National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--Disability Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs); Funding Priority; Notice of final priority [OSERS]

FR Doc E6-18192
[Federal Register: October 31, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 210)]
[Notices]
[Page 64077-64080]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr31oc06-124]

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Part VI

Department of Education

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National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program;
Notices

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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research--
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program--
Disability Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs); Funding Priority

AGENCY: 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 for the Disability
and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program administered
by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR). Specifically, this notice announces a priority for a DRRP on
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR): Transition Services that Lead to
Competitive Employment Outcomes for Transition-Age Individuals With
Blindness or Other Visual Impairments. The Assistant Secretary may use
this priority for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2007 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 November 30, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 6030, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-7462 or via Internet:
donna.nangle@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 to develop
methods, procedures, and rehabilitation technology that maximize the
full inclusion and integration into society, employment, independent
living, family support, and economic and social self-sufficiency of
individuals with disabilities, especially individuals with the most
severe disabilities, and to improve the effectiveness of services
authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. DRRPs
carry out one or more of the following types of activities, as
specified and defined in 34 CFR 350.13 through 350.19: Research,
development, demonstration, training, dissemination, utilization, and
technical assistance.
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). In addition, NIDRR intends
to require all DRRP applicants to meet the requirements of the General
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRP) Requirements
priority that it published in a notice of final priorities in the
Federal Register on April 28, 2006 (71 FR 25472).
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 priorities (NPP) for NIDRR's
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program,
including the DRRP program, in the Federal Register on June 7, 2006 (71
FR 32938). The NPP included a background statement that described our
rationale for the priority proposed in that notice.
There are no differences between the NPP and this notice of final
priority (NFP).

Analysis of Comments and Changes

In response to our invitation in the NPP, five parties submitted
comments on the proposed priority addressed in this NFP. An analysis of
the comments follows.
Generally, we do not address technical and other minor changes, or
suggested changes the law does not authorize us to make under the
applicable statutory authority. In addition, we do not address general
comments that raised concerns not directly related to the proposed
priority.
Comment: Four commenters expressed concern that the duration and
the level of funding for the proposed DRRP may not be adequate to
address the research activities proposed under the priority.
Discussion: Although the funding level and the budget period were
not addressed in the NPP, and are not subject to public comment, the
Department is confident that the proposed funding level and budget
period are reasonable.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter commended the U.S. Department of Education
on its succinct synthesis of the problem, as well as its establishment
of a priority for a DRRP that would research transition-age individuals
with visual impairments. The commenter also suggested that the
following additional issues should be considered for research and
examination under the final priority: (1) The vital role of career
education in the academic preparation of youths with visual
disabilities; (2) The factors leading to disparities between
postsecondary achievement and low employment outcomes of youth and
young adults with blindness and other visual impairments; (3) The
barriers to collaboration among service providers serving youth and
young adults with blindness and other visual impairments and the impact
of this disconnect on successful transition outcomes; (4) The factors
contributing to successful adult outcomes, including orientation and
mobility skills, socialization and independent living skills, and
training in the use of materials in appropriate alternate media, such
as Braille and new accessible information technologies; (5) The role of
parents' attitudes and involvement in the transition process; and (6)
Job-seeking strategies and the development of competitive employment
skills.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees with the commenter that each of the above
issues is relevant to the scope of work of the proposed DRRP. Nothing
in the proposed priority would preclude an applicant from proposing
research that examines any or all of the issues listed by the
commenter. However, NIDRR does not believe that it is appropriate to
require all applicants to focus their research on one or all of these
issues. The peer reviewers will assess the merits of research proposals
submitted.
Changes: 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,

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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 preference priority (34 CFR
75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that meets the
competitive preference 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: This NFP is in concert with President George W. Bush's New
Freedom Initiative (NFI) and the Plan. The NFI can be accessed on
the Internet at the following site: http://www.whitehouse.gov/[fxsp0
]infocus/newfreedom

The Plan, which was published in the Federal Register on
February 15, 2006 (71 FR 8165), can be accessed on the Internet at
the following site: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/[fxsp0]list/

osers/nidrr/policy.htm

.1. 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 for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services establishes a priority for a DRRP on VR: Transition Services
that Lead to Competitive Employment Outcomes for Transition-Age
Individuals With Blindness or Other Visual Impairments. Under this
priority, the project must be designed to contribute to the following
outcomes:
(a) Increased knowledge about factors that influence vocational
rehabilitation and/or transition outcomes and contribute to the
acquisition of skills that correlate with sustained competitive
employment and postsecondary success for transition-age individuals
with blindness or other visual impairments. The grantee must: (1)
Conduct a comprehensive literature review of research in the area of VR
transition services that lead to successful employment outcomes for
transition-age individuals with blindness or other visual impairments;
(2) conduct a preliminary analysis of the Rehabilitation Services
Administration (RSA) 911 Case Service Report data and other appropriate
data sets to identify all pertinent information related to transition
services for individuals with blindness or other visual impairments;
and (3) examine factors that affect employment outcomes including the
types of transition services provided by VR; the types of transition
services provided by special education, if any; the age of the
transitioning student at the time of first contact with VR; the amount
of interaction the transitioning student has with VR prior to leaving
school; the relationship the transition-age individual has with the VR
counselor; the transition-age individual's early employment history;
the transition-age individual's dependence on Social Security
Administration (SSA) benefits; and the transition-age individual's
socio-economic factors. In implementing item (3), the grantee must
review VR case records from State VR agencies for the blind and State
VR combined agencies, and interview consumers, rehabilitation
professionals, teachers, postsecondary support service providers, SSA
representatives, and other individuals involved in providing transition
services.
(b) Improved outcomes for individuals who are blind or visually
impaired. Through development, demonstration, and evaluation of
intervention methods, the grantee must identify practices that support
and lead to improved outcomes for transition-age individuals with
blindness or other visual impairments, including outcomes in workforce
participation, competitive employment, or other areas of postsecondary
success. The grantee should include activities that facilitate
development of skills that lead to employment (critical thinking and
problem-solving skills, and personal qualities). Grantees must utilize
a rigorous (e.g., experimental or quasi-experimental) design.
(c) Dissemination of research findings to State VR agencies,
education agencies, consumers, researchers, and other stakeholders.
(d) Coordination with projects sponsored by NIDRR, RSA, and the
Office of Special Education Programs to ensure that research conducted
under this priority builds on rather than duplicates related research
and to ensure effective dissemination strategies. At a minimum, the
grantee must coordinate with the NIDRR Rehabilitation Research and
Training Center (RRTC) on Measuring Rehabilitation Outcomes and current
RSA-sponsored research on related topics (including the post-VR
experiences study and the national study of transition policies and
practices in State VR agencies, and other relevant projects).

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 this 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 incur some costs
associated with completing the application process in terms of staff
time, copying, and mailing or delivery. The use of e-Application
technology reduces mailing and copying costs significantly.
The benefits of the Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects
and Centers Programs have been well established over the years in that
similar projects have been completed successfully. This final priority
will generate new knowledge and technologies through research,
development, dissemination, utilization, and technical assistance
projects.
Another benefit of this final priority is that the establishment of
a new DRRP will support the President's NFI and will improve the lives
of persons with disabilities. The new DRRP will generate, disseminate,
and promote the use of new information that will improve the options
for individuals 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.

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To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available
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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 Projects)

Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(a).

Dated: October 24, 2006.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E6-18192 Filed 10-30-06; 8:45 am]

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