Proposed Priority-National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research-Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers, 18490-18494 [2014-07295]
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18490
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 63 / Wednesday, April 2, 2014 / Proposed Rules
34 CFR Chapter III
Therefore, commenters should be careful to
include in their comments only information
that they wish to make publicly available.
[Docket ID ED–2014–OSERS–0025]
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Proposed Priority—National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation
Research—Rehabilitation Engineering
Research Centers
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services, Department of
Education.
ACTION: Proposed priority.
AGENCY:
[CFDA Number: 84.133E–5.]
The Assistant Secretary for
Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services proposes a priority for the
Rehabilitation Engineering Research and
Centers (RERC) Program administered
by the National Institute on Disability
and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
Specifically, this notice proposes a
priority for an RERC on Technologies to
Enhance Independence in Daily Living
for Adults with Cognitive Impairments.
We take this action to focus research
attention on an area of national need.
We intend the priority to contribute to
improved outcomes related to
independence in daily activities in the
home, community, or workplace setting
for adults with cognitive impairments.
DATES: We must receive your comments
on or before May 2, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments
through the Federal eRulemaking Portal
or via postal mail, commercial delivery,
or hand delivery. We will not accept
comments submitted by fax or by email
or those submitted after the comment
period. To ensure that we do not receive
duplicate copies, please submit your
comments only once. In addition, please
include the Docket ID at the top of your
comments.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
www.regulations.gov to submit your
comments electronically. Information
on using Regulations.gov, including
instructions for accessing agency
documents, submitting comments, and
viewing the docket, is available on the
site under ‘‘Are you new to the site?’’
• Postal Mail, Commercial Delivery,
or Hand Delivery: If you mail or deliver
your comments about these proposed
regulations, address them to Patricia
Barrett, U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5142,
Potomac Center Plaza (PCP),
Washington, DC 20202–2700.
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SUMMARY:
Privacy Note: The Department’s policy is
to make all comments received from
members of the public available for public
viewing in their entirety on the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov.
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Patricia Barrett. Telephone: (202) 245–
6211 or by email: patricia.barrett@
ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay
Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877–
8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
notice of proposed priority is in concert
with NIDRR’s currently approved LongRange Plan (Plan). The Plan, which was
published in the Federal Register on
April 4, 2013 (78 FR 20299), can be
accessed on the Internet at the following
site: 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 research findings, expertise,
and other information to advance
knowledge and understanding of the
needs of individuals with disabilities
and their family members, including
those from among traditionally
underserved populations; (3) determine
effective practices, programs, and
policies to improve community living
and participation, employment, and
health and function outcomes for
individuals with disabilities of all ages;
(4) identify research gaps and areas for
promising research investments; (5)
identify and promote effective
mechanisms for integrating research and
practice; and (6) disseminate research
findings to all major stakeholder groups,
including individuals with disabilities
and their families in formats that are
appropriate and meaningful to them.
This notice proposes one priority that
NIDRR intends to use for one or more
competitions in FY 2014 and possibly in
later years. NIDRR is under no
obligation to make an award under this
priority. The decision to make an award
will be based on the quality of
applications received and available
funding. NIDRR may publish additional
priorities, as needed.
Invitation to Comment: We invite you
to submit comments regarding this
proposed priority. To ensure that your
comments have maximum effect in
developing the final priority, we urge
you to identify clearly the specific topic
that each comment addresses.
We invite you to assist us in
complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Orders 12866
and 13563 and their overall requirement
of reducing regulatory burden that
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might result from this proposed priority.
Please let us know of any further ways
we could 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 proposed priority in room
5142, 550 12th Street SW., PCP,
Washington, DC, between the hours of
8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Washington,
DC time, Monday through Friday of
each week except Federal holidays.
Assistance to Individuals with
Disabilities in Reviewing the
Rulemaking Record: On request we will
provide an appropriate accommodation
or auxiliary aid to an individual with a
disability who needs assistance to
review the comments or other
documents in the public rulemaking
record for this notice. If you want to
schedule an appointment for this type of
accommodation or auxiliary aid, please
contact the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
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. The
Program is also intended to improve the
effectiveness of services authorized
under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as
amended (Rehabilitation Act).
Rehabilitation Engineering Research
Centers
The purpose of the RERCs, which are
funded through the Disability and
Rehabilitation Research Projects and
Centers Program, is to achieve the goals
of, and improve the effectiveness of,
services authorized under the
Rehabilitation Act through welldesigned research, training, technical
assistance, and dissemination activities
in important topical areas as specified
by NIDRR with guidance from its
Rehabilitation Research Advisory
Council. These activities are designed to
benefit rehabilitation service providers,
individuals with disabilities, family
members, policymakers, and other
research stakeholders. Additional
information on the RERC program can
be found at: https://www2.ed.gov/
programs/rerc/#types.
