the WTORS used, and the death and
injury rate per unit of exposure. This information is needed to
establish the risk and to evaluate the efficiency of risk-reduction
efforts (Shaw, G., op cit., 2000).
Voluntary standards have been developed to establish general design
and performance requirements for wheelchairs intended to also be used
as a vehicle seat and for WTORS. The American National Standards
Institute/Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (ANSI/
RESNA) wheelchair standard (hereafter referred to ANSI/RESNA WC-19)
provides wheelchair manufacturers with design and testing guidelines
under frontal impact conditions for wheelchairs intended to be used as
seats in motor vehicles (American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/
Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA), ``WC/
Volume 1, Section 19: Wheelchairs used as seats in motor vehicles,''
RESNA standard, Arlington, VA: RESNA, 2000). Similarly, a standard
developed by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE J2249) provides
guidance for the installation and usage of WTORS (SAE, ``SAE J2249:
Wheelchair tie-downs and occupant restraints systems for use in motor
vehicles,'' Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), 1996).
Although these voluntary standards address the safety needs of
wheelchair-seated travelers, there is still much that needs to be
accomplished. For instance, the ANSI/RESNA WC-19 standards are used to
assess the crashworthiness of complete wheelchair systems through a
variety of tests including dynamic frontal impact testing. However,
there are no requirements to test the crashworthiness of wheelchair
systems under varying impact directions, such as side or rear impact
crashes. Studies of both the biomechanics and kinematics of occupants
and wheelchairs subjected to side and rear impact crashes could lead to
a better understanding of injury risk for wheelchair-seated occupants
under these circumstances and improved design criteria and safety
standards.
The SAE J2249 standards recommend using four-point, strap-type
wheelchair tie-downs for securing wheelchairs to a vehicle. Devices
such as these have been used for some time and are effective if the
chair is designed to accommodate the strains and is secured properly.
However, strap-type tie-downs are cumbersome and time-consuming,
warranting the need for development of wheelchair tie-downs that are
both safe and easy to operate.
Finally, it is not uncommon for rehabilitation technology
professionals to order a wheelchair frame or base from one supplier and
add to it a separate seating system or other peripheral device, such as
a ventilator, that has been purchased from another supplier. Despite an
effort to evaluate the crashworthiness of a wheelchair system using the
ANSI/RESNA WC-19 standards, the common practice of adding after-market
or customized equipment invalidates the test results of a wheelchair
tested with originally manufactured components. Subsequently, the
after-market or customized equipment are not subjected to the same
dynamic impact testing used on the original wheelchair system to
evaluate its ability to withstand crash-level forces (Van Roosmalen,
L., et al., ``Proposed Test Method for and Evaluation of Wheelchair
Seating System (WCSS) Crashworthiness,'' Journal of Rehabilitation
Research and Development, Vol. 37, No. 5, Pgs. 543-553, September/
October, 2000).
Perhaps one of the most successful safety devices introduced by the
automobile industry is the safety belt, or occupant restraint system.
