National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)-Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program-Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs)-Individual-Level Characteristics Related to Employment Among Individuals With Disabilities, 21278-21280 [2010-9506]
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21278
Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 78 / Friday, April 23, 2010 / Notices
Dated: April 20, 2010.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2010–9508 Filed 4–22–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR)—
Disability and Rehabilitation Research
Projects and Centers Program—
Rehabilitation Research and Training
Centers (RRTCs)—Individual-Level
Characteristics Related to Employment
Among Individuals With Disabilities
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
(CFDA) Number: 84.133B–1.
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
Disability and Rehabilitation Research
Projects and Centers Program
administered by NIDRR. Specifically,
this notice announces a priority for an
RRTC on Individual-Level
Characteristics Related to Employment
Among Individuals with Disabilities.
The Assistant Secretary may use this
priority for competitions in fiscal year
(FY) 2010 and later years. We take this
action to focus research attention on
areas of national need. We intend for
this priority to improve rehabilitation
services and outcomes for individuals
with disabilities.
DATES: Effective Date: This priority is
effective May 24, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 5142, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP),
Washington, DC 20202–2700.
Telephone: (202) 245–7462 or by e-mail:
donna.nangle@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at
1–800–877–8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This notice of final priority is in
concert with NIDRR’s Final Long-Range
Plan for FY 2005–2009 (Plan). 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: https://www.ed.gov/
about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/
policy.html.
Through the implementation of the
Plan, NIDRR seeks to: (1) Improve the
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15:23 Apr 22, 2010
Jkt 220001
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.
Purpose of Program: The purpose of
the Disability and Rehabilitation
Research Projects and Centers Program
is to plan and conduct research,
demonstration projects, training, and
related activities, including
international 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 selfsufficiency 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.
RRTC Program
The purpose of the RRTC program is
to improve the effectiveness of services
authorized under the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, as amended, through advanced
research, training, technical assistance,
and dissemination activities in general
problem areas, as specified by NIDRR.
Such activities are designed to benefit
rehabilitation service providers,
individuals with disabilities, and the
family members or other authorized
representatives of individuals with
disabilities. In addition, NIDRR intends
to require all RRTC applicants to meet
the requirements of the General
Rehabilitation Research and Training
Centers (RRTC) Requirements priority
that it published in a notice of final
priorities in the Federal Register on
February 1, 2008 (73 FR 6132).
Additional information on the RRTC
program can be found at: https://
www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/resprogram.html#RRTC.
Statutory and Regulatory Requirements
of RRTCs
RRTCs must—
• Carry out coordinated advanced
programs of rehabilitation research;
• Provide training, including
graduate, pre-service, and in-service
training, to help rehabilitation
personnel more effectively provide
rehabilitation services to individuals
with disabilities;
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• Provide technical assistance to
individuals with disabilities, their
representatives, providers, and other
interested parties;
• Disseminate informational materials
to individuals with disabilities, their
representatives, providers, and other
interested parties; and
• Serve as centers of national
excellence in rehabilitation research for
individuals with disabilities, their
representatives, providers, and other
interested parties.
Applicants for RRTC grants must also
demonstrate in their applications how
they will address, in whole or in part,
the needs of individuals with
disabilities from minority backgrounds.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g)
and 764(b)(2).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34
CFR part 350.
We published a notice of proposed
priority (NPP) for NIDRR’s Disability
and Rehabilitation Research Projects
and Centers Program in the Federal
Register on December 18, 2009 (74 FR
67186). 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) as discussed in the following
section.
Public Comment: 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 priority since
publication of the NPP 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.