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Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and
764(b)(3).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34
CFR part 350.
Proposed Priority
This notice contains one proposed
priority.
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RERC on Technologies To Enhance
Independence in Daily Living for
Adults With Cognitive Impairments
Background
Estimates from the most recent U.S.
Census data indicate that in 2011 over
12 million Americans of all ages with
functional impairments relied on
personal assistance and other long-term
services and supports (LTSS) in their
home and community or in an
institution, to perform daily activities to
maintain their quality of living and,
when possible, their independence
(Brault, 2012; Kay, Harrington, and
LaPlante, 2010). The need for LTSS is
projected to increase dramatically in the
coming decades to a high of 27 million
in 2050 (Kay, Harrington, and LaPlante,
2010). This increase will be driven
primarily by the aging of the population
and the higher prevalence of disability
among older individuals, but also by the
increased longevity experienced by
individuals with early onset disabilities
(Field & Jette, 2007).
Associated with the increasing
prevalence of disability generally is an
increasing prevalence of cognitive
impairments. Cognitive impairments
refer to significant difficulties in
remembering, concentrating, or making
decisions resulting from physical,
mental, or emotional conditions (U.S.
Census Bureau, 2012). The 2011 ACS
estimated that there were about 14.0
million individuals with cognitive
impairments in the U.S. population. The
prevalence of cognitive impairments
among individuals who are 65 years and
older is about 2.3 times the prevalence
among individuals under 65 years; so,
like disability in general, the prevalence
of cognitive impairments is expected to
increase substantially in future decades.
The increasing number of Americans
with cognitive impairments will present
a number of pressing challenges. Chief
among these will be the need to promote
and sustain independence in daily
living and to find less intrusive and
more cost-effective ways of delivering
the services and supports people need
to remain as independent as possible.
Today, about 10–11 million
Americans, predominately adults, with
physical, sensory, psychiatric, and
cognitive impairments rely on personal
assistance and other LTSS to perform
daily activities in their home,
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community, and workplace (Kaye,
Harrington & LaPlante, 2010). LTSS
refers to a range of person-to-person
assistance received by people with
disabilities that allows them to carry out
their tasks of daily living and live as
independently as possible. In 2011,
expenditures from Federal and State
Medicaid for LTSS to assist individuals
with disabilities were estimated at $211
billion (O’Shaughnessy, 2013).
Given the projected growth in the
number of Americans with disabilities,
the Nation has a substantial financial, as
well as social interest, in developing
technologies that enhance
independence in daily living and can
reduce the reliance on costly traditional
LTSS (Commission on LTC, 2013).
Particularly, in the area of support for
adults with cognitive impairments,
there is substantial potential for
technologies to provide assistance that
otherwise would need to be provided by
human support providers (IOM, 2013;
LeadingAge CAST, 2011; NCD, 2011).
Technology-based alternatives to
direct services and supports for daily
living include assistive and smart
technologies, such as cueing, and
prompting or coaching devices, home
and community monitoring systems,
community wayfinding applications for
hand-held devices, socially assistive
robotics, smart environments,
workplace supports, computer and Webbased teaching programs, tele-supports,
technology-based care, service
coordination systems, and many other
applications of existing technologies
(IOM, 2013; LeadingAge CAST, 2011;
NCD, 2011).
The need for assistance for
individuals with cognitive impairments
to sustain independence in daily
activities in the home, community, and
workplace will expand greatly in
coming decades due to the aging of the
population. At the same time, fewer
family caregivers will be able to care for
family members with disabilities for a
number of reasons, such as limitations
due to their own aging and national
declines in savings rates, retirement
asset accumulation, and private
insurance purchase. The decline in
assistance from family caregivers will
result in increased pressure on
Medicaid programs.
Advances in science and engineering
and the increased availability of new
and emerging technologies, applications
of existing technologies to new
circumstances, and ever-improving
information technology infrastructures
offer promise in responding to the
challenges of assisting the increasing
number of people with cognitive
impairments to maintain independence
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in daily living (IOM, 2013). Technologybased alternatives represent substantial
opportunities to support independence
and quality of life for adults with
cognitive impairments in ways that are
both liberating and cost-effective and
that advance the widely endorsed goal
of maintaining community living for
individuals with disabilities and older
adults (U.S. DHHS Community Living
Initiative, 2010).
References
Brault, Matthew W., ‘‘Americans With
Disabilities: 2010,’’ Current Population
Reports, Pg. 70–131, U.S. Census Bureau,
Washington, DC, 2012.
Commission on Long-Term Care: Report to
Congress. (September 30, 2013). Final
Report https://www.chhs.ca.gov/
OLMDOC/Agenda%20Item%206%20Commission%20on%20LongTerm%20Care%20Final%20Report%209-26-13.pdf.
