[Federal Register: April 18, 2001 (Volume 66, Number 75)]
[Notices]
[Page 20077-20080]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr18ap01-125]
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Part III
Department of Education
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National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Notice
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of a Proposed Funding Priority for Fiscal Years (FYs)
2001-2003 for a Rehabilitation Research Engineering Center.
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SUMMARY: We propose a funding priority under the Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Mobile Wireless Technologies for
Persons with Disabilities under the National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) for FYs 2001-2003. We take this
action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend
this priority to improve the rehabilitation services and outcomes for
individuals with disabilities.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before May 18, 2001.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning this proposed priority 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 this proposed priority.
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 this proposed
priority. 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 this priority in Room 3414, Switzer Building, 330 C
Street SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00
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 who needs
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public
rulemaking record for this proposed priority. 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
This proposed priority 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 (the Act),
as amended (29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764. Regulations governing this
program are found in 34 CFR part 350.
We will announce the final priority in a notice in the Federal
Register. We will determine the final priority 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 this proposed priority, 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 priority refers 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
We 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: RERC on Mobile Wireless Technologies for Persons
With Disabilities
Background
The information technology (IT) revolution is fundamentally
altering the way Americans work, purchase goods and services,
communicate, and play. Today, one can access information using any
number of electronic devices and networks, including computers
connected to ``plain old telephone lines'' (POTS), televisions
connected to cable or digital satellite networks, cellular telephones,
or wireless hand-
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held personal digital assistant devices. Unlike earlier information
technologies (i.e., print, radio, telephone, television and telefax),
mobile communications networks, the Internet and the World Wide Web did
not enter into our daily lives gradually--rather, they exploded onto
the scene. While the economic impact of this transformation has not
been fully evaluated at either the individual or systems level, it is
significant.
The proliferation of information technologies, including wireless
technologies, does not guarantee accessibility for persons with
disabilities. According to a recent study, only 23.9% of people with
disabilities have access to a computer at home compared to just over
half (51.7%) of their non-disabled counterparts. The gap in Internet
use is even more striking: roughly 10% of people with disabilities
connect to the Internet compared to almost 40% of those without
disabilities. Elderly people with disabilities are even less likely to
make use of these technologies. Among those 65 years of age or older,
only 10% of individuals with disabilities have computers at home and,
of those, only 2.2% use the Internet (Kaye, H.S., ``Computer and
Internet Use Among People with Disabilities,'' Disability Statistics
Report (14), U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on
Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Washington, DC, 1999).
Chapter 5 of NIDRR's Long-Range Plan (64 FR 45768) discusses the
importance of making information technology accessible to persons with
disabilities of all ages, and includes a discussion of universal access
and the need for continued research and development in this area.
Unfortunately, while advances in computers and information technologies
create new opportunities for some individuals, they create barriers for
others. The proliferation of electronic visual and tactile displays
(i.e., LCD, LED, and touch screens) on home appliances, business
equipment, and public access terminals also poses a major problem for
individuals with sensory and motor deficits unless alternative methods
for accessing and using these devices are made available. Conversely,
audio cues (beeps) cannot convey information to individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing. Of particular concern is that an increasing
number of functions are being integrated onto single chips or
motherboards, obviating the need for third party accessories such as
sound cards or voice input devices. This makes changes or modifications
to these built-in features difficult or even impossible.
Cellular communications are wireless communications that occur in
small ``cells'' or geographic areas on land. When one talks on a
cellular phone their voice is transmitted to a nearby tower (usually
within ten miles). Cellular phone calls are then passed from tower to
tower as cellular users move from one geographic area to the next. To
manage all the communications, the cellular phones and towers must
``speak'' the same language. The Internet and World Wide Web
revolutions began in the 1990's and, in less than a decade, have been
responsible for reshaping the way information is accessed and the way
commerce is conducted (Hjelm, J., Designing Wireless Information
Services, Wiley Computer Publishing, New York, pg. 2, 2000).
Technologies that launched the digital revolution are undergoing
rapid changes, resulting in a new generation of mobile information
systems. The Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) was developed in 1997
by numerous wireless companies in an attempt to make a common interface
for wireless devices to access the Internet (Hjelm, J., op cit., pg.
293, 2000). This standard is currently being implemented into cellular
phones and personal digital assistants and includes the technology to
transmit data back and forth using ``micro-browsers.'' Micro-browsers
are analogous to Internet browsers used on personal computers but have
far fewer features so only the most relevant information is
communicated using WAP (Mock, D.L., ``Wireless 101: A Guide to Wireless
Investing for Newbies and non-Techies,'' Rev. 2, pgs. 13-14, July,
2000). A new technology that is poised to revolutionize the IT industry
is the Bluetooth Protocol Architecture, the name given to a new short-
range radio frequency technology that could ultimately replace data
wire connections on just about any electronic device. Bluetooth
technologies will enable electronic devices within about 30 feet of
each other to communicate over a high-speed wireless connection and
could transcend any environment (Hjelm, J., op cit., pg. 292, 2000).