Analysis of Comments and Changes
Comment: One commenter
recommended that NIDRR award grants
to applicants who propose research that
will contribute to the improvement of
rehabilitation programs for underserved
populations. This commenter also
suggested that NIDRR select applicants
who clearly identify robust methods for
research and practice.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees that the
research funded under this priority
should contribute to improved
employment practices for underserved
populations. We have structured the
requirements of this priority with the
aim of identifying individuals with
disabilities who are at risk for poor
employment outcomes and generating
new knowledge that can be used to
E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM
23APN1
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 78 / Friday, April 23, 2010 / Notices
improve their outcomes. Some
individuals with disabilities who are at
risk for poor employment outcomes will
undoubtedly have been individuals who
were underserved. Activities under
paragraph (b) of the priority are
intended to generate new knowledge
about the populations of individuals
with disabilities who have the poorest
employment outcomes. Activities under
paragraph (c) of the priority, in
particular, are intended to generate new
knowledge about the barriers to, and
facilitators of, employment experienced
by these subpopulations, and activities
under paragraph (d) are intended to
promote the incorporation of these
research findings into practice or policy.
NIDRR also agrees that robust
methods for research in this area are
critical. The peer review process will
determine the merits of each proposal
and will take into consideration the
applicant’s proposed research methods.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter stated that
the priority should include a focus on
best practices for assisting individuals
with disabilities to transition from
school to employment.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees that
identifying effective practices to
improve the transition from school to
employment for individuals with
disabilities is an important area for
research. However, this priority was
developed to generate broad knowledge
about employment outcomes among a
variety of subpopulations of individuals
with disabilities. It is not the purpose of
this priority to focus on the transition
from school to employment, in
particular, or on transition-age youth
with disabilities. That said, research
conducted under paragraphs (a) and (b)
of the priority may demonstrate that
transition-age youth have poor
employment outcomes relative to other
subpopulations and therefore require
greater research attention. Thus, while
NIDRR declines to require all applicants
to focus on transition-age youth with
disabilities, it is possible for an
applicant’s proposal to include such a
focus. The peer review process will
determine the merits of each proposal.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter
recommended that the priority focus on
the interactions between the person and
the environment that lead to
employment outcomes and that the title
of the priority be changed to reflect this
focus.
Discussion: Paragraph (c) of the
priority requires the RRTC to investigate
barriers to, and facilitators of,
employment for subpopulations of
individuals who are at risk for poor
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15:23 Apr 22, 2010
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employment outcomes. Barriers to, and
facilitators of, employment are likely to
be found at both the individual level
and in the environment. Paragraph (c) of
the priority provides examples of
environmental-level barriers to, and
facilitators of, employment, such as
availability of transportation, social
support, and employer practices.
Nothing in this priority precludes
applicants from proposing methods for
gathering and analyzing data in ways
that emphasize how experiences of
environmental factors at the individual
level influence employment
opportunities and outcomes. However,
NIDRR’s focus in this priority is on
individual-level characteristics related
to employment of individuals with
disabilities, which is a broader focus
than simply examining the interactions
between the person and the
environment. Therefore, NIDRR
declines to change the title as suggested
by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested
that the priority include a focus on the
effects of community-level factors that
affect employment outcomes for
individuals with disabilities, including
research on community-level
interventions.
Discussion: The priority requires the
RRTC to collect and analyze individuallevel data about barriers to, and
facilitators of, employment for
individuals at risk for poor employment
outcomes. Nothing in the priority
precludes collection of data about
community-level barriers to, or
facilitators of, employment experienced
by individuals with disabilities.
Changes: None.
Final Priority
The Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services
announces a priority for a Rehabilitation
Research and Training Center (RRTC) on
Individual-Level Characteristics Related
to Employment Among Individuals with
Disabilities. This RRTC must identify
subpopulations of individuals with
disabilities who are at risk of poor
employment outcomes, and document
the barriers to, and facilitators of,
employment that these subgroups
experience. This new knowledge is
intended to serve as a foundation for
future interventions research that will
target those who are most at risk of poor
employment outcomes. The RRTC must
be designed to contribute to the
following outcomes:
(a) A synthesis of available knowledge
about employment disparities among
subpopulations of individuals with
disabilities. The RRTC must contribute
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21279
to this outcome by conducting a review
and synthesis of existing research on
individual-level characteristics related
to successful and poor employment
outcomes among individuals with
disabilities. Such individual-level
characteristics may include, but are not
limited to, the following: Disabling
condition, severity of disability, age,
gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic
status, education level, and urban/rural
status. Successful and poor employment
outcomes may be measured by the
following indicators: An individual’s
employment status (e.g., employed,
unemployed, underemployed), income,
and job retention or promotion. The
RRTC must complete this activity by the
end of the first year of the grant.