Field, M., & Jette, A. (Eds.) (2007). The future
of disability in America. Washington,
DC: The National Academies Press.
Kaye, H.S., Harrington, C., LaPlante. M.P.
(2010). Long-Term Care: Who Gets It,
Who Provides It, Who Pays, And How
Much? doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0535
HEALTH AFFAIRS 29, NO. 1: 11–21.
IOM (Institute of Medicine). (2013). Fostering
Independence, participation, and healthy
aging through technology: workshop
summary. Washington, DC. The National
Academies (Free access available at:
https://books.nap.edu/
openbook.php?record_id=18332).
LeadingAge CAST. (2011). Preparing for the
future: Developing technology-enabled
long-term services and supports for a
new population of older adults.
Washington, DC: LeadingAge
(www.leadingage.org/uploadedFiles/
Content/About/CAST/Resources/
Preparing_for_the_Future_Case_
Studies.pdf).
NCD (National Council on Disability). (2011).
The power of digital inclusion:
Technology’s impact on employment
and opportunities for people with
disabilities (www.ncd.gov/publications/
2011/Oct042011).
O’Shaughnessy, C. (2013). National spending
for Long-term Services and supports
(LTSS), 2011. Washington, DC: The
George Washington University, National
Health Policy Forum (www.nhpf.org/
uploads/announcements/Basics_LTSS_
02-01-13.pdf).
U.S. Census Bureau (2013). Disability
characteristics: 2010–2012 American
Community Survey 3-year estimates.
Washington, DC: Author (https://
factfinder2.census.gov/faces/
tableservices/jsf/pages/
productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_12_3YR_
S1810&proType=table).
U.S Census Bureau (2012). DisabilityAmerican Community Survey.
Washington, DC: Author
(www.census.gov/people/disability/
methodology/acs.html).
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U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS). Community Living
Initiative. (May 20, 2010). Centers for
Medicare & Medicaid (https://
downloads.cms.gov/cmsgov/archiveddownloads/SMDL/downloads/
SMD10008.pdf).
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Proposed Priority
The Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services
proposes the following priority for a
Rehabilitation Engineering Research
Center (RERC) on Technologies to
Enhance Independence in Daily Living
for Adults with Cognitive Impairment.
This RERC must focus on innovative
technological solutions, new
knowledge, and implementation
strategies that enhance the
independence and self-management of
adults with cognitive impairment.
Under this priority, the RERC must
research, develop, and evaluate new
technologies, or adapt and evaluate
existing technologies, to enhance the
ability of adults with cognitive
impairment to perform daily activities
of their choice in the home, community,
or workplace. Technologies developed
or adapted must be designed for
commercialization as consumer
products or for integration into
rehabilitation practice or relevant
service delivery systems. Research and
development topics under this priority
may include, but are not limited to:
Monitoring and prompting technologies
or other information or communication
aids; assistive technologies, including
socially assistive robotics; mobile and
wearable technologies; virtual reality;
and care coordination or tele-health,
tele-rehabilitation and other telesupport systems to facilitate improved
activities of daily living.
In responding to this priority,
applicants must specify the target
populations or subgroups of adults with
cognitive impairments that they intend
to focus on and identify the setting or
settings for which they intend to
develop technologies: Home,
community, or workplace. Applicants
must also limit the number of research
and development projects to a
maximum of eight, and restrict the range
of different types of technologies to
what is manageable with available
resources.
Under this priority, the RERC must be
designed to contribute to the following
outcomes:
(a) Increased technical and scientific
knowledge relevant to technologies for
increasing independence in daily living
for adults with cognitive impairments.
The RERC must contribute to this
outcome by establishing a rigorous
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research and development plan that is
balanced between technology
development or adaption and
technology evaluation and incorporates
needs assessment, usability testing, and
intervention development or efficacy
studies, as appropriate. The research
and development plan must be designed
to build a base of evidence for assessing
the usability, accessibility, acceptance,
utility, and cost-benefit of technologies
intended to improve independence in
daily activities for adults with cognitive
impairment in the home, community, or
workplace settings. The RERC must
contribute to this outcome by:
(i) Building a transdisciplinary team
of collaborators from relevant
disciplines, such as: Rehabilitation and
bio-engineering, computer science,
human factors specialists, cognitive and
behavioral scientists, clinicians and
other relevant providers;
(ii) Conducting research and research
syntheses or secondary analysis of
existing data to evaluate user needs and
specify the accessibility, acceptance,
and human factors design features that
will need to be built into the technology
solutions developed and evaluated by
the RERC to accommodate the cognitive
impairments and preferences of the
target population;
(iii) Conducting rigorous usability
testing in the settings in which the
technology will be used;
(iv) Developing and prioritizing a list
of evaluation topics that, when
addressed, will lead to research-based
information on the utility or efficacy of
technology solutions developed by the
RERC; and
(v) Involving key stakeholders in the
research and research planning
activities to maximize the relevance and
usefulness of the research products
being developed. Stakeholders can
include, but are not limited to,
individuals with disabilities and their
families; national, State, or local-level
policymakers, administrators, or service
providers; and industry representatives.