The future generation of wireless technologies, commonly referred
to as ``third generation'' systems, will ultimately have the capacity
to transmit data, text, voice, and graphics between terminals that may
be fixed or moving, with bandwidth that varies according to the instant
demand and is charged for on that basis (Shipley, T. and Gill, J.,
``Inclusive Design of Wireless Systems,'' Royal National Institute for
the Blind, London, England, pg. 27, 2000). Third generation systems
will provide Internet access as well as point-to-point communication,
and will ultimately merge with other wireless technologies, such as
Bluetooth (Ibid).
The ubiquitous nature of mobile wireless communications brings with
it a host of opportunities as well as challenges. For example, a
cellular telephone cannot present information in the same way that a
laptop or desktop can. Furthermore, different environments require
different types of input and output. It is difficult to use a keyboard
when walking, difficult and even dangerous to use a device that
requires visual attention when driving, and devices that require speech
input or output are not practical in noisy environments.
People with disabilities should be able to benefit from the
evolving digital revolution on equal terms, freed from the barriers of
inaccessible technology (Ibid, pg. 27). This will happen only if the
new wave of wireless communications systems are designed to accommodate
a broad range of abilities among users (Ibid, pg. 2). Without an
inclusive approach to design, large segments of this target population
will find themselves precluded from accessing and participating in the
new information driven society (Ibid). The infrastructure to support
the new era of wireless technologies will be complex and expensive, and
because of this there will be reluctance to make changes once systems
are operational. Therefore, it is imperative that the design of both
systems and equipment be considered carefully at the outset of
development.
Further, there is a critical shortage of engineers and product
designers who are capable of providing expertise to developers and
manufacturers about incorporating accessible and universal design
features into their IT products. Achieving this goal will require
product designers and IT experts to collaborate more closely with
clinicians, service providers, and consumers to identify potential
applications of new telecommunications devices and systems that support
independent living, employment, and community integration. Finally,
more individuals need to be trained to educate consumers, customer
service professionals, technical writers, web developers, marketers,
and other IT related professionals about accessible and usable
information technologies.
NIDRR currently funds RERCs on Information Technology Access and
Telecommunications Access. The RERC on Mobile Wireless Technologies for
Persons with Disabilities will be required to coordinate with these two
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RERCs on relevant policy and regulatory activities and other activities
of mutual interest.
Priority: RERC on Mobile Wireless Technologies for Persons With
Disabilities
We propose to establish an RERC on mobile wireless technologies to
investigate promising applications of, and facilitate equitable access
to, future generations of mobile wireless technologies for individuals
with disabilities of all ages and to expand research and development
capacity within this subject area. The RERC must:
(a) Investigate, develop, and evaluate technological solutions in
collaboration with industry to promote universal access and usability
in future generations of mobile wireless technologies;
(b) Investigate, develop, and evaluate applications of mobile
wireless technologies that could benefit persons with disabilities in
independent living, employment, and community integration such as
healthcare monitoring, environmental control, emergency location
signaling devices, scheduling maintenance, mobile communications, etc.;
(c) Investigate, develop, and evaluate innovative and flexible
multi-modal interface methods for accessing and using future
generations of mobile wireless technologies such as home appliances,
mobile communication systems and portable information terminals, office
equipment, health-monitoring devices, and public access terminals;
(d) Identify, implement, and evaluate, in collaboration with the
wireless IT industry, professional IT associations, and institutions of
higher education, innovative approaches to expand capacity in
accessible IT studies including design, research and development;
(e) Monitor trends and evolving product concepts that represent and
signify future directions for mobile wireless technologies; and
(f) Provide technical assistance to public and private
organizations responsible for developing policies, guidelines and
standards that affect the accessibility of mobile wireless technologies
and systems that are manufactured and implemented.
In addition to the activities proposed by the applicant to carry
out these purposes, the RERC must:
Collaborate with industry, industrial consortia, and
professional and trade associations on all activities;
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 disability organizations, persons with
disabilities, technology service providers, businesses, manufacturers,
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 a state-of-the-science conference on accessible
information technologies in the third year of the grant cycle and
publish a comprehensive report on the final outcomes of the conference
in the fourth year of the grant cycle; and
Coordinate on research projects of mutual interest with
relevant NIDRR-funded projects such as the RERCs on Information
Technology Access and Telecommunications Access and the Information
Technology Technical Assistance and Training Center, as identified
through consultation with the NIDRR project officer.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(3).
Electronic Access to This Document: You may view this document, as
well as all other Department of Education documents published in the
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Note: The official version of this document is published in the
Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of
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available on GPO Access at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/
index.html
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.133E,
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center Program)
Dated: April 12, 2001.
Francis V. Corrigan,
Deputy Director, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research.
[FR Doc. 01-9546 Filed 4-17-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-U