[Federal Register: August 29, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 166)]
[Notices]
[Page 51233-51235]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr29au05-108]
[[Page 51233]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Part V
Department of Education
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; National
Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research; Research Projects;
Notices
[[Page 51234]]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of final priority.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services announces a priority for the National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation Research's (NIDRR) Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP). This priority may be used for
competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2006 and later years. We take this
action to focus research attention on areas of national need. We intend
this priority to improve rehabilitation services and outcomes for
individuals with disabilities.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This priority is effective September 28, 2005.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lynn Medley, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6027, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-7338 or by e-mail:
lynn.medley@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may
call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
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 (Act). An
applicant for assistance under this program must demonstrate in its
application how it will address, in whole or in part, the needs of
individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds (34 CFR
350.40(a)). The approaches an applicant may take to meet this
requirement are found in 34 CFR 350.40(b). Additional information on
the DRRP program can be found at: http://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/res-program.html#DRRP
.
We published a notice of proposed priority (NPP) for this program
in the Federal Register on April 6, 2005 (70 FR 17426). We discussed
our rationale and the background for proposing this priority in the
NPP.
Analysis of Comments and Changes
In response to our invitation in the NPP, we received two comments.
An analysis of the comments and of any changes in the priority since
publication of the NPP follows. Generally, we do not address technical
and other minor changes and suggested changes we are not authorized to
make under the applicable statutory authority.
Comment: One commenter asked NIDRR to emphasize intervention
research that investigates the benefits of specific workplace
strategies that improve the employment outcomes of people with
disabilities.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees that intervention research is important
and is currently sponsoring employment Rehabilitation Research and
Training Centers that include intervention studies and the
investigation of the benefits of specific workplace strategies to
improve the employment outcomes of people with disabilities. NIDRR does
not believe that the current language in the priority prohibits
applicants from conducting intervention studies. However, the research
must focus on the demand-side perspective.
Change: None.
Comment: One commenter asked NIDRR to encourage applicants to
create a plan for how their research will reach critical stakeholders,
including employers.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees with the importance of reaching critical
stakeholders, and is revising the priority to include a requirement for
the grantee to have a plan for knowledge translation and dissemination.
In addition, NIDRR plans to support separate projects that focus
specifically on effective knowledge translation and dissemination
strategies. These projects will work with other NIDRR grantees,
including this one, to help improve outreach activities.
Change: We have revised the text of the priority to require that
the studies conducted include an effective plan for knowledge
translation and dissemination.
Comment: One commenter stated that the type of research proposed in
the notice of proposed priority, and particularly research that
includes employers as research subjects, is resource intensive and
asked NIDRR to consider allowing applicants to address only three of
the four required activities.
Discussion: This priority seeks to improve our understanding of
demand-side issues from a variety of perspectives. There are
significantly fewer studies on labor market demand-side issues
associated with the employment of individuals with disabilities in
comparison to studies on the supply-side of the labor market.
Therefore, each of the four issues identified in the priority is
critical to comprehensively addressing the demand-side perspective in
the employment of individuals with disabilities.
Change: None.
Comment: One commenter asked NIDRR to consider demographic
pressures and workforce trends as important factors in employment of
people with disabilities.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees that demographic pressures and workforce
trends are important factors for consideration in employment research.
The priority allows applicants the discretion to propose studies that
include relevant factors as they relate to the priority.
Change: None.
Comment: One commenter's response was directed to the listing of
eight critical issues and concerns identified in the background of the
priority, particularly items one through three: Changing structure of
the workforce and the impact of downsizing; increased use of on-call
workers, temporary help agencies, and independent contractors; and
rapid advances in technology requiring the need for highly educated,
highly skilled workers. The commenter characterized these issues as
macroeconomic concerns and suggested that the proposed priority
requirements dilute the focus of the demand-side research. Further, the
commenter recommended that NIDRR emphasize studies focused on local and
regional factors influencing employment.
Discussion: The priority allows applicants the discretion to
propose studies examining local and regional factors influencing
employment, as they relate to the priority. However, NIDRR has no basis
for requiring that all applicants focus on these factors in responding
to the priority. Additionally, we believe that examination of relevant
economic issues and associated employment concerns can improve our
understanding about employment outcomes. For this reason, we believe it
[[Page 51235]]
is important that the priority include studies addressing critical
disability employment issues, including a requirement that some aspect
of the priority deal with economic issues, as they relate to the
priority.
Change: None.
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 competitive priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that meets the
competitive 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
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over
other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
Note: NIDRR supports the goals of President Bush's New Freedom
Initiative (NFI). The NFI can be accessed on the Internet at the
following site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/newfreedom.
The final priority is in concert with NIDRR's proposed Long-Range
Plan (Plan) published in the Federal Register on July 27, 2005 (70 FR
43521). The Plan is comprehensive and integrates many issues relating
to disability and rehabilitation research topics. While applicants will
find many sections throughout the Plan that support potential research
to be conducted under the final priority, the specific reference is in
Part C, Chapter I, Section A Employment. The Plan can be accessed on
the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2005-3/072705d.html
.
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.
Priority
The Assistant Secretary establishes a priority for one DRRP, which
must focus its research on demand-side employment placement models.
Studies conducted under this priority must support rigorous,
empirically based research designed to develop or identify and evaluate
demand-side employment placement models, methods, and measures, and
include a plan for knowledge translation and dissemination.
To meet this priority, research activities and studies must
identify or develop, demonstrate, and evaluate methods, models, and
measures leading to the following:
(1) Psychometrically sound measures for determining employer-
focused employment needs;
(2) Types of employment interventions that effectively address
employer issues, including methods for increasing employer and business
entity participation in the development of strategies for improving
employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities;
(3) Analysis comparing the effectiveness of the demand-side model
and the supply-side model and identification of the predictors of
workforce participation for specific populations of individuals with
disabilities using both models; and
(4) Effective measures for evaluating the role of demand-side
models in relation to employment outcomes, employment data, individual
and systems level outcomes, and trends across workplace environments
and employment systems, including measures that involve macroeconomic,
legislative, or policy issues that potentially influence employment
outcomes.
Executive Order 12866
This NFP has been reviewed in accordance with Executive Order
12866. Under the terms of the order, we have assessed the potential
costs and benefits of this regulatory action.
The potential costs associated with the NFP are those resulting
from statutory requirements and those we have determined as necessary
for administering this program effectively and efficiently.
In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative
and qualitative--of this NFP, we have determined that the benefits of
the final priority justify the costs.
Summary of Potential Costs and Benefits
The potential costs associated with this final priority are minimal
while the benefits are significant. Grantees may anticipate costs
associated with completing the application process in terms of staff
time, copying, and mailing or delivery. The use of Grants.gov
technology reduces mailing and copying costs significantly.
The benefits of the DRRP Program have been well established over
the years in that similar projects have been completed successfully.
This regulatory action will generate new knowledge through the research
to be conducted under the final priority.
Another benefit of this final priority will be the establishment of
a new DRRP that supports the President's NFI and will support
improvements in the lives and potential employment outcomes of persons
with disabilities.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
Electronic Access to This Document
You may view 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://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S.
Government 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.gpoaccess.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(a).
Dated: August 23, 2005.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 05-17047 Filed 8-26-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P