(b) Improved usability and
effectiveness of technologies, products,
devices, systems, performance
guidelines, and assessment tools
through systematic development or
adaptation, testing, and evaluation of
innovations. In developing the
technologies under this priority the
RERC must:
(i) Incorporate user-centered designed
strategies and consider the context in
which the technology product, device,
or system will be used;
(ii) Emphasize the principles of
universal design and, as appropriate,
conform to human factors standards,
such as reliability, safety, and
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simplicity; accessibility and
acceptability to users; protective of
users’ privacy preferences; intuitive user
interfaces; feedback in meaningful
sensory modalities; and appropriateness
to diverse populations;
(iii) Incorporate ongoing training
opportunities or user supports into the
design of the technology or into the
practice settings or delivery systems in
which the technology will be integrated;
and
(iv) Ensure that the technologies are
interoperable within existing
rehabilitation systems or home or
mobile technologies and that they
communicate with existing information
technology systems, as appropriate.
(c) Improved research capacity areas
that will contribute to enhancing the
ability of adults with cognitive
impairment to perform daily activities.
The RERC must contribute to this
outcome by collaborating with the
relevant institutions of higher
education, professional associations,
clinicians and service providers, and
other researchers or educators, as
appropriate.
(d) Improved awareness and
understanding of cutting-edge
developments and promising
technology solutions that will
contribute to enhancing the ability of
adults with cognitive impairment to
perform daily activities. The RERC must
contribute to this outcome by
identifying and communicating with
relevant stakeholders, including NIDRR,
individuals with disabilities and their
representatives, disability organizations,
service providers, professional journals,
manufacturers, and other interested
parties regarding trends and evolving
product concepts related to its
designated priority research area.
(e) Increased impact of research and
development activities carried out
under this priority area. The RERC must
contribute to this outcome by:
(i) Providing technical assistance to
relevant public and private
organizations, individuals with
disabilities and their families, LTSS
providers, and employers on policies,
guidelines, and standards; and
(ii) Establishing or contributing to an
existing program or service that
provides objective information and
technical and consumer reviews about
technologies of promise to support
independence in daily living for adults
with cognitive impairments.
(f) Increased transfer of RERCdeveloped technologies to the
marketplace for widespread testing and
use by developing and implementing a
plan to ensure that technologies
developed by the RERC are made
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available to the public or to service
delivery systems that serve the public.
This technology transfer plan must be
developed in the first year of the project
period in consultation with the NIDRRfunded Center on Knowledge
Translation for Technology Transfer.
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)).
Final Priority
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 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 Orders 12866 and 13563
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Regulatory Impact Analysis
Under Executive Order 12866, the
Secretary must determine whether this
regulatory action is ‘‘significant’’ and,
therefore, subject to the requirements of
the Executive order and subject to
review by the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive
Order 12866 defines a ‘‘significant
regulatory action’’ as an action likely to
result in a rule that may—
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(1) Have an annual effect on the
economy of $100 million or more, or
adversely affect a sector of the economy,
productivity, competition, jobs, the
environment, public health or safety, or
State, local, or tribal governments or
communities in a material way (also
referred to as an ‘‘economically
significant’’ rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or
otherwise interfere with an action taken
or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary
impacts of entitlement grants, user fees,
or loan programs or the rights and
obligations of recipients thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues
arising out of legal mandates, the
President’s priorities, or the principles
stated in the Executive order.
This proposed regulatory action is not
a significant regulatory action subject to
review by OMB under section 3(f) of
Executive Order 12866.
We have also reviewed this regulatory
action under Executive Order 13563,
which supplements and explicitly
reaffirms the principles, structures, and
definitions governing regulatory review
established in Executive Order 12866.
To the extent permitted by law,
Executive Order 13563 requires that an
agency—
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only
upon a reasoned determination that
their benefits justify their costs
(recognizing that some benefits and
costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the
least burden on society, consistent with
obtaining regulatory objectives and
taking into account—among other things
and to the extent practicable—the costs
of cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, select those
approaches that maximize net benefits
(including potential economic,
environmental, public health and safety,
and other advantages; distributive
impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify
performance objectives, rather than the
behavior or manner of compliance a
regulated entity must adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available
alternatives to direct regulation,
including economic incentives—such as
user fees or marketable permits—to
encourage the desired behavior, or
provide information that enables the
public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires
an agency ‘‘to use the best available
techniques to quantify anticipated
present and future benefits and costs as
accurately as possible.’’ The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of
OMB has emphasized that these
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18493
techniques may include ‘‘identifying
changing future compliance costs that
might result from technological
innovation or anticipated behavioral
changes.’’