(b) New knowledge about the
individual-level characteristics that are
most strongly associated with
employment-related outcome variables
among individuals with disabilities. The
RRTC must contribute to this outcome
by conducting research on the extent to
which employment of individuals with
disabilities is related to individual-level
characteristics. This research must
include, but is not limited to,
multivariate analyses of existing
national datasets. Analyses of existing
data must examine possible variations
of employment, including full- or parttime work, self-employment, and
industry sector. The RRTC must
complete this activity by the end of the
second year of the grant.
(c) New knowledge of the
employment experiences of individuals
who are at risk of poor employment
outcomes. The RRTC must contribute to
this outcome by collecting and
analyzing information from members of
subpopulations identified under
paragraphs (a) and (b) of this priority.
The RRTC must collect individual-level
data about the barriers to, and
facilitators of, employment that
members of these subpopulations have
experienced (e.g., the availability of
transportation to and from work, social
support, workplace accommodations,
and employer practices).
(d) Increased incorporation of
disability and employment research
findings into practice or policy. The
RRTC must contribute to this outcome
by:
(1) Collaborating with stakeholder
groups to develop, evaluate, or
implement strategies to promote
utilization of the RRTC’s research
findings.
(2) Conducting training and
dissemination activities to facilitate the
utilization of the RRTC’s research
findings by individuals with
disabilities, employers, policymakers,
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 78 / Friday, April 23, 2010 / Notices
and State vocational rehabilitation
agencies.
In addition, this RRTC must
collaborate with relevant Rehabilitation
Services Administration grantees, such
as the 10 regional Technical Assistance
and Continuing Education projects.
Types of Priorities
When inviting applications for a
competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each
priority as absolute, competitive
preference, or invitational through a
notice in the Federal Register. 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 (1) awarding additional
points, depending on 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
priority. However, we do not give an
application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34
CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
This notice does not preclude us from
proposing additional priorities,
requirements, definitions, or selection
criteria, subject to meeting applicable
rulemaking requirements.
WReier-Aviles on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with NOTICES
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.
Executive Order 12866: This notice
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 final
regulatory action.
The potential costs associated with
this final regulatory action 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 final regulatory
action, we have determined that the
benefits of the final priority justify the
costs.
Discussion of Costs and Benefits
The benefits of the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and
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15:23 Apr 22, 2010
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Centers Programs have been well
established over the years in that similar
projects have been completed
successfully. This final priority will
generate new knowledge through
research and development.
Another benefit of this final priority is
that the establishment of a new RRTC
will improve the lives of individuals
with disabilities. The new RRTC will
disseminate and promote the use of new
information that will improve the
options for individuals with disabilities
to obtain, retain, and advance in
employment.
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or computer diskette)
by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245–
7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS,
toll-free, at 1–800–877–8339.
Electronic Access to this Document:
You can view this document, as well as
all other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF) on the Internet at the
following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/
fedregister. To use PDF you must have
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at this site.
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: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/
index.html.
Dated: April 20, 2010.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2010–9506 Filed 4–22–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Advisory Committee on
Institutional Quality and Integrity
(NACIQI) Meeting
AGENCY: National Advisory Committee
on Institutional Quality and Integrity,
Office of Postsecondary Education,
Department of Education.
What is the purpose of this notice?
The purpose of this notice is two-fold.
It is to:
(1) Announce the public meeting of
the NACIQI to be held TuesdayThursday, September 14–16, 2010, in
Washington, D.C., at the U.S.