It is estimated that safety belts save 9,500 lives every year (National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration, ``America's Experience with Seat
Belt and Child Seat Use,'' January 2, 2001: www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/
injury/airbags/presbelt/america_seatbelt.html) and many States now make
it mandatory for occupants riding in private vehicles to wear safety
belts. Traditional vehicle seating systems protect their occupants
through properly positioned occupant restraint systems and crashworthy
seat design (Department of Transportation, U.S. National Center for
Health Statistics, ``Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards Seating
Systems,'' U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 49 CFR
571.207). Unfortunately, individuals who must remain seated in their
wheelchairs while traveling in motor vehicles are unable to benefit
from traditional seating systems. According to the SAE J2249 standards,
the current practice for wheelchair-seated occupant pelvic restraints
(lap belts) is to anchor the belts to the vehicle floor or to rear
wheelchair tie-downs. Current practice for the shoulder restraint is to
anchor one end of the belt on the vehicle wall or ceiling and the lower
end to the pelvic restraint belt (Society of Automotive Engineers,
``SAE J2249: Wheelchair tie-downs and occupant restraints (WTORS) for
use in motor vehicles,'' 1996). ANSI/RESNA WC-19 recommends an
additional wheelchair integrated pelvic restraint on wheelchairs that
are used in motor vehicles (American National Standards Institute
(ANSI)/Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA),
``WC/Volume 1, Section 19: Wheelchairs used as seats in motor
vehicles,'' RESNA Standard, Arlington, VA: RESNA, 2000). However, there
are numerous problems associated with anchoring vehicle-mounted
occupant restraint systems for wheelchair-seated occupants including,
but not limited to, the limited number of anchoring options due to
window locations, seating positions, and the vehicle's structural
integrity. In addition, all users, regardless of wheelchair models,
seat heights, etc., are required to use the same fixed occupant
restraint systems that have the potential of compromising safety belt
fit, comfort, and occupant safety.
Proposed Priority 2: RERC on Transportation Safety
We propose to establish an RERC on transportation to improve the
safety of wheelchair users who remain seated in their wheelchairs while
using public and private transportation services and to investigate new
wheelchair securement technologies that might enable wheelchair users
to independently secure and release the wheelchair without the need for
a second person. The RERC must:
(a) Investigate and report on the incidence, extent, and nature of
injury of wheelchair riders due to motor vehicle accidents, making a
distinction between vehicle size and weight, and include
recommendations for ways to minimize injury;
[[Page 18692]]
(b) Investigate and report on safety issues, including both
kinematics and biomechanics, related to wheelchair-seated occupants
subjected to side and rear impact crashes;
(c) Investigate, develop and evaluate universal securement
interfaces that would enable wheelchair and scooter users to safely and
independently secure their wheelchairs and scooters to motor vehicles;
(d) Investigate and compare methods for dynamically testing the
crashworthiness of after-market and customized wheelchair seating
systems and peripheral devices and, if found to be viable, develop
strategies for integrating these methods into existing voluntary
wheelchair performance standards;
(e) Investigate, develop, and evaluate integrated occupant
restraint systems that are independent of the vehicle and easy for
wheelchair-seated occupants to operate; and
(f) Investigate the use of new or existing voluntary performance
standards that would address problems associated with wheelchair-seated
occupants subjected to side and rear impact crashes and potential
benefits of using integrated occupant restraint systems, universal
securement interfaces, and after-market and customized wheelchair
seating systems and peripheral devices.
In addition to the activities proposed by the applicant to carry
out the purposes, the RERC must:
Develop and implement in the first year of the grant, and
in consultation with the NIDRR-funded National Center for the
Dissemination of Disability Research (NCDDR), a plan to disseminate the
RERC's research results to clinicians, engineers, manufacturers,
persons with disabilities, disability organizations, technology service
providers, businesses, and appropriate journals;
Develop and implement in the first year, and in
consultation with the NIDRR-funded RERC on Technology Transfer, a
utilization plan for ensuring that all new and improved technologies
developed by this RERC are successfully transferred to the marketplace;
Conduct in the third year of the grant a state-of-the-
science conference on wheelchair transportation and publish a
comprehensive report on the final outcomes of the conference in the
fourth year of the grant;
Collaborate on research projects of mutual interest with
other projects, such as the NIDRR-funded RERC on Wheeled Mobility and
the Federal Transit Administration-funded Project Action, as identified
through consultation with the NIDRR project officer; and
Collaborate with relevant Federal agencies responsible for
the administration of public laws that address access to and usability
of public and private transportation for individuals with disabilities
including, but not limited to, the U.S. Department of Transportation's
Federal Transit Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration, and other relevant Federal agencies identified by the
NIDRR project officer.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(4).
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(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.133E,
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center Program)
Dated: April 4, 2001.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Executive Administrator for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 01-8722 Filed 4-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P