We are issuing this proposed priority
only upon a reasoned determination
that its benefits would justify its costs.
In choosing among alternative
regulatory approaches, we selected
those approaches that would maximize
net benefits. Based on the analysis that
follows, the Department believes that
this proposed priority is consistent with
the principles in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this
regulatory action would not unduly
interfere with State, local, and tribal
governments in the exercise of their
governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive
orders, the Department has assessed the
potential costs and benefits, both
quantitative and qualitative, of this
regulatory action. The potential costs
are those resulting from statutory
requirements and those we have
determined as necessary for
administering the Department’s
programs and activities.
The benefits of the Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Centers Program
have been well established over the
years. Projects similar to the RERCs
have been completed successfully, and
the proposed priority will generate new
knowledge through research. The new
RERCs will generate, disseminate, and
promote the use of new information that
would improve outcomes for
individuals with disabilities in the areas
of community living and participation,
employment, and health and function.
Intergovernmental Review: This
program is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34
CFR part 79.
Accessible Format: Individuals with
disabilities can obtain this document in
an accessible format (e.g., braille, large
print, audiotape, or compact disc) 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 or TTY, call the
FRS, toll free, at 1–800–877–8339.
Electronic Access to This Document:
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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you
can view this document, as well as all
other documents of this Department
published in the Federal Register, in
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text or Adobe Portable Document
Format (PDF). To use PDF you must
have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is
available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the
Department published in the Federal
Register by using the article search
feature at: www.federalregister.gov.
Specifically, through the advanced
search feature at this site, you can limit
your search to documents published by
the Department.
Dated: March 27, 2014.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2014–07295 Filed 4–1–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY
40 CFR Part 131
[EPA–HQ–OW–2009–0596; FRL–9908–18–
OW]
RIN 2040–AF50
Water Quality Standards for the State
of Florida’s Lakes and Flowing Waters;
Withdrawal
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
The Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) is proposing to withdraw
federal water quality standards
applicable to waters of the state of
Florida now that Florida has adopted
and EPA has approved relevant state
standards. On December 6, 2010, EPA
published a rule finalizing numeric
nutrient standards for Florida’s lakes,
springs, and flowing waters outside of
the South Florida Nutrient Watershed
Region. EPA established these water
quality standards to protect Florida’s
Class I and III freshwaters from nitrogen
and phosphorus pollution. On
November 30, 2012, June 27, 2013, and
September 26, 2013, EPA approved
numeric nutrient standards adopted by
the state of Florida for certain waters in
the state.
Some of the water body types and
provisions covered by state-adopted
water quality standards were also
included in EPA’s final inland waters
rule (criteria for Florida’s lakes and
springs, approaches to protect
downstream lakes, and a provision for
developing Site-Specific Alternative
Criteria). EPA is now proposing to
withdraw the overlapping federallypromulgated water quality standards to
allow Florida to implement their state-
ehiers on DSK2VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS-1
SUMMARY:
VerDate Mar<15>2010
14:37 Apr 01, 2014
Jkt 232001
adopted, EPA-approved water quality
standards to address nutrient pollution
in Florida’s waters. Additionally, EPA is
not finalizing three 2012 federal
proposed rules related to nutrient
pollution in Florida.
DATES: Comments must be received on
or before June 2, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments,
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–
OW–2009–0596, by one of the following
methods:
1. www.regulations.gov: Follow the
on-line instructions for submitting
comments.
2. Email: ow-docket@epa.gov
3. Mail to: Water Docket, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Mail
code: 2822T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW., Washington, DC 20460, Attention:
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2009–
0596.
4. Hand Delivery: EPA Docket Center,
EPA West Room 3334, 1301
Constitution Avenue NW., Washington,
DC 20004, Attention Docket ID No.
EPA–HQ–OW–2009–0596. Such
deliveries are only accepted during the
Docket’s normal hours of operation, and
special arrangements should be made
for deliveries of boxed information.