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Department of Education, which is
predicated on the appointment of
members prior to that date; and
(2) Invite written comments
concerning the recognition of any
agency published in this notice.
This notice presents the proposed
meeting agenda and informs the public
of its opportunity to attend this meeting.
The notice of this meeting is required
under section 10(a)(2) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act, section
114(d)(1)(B) of the Higher Education
Opportunity Act, and section
114(d)(1)(B) and (D) of the Higher
Education Act, as amended.
In all instances, written comments
about agencies seeking initial
recognition, continued recognition, and/
or an expansion of an agency’s scope of
recognition must relate to the Criteria
for Recognition found at section 496 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965, as
amended, and 34 CFR parts 602 and
603. In addition, comments for any
agency whose interim report/
compliance report is proposed for
review must relate to the issues raised
within the letter that requested the
report.
When and where will the meeting take
place?
Depending on when the appointment
of members is made to the NACIQI, the
public meeting will be held on TuesdayThursday, September 14–16, 2010, from
8:30 a.m. until approximately 5:00 p.m.,
at the U.S. Department of Education,
Eighth Floor Conference Center, 1990 K
Street, NW., Washington, DC.
What assistance will be provided to
individuals with disabilities?
The meeting site is accessible to
individuals with disabilities. If you will
need an auxiliary aid or service to
participate in the meeting (e.g.,
interpreting service, assistive listening
device, or materials in an alternate
format), contact Melissa Lewis at
melissa.lewis@ed.gov at least four weeks
before the scheduled meeting date.
Although we will attempt to meet a
request received after that date, we may
not be able to make available the
requested auxiliary aid or service
because of insufficient time to arrange
it.
What is the role of the NACIQI?
The NACIQI is established under
Section 114 of the Higher Education Act
(HEA), as amended, 20 U.S.C. 1011c.
Congress created NACIQI to assess the
process of accreditation and the
institutional eligibility and certification
of institutions of higher education under
Title IV of the HEA.
E:\FR\FM\23APN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 78 (Friday, April 23, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21278-21280]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-9506]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
(NIDRR)--Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers
Program--Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTCs)--
Individual-Level Characteristics Related to Employment Among
Individuals With Disabilities
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.133B-1.
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 Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program administered by
NIDRR. Specifically, this notice announces a priority for an RRTC on
Individual-Level Characteristics Related to Employment Among
Individuals with Disabilities. The Assistant Secretary may use this
priority for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2010 and later years. We
take this action to focus research attention on areas of national need.
We intend for this priority to improve rehabilitation services and
outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
DATES: Effective Date: This priority is effective May 24, 2010.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Nangle, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5142, Potomac Center Plaza
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-7462 or by e-
mail: donna.nangle@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call the
Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
This notice of final priority is in concert with NIDRR's Final
Long-Range Plan for FY 2005-2009 (Plan). 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: https://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/policy.html.
Through the implementation of 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.
Purpose of Program: The purpose of the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program is to plan and
conduct research, demonstration projects, training, and related
activities, including international 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.
RRTC Program
The purpose of the RRTC program is to improve the effectiveness of
services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended,
through advanced research, training, technical assistance, and
dissemination activities in general problem areas, as specified by
NIDRR. Such activities are designed to benefit rehabilitation service
providers, individuals with disabilities, and the family members or
other authorized representatives of individuals with disabilities. In
addition, NIDRR intends to require all RRTC applicants to meet the
requirements of the General Rehabilitation Research and Training
Centers (RRTC) Requirements priority that it published in a notice of
final priorities in the Federal Register on February 1, 2008 (73 FR
6132). Additional information on the RRTC program can be found at:
https://www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/res-program.html#RRTC.
Statutory and Regulatory Requirements of RRTCs
RRTCs must--
Carry out coordinated advanced programs of rehabilitation
research;
Provide training, including graduate, pre-service, and in-
service training, to help rehabilitation personnel more effectively
provide rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities;
Provide technical assistance to individuals with
disabilities, their representatives, providers, and other interested
parties;
Disseminate informational materials to individuals with
disabilities, their representatives, providers, and other interested
parties; and
Serve as centers of national excellence in rehabilitation
research for individuals with disabilities, their representatives,
providers, and other interested parties.
Applicants for RRTC grants must also demonstrate in their
applications how they will address, in whole or in part, the needs of
individuals with disabilities from minority backgrounds.
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(2).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
We published a notice of proposed priority (NPP) for NIDRR's
Disability and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program in
the Federal Register on December 18, 2009 (74 FR 67186). 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) as discussed in the following section.
Public Comment: 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 priority since publication of the
NPP 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.
Analysis of Comments and Changes
Comment: One commenter recommended that NIDRR award grants to
applicants who propose research that will contribute to the improvement
of rehabilitation programs for underserved populations. This commenter
also suggested that NIDRR select applicants who clearly identify robust
methods for research and practice.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees that the research funded under this
priority should contribute to improved employment practices for
underserved populations. We have structured the requirements of this
priority with the aim of identifying individuals with disabilities who
are at risk for poor employment outcomes and generating new knowledge
that can be used to
[[Page 21279]]
improve their outcomes. Some individuals with disabilities who are at
risk for poor employment outcomes will undoubtedly have been
individuals who were underserved. Activities under paragraph (b) of the
priority are intended to generate new knowledge about the populations
of individuals with disabilities who have the poorest employment
outcomes. Activities under paragraph (c) of the priority, in
particular, are intended to generate new knowledge about the barriers
to, and facilitators of, employment experienced by these
subpopulations, and activities under paragraph (d) are intended to
promote the incorporation of these research findings into practice or
policy.
NIDRR also agrees that robust methods for research in this area are
critical. The peer review process will determine the merits of each
proposal and will take into consideration the applicant's proposed
research methods.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter stated that the priority should include a
focus on best practices for assisting individuals with disabilities to
transition from school to employment.
Discussion: NIDRR agrees that identifying effective practices to
improve the transition from school to employment for individuals with
disabilities is an important area for research. However, this priority
was developed to generate broad knowledge about employment outcomes
among a variety of subpopulations of individuals with disabilities. It
is not the purpose of this priority to focus on the transition from
school to employment, in particular, or on transition-age youth with
disabilities. That said, research conducted under paragraphs (a) and
(b) of the priority may demonstrate that transition-age youth have poor
employment outcomes relative to other subpopulations and therefore
require greater research attention. Thus, while NIDRR declines to
require all applicants to focus on transition-age youth with
disabilities, it is possible for an applicant's proposal to include
such a focus. The peer review process will determine the merits of each
proposal.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter recommended that the priority focus on the
interactions between the person and the environment that lead to
employment outcomes and that the title of the priority be changed to
reflect this focus.
Discussion: Paragraph (c) of the priority requires the RRTC to
investigate barriers to, and facilitators of, employment for
subpopulations of individuals who are at risk for poor employment
outcomes. Barriers to, and facilitators of, employment are likely to be
found at both the individual level and in the environment. Paragraph
(c) of the priority provides examples of environmental-level barriers
to, and facilitators of, employment, such as availability of
transportation, social support, and employer practices. Nothing in this
priority precludes applicants from proposing methods for gathering and
analyzing data in ways that emphasize how experiences of environmental
factors at the individual level influence employment opportunities and
outcomes. However, NIDRR's focus in this priority is on individual-
level characteristics related to employment of individuals with
disabilities, which is a broader focus than simply examining the
interactions between the person and the environment. Therefore, NIDRR
declines to change the title as suggested by the commenter.
Changes: None.
Comment: One commenter suggested that the priority include a focus
on the effects of community-level factors that affect employment
outcomes for individuals with disabilities, including research on
community-level interventions.
Discussion: The priority requires the RRTC to collect and analyze
individual-level data about barriers to, and facilitators of,
employment for individuals at risk for poor employment outcomes.