Instructions: Direct your comments to
Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OW–2009–
0596. EPA’s policy is that all comments
received will be included in the public
docket without change and may be
made available online at
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information provided, unless
the comment includes information
claimed to be Confidential Business
Information (CBI) or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Do not submit information that you
consider to be CBI or otherwise
protected through www.regulations.gov
or email. The www.regulations.gov Web
site is an ‘‘anonymous access’’ system,
which means EPA will not know your
identity or contact information unless
you provide it in the body of your
comment. If you submit an electronic
comment, EPA recommends that you
include your name and other contact
information in the body of your
comment and with any disk or CD–ROM
you submit. If EPA cannot read your
comment due to technical difficulties
and cannot contact you for clarification,
EPA may not be able to consider your
comment. Electronic files should avoid
the use of special characters, any form
of encryption, and be free of any defects
or viruses. For additional information
about EPA’s public docket visit the EPA
Docket Center homepage at https://
www.epa.gov/epahome/dockets.htm.
Docket: All documents in the docket
are listed in the www.regulations.gov
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4702
Sfmt 4702
index. Although listed in the index,
some information is not publicly
available, e.g., CBI or other information
whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Certain other material, such as
copyrighted material, will be publicly
available only in hard copy. Publicly
available docket materials are available
either electronically in
www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at
a docket facility. The Office of Water
(OW) Docket Center is open from 8:30
a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through
Friday, excluding legal holidays. The
OW Docket Center telephone number is
(202) 566–2426, and the Docket address
is OW Docket, EPA West, Room 3334,
1301 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20004. The Public
Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays. The telephone
number for the Public Reading Room is
(202) 566–1744.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Erica Fleisig, U.S. EPA Headquarters,
Office of Water, Mailcode: 4305T, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington,
DC 20460; telephone number: (202)
566–1057; email address: fleisig.erica@
epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This
proposed rule is organized as follows:
I. General Information
A. Which water bodies are affected by this
action?
B. What entities may be affected by this
action?
C. What should I consider as I prepare my
comments for EPA?
D. How can I get copies of this document
and other related information?
II. Background
A. Background on EPA’s Inland Rule,
Amended Determinations, and Approval
of State Criteria
B. 2014 District Court Ruling and
Modification of Consent Decree
C. Proposed Withdrawal of Federal Criteria
for Lakes, Springs, and DPVs
III. Statutory and Executive Order Reviews
A. Executive Orders 12866 (Regulatory
Planning and Review) and 13563
(Improving Regulation and Regulatory
Review)
B. Paperwork Reduction Act
C. Regulatory Flexibility Act
D. Unfunded Mandates Reform Act
E. Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)
F. Executive Order 13175 (Consultation
and Coordination With Indian Tribal
Governments)
G. Executive Order 13045 (Protection of
Children From Environmental Health
and Safety Risks)
H. Executive Order 13211 (Actions That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use)
I. National Technology Transfer
Advancement Act of 1995
J. Executive Order 12898 (Federal Actions
To Address Environmental Justice in
E:\FR\FM\02APP1.SGM
02APP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 63 (Wednesday, April 2, 2014)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 18490-18494]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-07295]
[[Page 18490]]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
34 CFR Chapter III
[Docket ID ED-2014-OSERS-0025]
Proposed Priority--National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research--Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Proposed priority.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[CFDA Number: 84.133E-5.]
SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services proposes a priority for the Rehabilitation
Engineering Research and Centers (RERC) Program administered by the
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR).
Specifically, this notice proposes a priority for an RERC on
Technologies to Enhance Independence in Daily Living for Adults with
Cognitive Impairments. We take this action to focus research attention
on an area of national need. We intend the priority to contribute to
improved outcomes related to independence in daily activities in the
home, community, or workplace setting for adults with cognitive
impairments.
DATES: We must receive your comments on or before May 2, 2014.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments through the Federal eRulemaking Portal
or via postal mail, commercial delivery, or hand delivery. We will not
accept comments submitted by fax or by email or those submitted after
the comment period. To ensure that we do not receive duplicate copies,
please submit your comments only once. In addition, please include the
Docket ID at the top of your comments.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov to
submit your comments electronically. Information on using
Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing agency documents,
submitting comments, and viewing the docket, is available on the site
under ``Are you new to the site?''
Postal Mail, Commercial Delivery, or Hand Delivery: If you
mail or deliver your comments about these proposed regulations, address
them to Patricia Barrett, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Room 5142, Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC
20202-2700.
Privacy Note: The Department's policy is to make all comments
received from members of the public available for public viewing in
their entirety on the Federal eRulemaking Portal at
www.regulations.gov. Therefore, commenters should be careful to
include in their comments only information that they wish to make
publicly available.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Barrett. Telephone: (202)
245-6211 or by email: patricia.barrett@ed.gov.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice of proposed priority is in
concert with NIDRR's currently approved Long-Range Plan (Plan). The
Plan, which was published in the Federal Register on April 4, 2013 (78
FR 20299), can be accessed on the Internet at the following site:
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 research findings, expertise, and other
information to advance knowledge and understanding of the needs of
individuals with disabilities and their family members, including those
from among traditionally underserved populations; (3) determine
effective practices, programs, and policies to improve community living
and participation, employment, and health and function outcomes for
individuals with disabilities of all ages; (4) identify research gaps
and areas for promising research investments; (5) identify and promote
effective mechanisms for integrating research and practice; and (6)
disseminate research findings to all major stakeholder groups,
including individuals with disabilities and their families in formats
that are appropriate and meaningful to them.
This notice proposes one priority that NIDRR intends to use for one
or more competitions in FY 2014 and possibly in later years. NIDRR is
under no obligation to make an award under this priority. The decision
to make an award will be based on the quality of applications received
and available funding. NIDRR may publish additional priorities, as
needed.
Invitation to Comment: We invite you to submit comments regarding
this proposed priority. To ensure that your comments have maximum
effect in developing the final priority, we urge you to identify
clearly the specific topic that each comment addresses.
We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific
requirements of Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 and their overall
requirement of reducing regulatory burden that might result from this
proposed priority. Please let us know of any further ways we could
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 proposed priority in room 5142, 550 12th Street
SW., PCP, Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.,
Washington, DC time, Monday through Friday of each week except Federal
holidays.
Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities in Reviewing the
Rulemaking Record: On request we will provide an appropriate
accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual with a disability who
needs assistance to review the comments or other documents in the
public rulemaking record for this notice. If you want to schedule an
appointment for this type of accommodation or auxiliary aid, please
contact the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
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. The Program is also intended to improve the effectiveness
of services authorized under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended
(Rehabilitation Act).
Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers
The purpose of the RERCs, which are funded through the Disability
and Rehabilitation Research Projects and Centers Program, is to achieve
the goals of, and improve the effectiveness of, services authorized
under the Rehabilitation Act through well-designed research, training,
technical assistance, and dissemination activities in important topical
areas as specified by NIDRR with guidance from its Rehabilitation
Research Advisory Council. These activities are designed to benefit
rehabilitation service providers, individuals with disabilities, family
members, policymakers, and other research stakeholders. Additional
information on the RERC program can be found at: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/rerc/#types.
[[Page 18491]]
Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 762(g) and 764(b)(3).
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 350.
Proposed Priority
This notice contains one proposed priority.
RERC on Technologies To Enhance Independence in Daily Living for Adults
With Cognitive Impairments
Background
Estimates from the most recent U.S. Census data indicate that in
2011 over 12 million Americans of all ages with functional impairments
relied on personal assistance and other long-term services and supports
(LTSS) in their home and community or in an institution, to perform
daily activities to maintain their quality of living and, when
possible, their independence (Brault, 2012; Kay, Harrington, and
LaPlante, 2010). The need for LTSS is projected to increase
dramatically in the coming decades to a high of 27 million in 2050
(Kay, Harrington, and LaPlante, 2010). This increase will be driven
primarily by the aging of the population and the higher prevalence of
disability among older individuals, but also by the increased longevity
experienced by individuals with early onset disabilities (Field &
Jette, 2007).
Associated with the increasing prevalence of disability generally
is an increasing prevalence of cognitive impairments. Cognitive
impairments refer to significant difficulties in remembering,
concentrating, or making decisions resulting from physical, mental, or
emotional conditions (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). The 2011 ACS estimated
that there were about 14.0 million individuals with cognitive
impairments in the U.S. population. The prevalence of cognitive
impairments among individuals who are 65 years and older is about 2.3
times the prevalence among individuals under 65 years; so, like
disability in general, the prevalence of cognitive impairments is
expected to increase substantially in future decades.
The increasing number of Americans with cognitive impairments will
present a number of pressing challenges. Chief among these will be the
need to promote and sustain independence in daily living and to find
less intrusive and more cost-effective ways of delivering the services
and supports people need to remain as independent as possible.
Today, about 10-11 million Americans, predominately adults, with
physical, sensory, psychiatric, and cognitive impairments rely on
personal assistance and other LTSS to perform daily activities in their
home, community, and workplace (Kaye, Harrington & LaPlante, 2010).
LTSS refers to a range of person-to-person assistance received by
people with disabilities that allows them to carry out their tasks of
daily living and live as independently as possible. In 2011,
expenditures from Federal and State Medicaid for LTSS to assist
individuals with disabilities were estimated at $211 billion
(O'Shaughnessy, 2013).
Given the projected growth in the number of Americans with
disabilities, the Nation has a substantial financial, as well as social
interest, in developing technologies that enhance independence in daily
living and can reduce the reliance on costly traditional LTSS
(Commission on LTC, 2013). Particularly, in the area of support for
adults with cognitive impairments, there is substantial potential for
technologies to provide assistance that otherwise would need to be
provided by human support providers (IOM, 2013; LeadingAge CAST, 2011;
NCD, 2011).