Nothing in the priority precludes collection of data about community-
level barriers to, or facilitators of, employment experienced by
individuals with disabilities.
Changes: None.
Final Priority
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services announces a priority for a Rehabilitation Research and
Training Center (RRTC) on Individual-Level Characteristics Related to
Employment Among Individuals with Disabilities. This RRTC must identify
subpopulations of individuals with disabilities who are at risk of poor
employment outcomes, and document the barriers to, and facilitators of,
employment that these subgroups experience. This new knowledge is
intended to serve as a foundation for future interventions research
that will target those who are most at risk of poor employment
outcomes. The RRTC must be designed to contribute to the following
outcomes:
(a) A synthesis of available knowledge about employment disparities
among subpopulations of individuals with disabilities. The RRTC must
contribute to this outcome by conducting a review and synthesis of
existing research on individual-level characteristics related to
successful and poor employment outcomes among individuals with
disabilities. Such individual-level characteristics may include, but
are not limited to, the following: Disabling condition, severity of
disability, age, gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status,
education level, and urban/rural status. Successful and poor employment
outcomes may be measured by the following indicators: An individual's
employment status (e.g., employed, unemployed, underemployed), income,
and job retention or promotion. The RRTC must complete this activity by
the end of the first year of the grant.
(b) New knowledge about the individual-level characteristics that
are most strongly associated with employment-related outcome variables
among individuals with disabilities. The RRTC must contribute to this
outcome by conducting research on the extent to which employment of
individuals with disabilities is related to individual-level
characteristics. This research must include, but is not limited to,
multivariate analyses of existing national datasets. Analyses of
existing data must examine possible variations of employment, including
full- or part-time work, self-employment, and industry sector. The RRTC
must complete this activity by the end of the second year of the grant.
(c) New knowledge of the employment experiences of individuals who
are at risk of poor employment outcomes. The RRTC must contribute to
this outcome by collecting and analyzing information from members of
subpopulations identified under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this
priority. The RRTC must collect individual-level data about the
barriers to, and facilitators of, employment that members of these
subpopulations have experienced (e.g., the availability of
transportation to and from work, social support, workplace
accommodations, and employer practices).
(d) Increased incorporation of disability and employment research
findings into practice or policy. The RRTC must contribute to this
outcome by:
(1) Collaborating with stakeholder groups to develop, evaluate, or
implement strategies to promote utilization of the RRTC's research
findings.
(2) Conducting training and dissemination activities to facilitate
the utilization of the RRTC's research findings by individuals with
disabilities, employers, policymakers,
[[Page 21280]]
and State vocational rehabilitation agencies.
In addition, this RRTC must collaborate with relevant
Rehabilitation Services Administration grantees, such as the 10
regional Technical Assistance and Continuing Education projects.
Types of Priorities
When inviting applications for a competition using one or more
priorities, we designate the type of each priority as absolute,
competitive preference, or invitational through a notice in the Federal
Register. 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 (1)
awarding additional points, depending on 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 priority.
However, we do not give an application that meets the priority a
preference over other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).
This notice does not preclude us from proposing additional
priorities, requirements, definitions, or selection criteria, subject
to meeting applicable rulemaking requirements.
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.
Executive Order 12866: This notice 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 final regulatory
action.
The potential costs associated with this final regulatory action
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 final regulatory action, we have determined
that the benefits of the final priority justify the costs.
Discussion of Costs and Benefits
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 through research and development.
Another benefit of this final priority is that the establishment of
a new RRTC will improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. The
new RRTC will disseminate and promote the use of new information that
will improve the options for individuals with disabilities to obtain,
retain, and advance in employment.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts
Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363.
If you use a TDD, call the FRS, toll-free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to this Document: You can view this document, as
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the
Internet at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister. To
use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at
this site.
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: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/.
Dated: April 20, 2010.
Alexa Posny,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2010-9506 Filed 4-22-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P