Technology-based alternatives to direct services and supports for
daily living include assistive and smart technologies, such as cueing,
and prompting or coaching devices, home and community monitoring
systems, community wayfinding applications for hand-held devices,
socially assistive robotics, smart environments, workplace supports,
computer and Web-based teaching programs, tele-supports, technology-
based care, service coordination systems, and many other applications
of existing technologies (IOM, 2013; LeadingAge CAST, 2011; NCD, 2011).
The need for assistance for individuals with cognitive impairments
to sustain independence in daily activities in the home, community, and
workplace will expand greatly in coming decades due to the aging of the
population. At the same time, fewer family caregivers will be able to
care for family members with disabilities for a number of reasons, such
as limitations due to their own aging and national declines in savings
rates, retirement asset accumulation, and private insurance purchase.
The decline in assistance from family caregivers will result in
increased pressure on Medicaid programs.
Advances in science and engineering and the increased availability
of new and emerging technologies, applications of existing technologies
to new circumstances, and ever-improving information technology
infrastructures offer promise in responding to the challenges of
assisting the increasing number of people with cognitive impairments to
maintain independence in daily living (IOM, 2013). Technology-based
alternatives represent substantial opportunities to support
independence and quality of life for adults with cognitive impairments
in ways that are both liberating and cost-effective and that advance
the widely endorsed goal of maintaining community living for
individuals with disabilities and older adults (U.S. DHHS Community
Living Initiative, 2010).
References
Brault, Matthew W., ``Americans With Disabilities: 2010,'' Current
Population Reports, Pg. 70-131, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC,
2012.
Commission on Long-Term Care: Report to Congress. (September 30,
2013). Final Report https://www.chhs.ca.gov/OLMDOC/Agenda%20Item%206-%20Commission%20on%20Long-Term%20Care-%20Final%20Report%209-26-13.pdf.
Field, M., & Jette, A. (Eds.) (2007). The future of disability in
America. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Kaye, H.S., Harrington, C., LaPlante. M.P. (2010). Long-Term Care:
Who Gets It, Who Provides It, Who Pays, And How Much? doi: 10.1377/
hlthaff.2009.0535 HEALTH AFFAIRS 29, NO. 1: 11-21.
IOM (Institute of Medicine). (2013). Fostering Independence,
participation, and healthy aging through technology: workshop
summary. Washington, DC. The National Academies (Free access
available at: https://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=18332).
LeadingAge CAST. (2011). Preparing for the future: Developing
technology-enabled long-term services and supports for a new
population of older adults. Washington, DC: LeadingAge
(www.leadingage.org/uploadedFiles/Content/About/CAST/Resources/Preparing_for_the_Future_Case_Studies.pdf).
NCD (National Council on Disability). (2011). The power of digital
inclusion: Technology's impact on employment and opportunities for
people with disabilities (www.ncd.gov/publications/2011/Oct042011).
O'Shaughnessy, C. (2013). National spending for Long-term Services
and supports (LTSS), 2011. Washington, DC: The George Washington
University, National Health Policy Forum (www.nhpf.org/uploads/announcements/Basics_LTSS_02-01-13.pdf).
U.S. Census Bureau (2013). Disability characteristics: 2010-2012
American Community Survey 3-year estimates. Washington, DC: Author
(https://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_12_3YR_S1810&proType=table).
U.S Census Bureau (2012). Disability-American Community Survey.
Washington, DC: Author (www.census.gov/people/disability/methodology/acs.html).
[[Page 18492]]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Community
Living Initiative. (May 20, 2010). Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
(https://downloads.cms.gov/cmsgov/archived-downloads/SMDL/downloads/SMD10008.pdf).
Proposed Priority
The Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services proposes the following priority for a Rehabilitation
Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Technologies to Enhance
Independence in Daily Living for Adults with Cognitive Impairment. This
RERC must focus on innovative technological solutions, new knowledge,
and implementation strategies that enhance the independence and self-
management of adults with cognitive impairment.
Under this priority, the RERC must research, develop, and evaluate
new technologies, or adapt and evaluate existing technologies, to
enhance the ability of adults with cognitive impairment to perform
daily activities of their choice in the home, community, or workplace.
Technologies developed or adapted must be designed for
commercialization as consumer products or for integration into
rehabilitation practice or relevant service delivery systems. Research
and development topics under this priority may include, but are not
limited to: Monitoring and prompting technologies or other information
or communication aids; assistive technologies, including socially
assistive robotics; mobile and wearable technologies; virtual reality;
and care coordination or tele-health, tele-rehabilitation and other
tele-support systems to facilitate improved activities of daily living.
In responding to this priority, applicants must specify the target
populations or subgroups of adults with cognitive impairments that they
intend to focus on and identify the setting or settings for which they
intend to develop technologies: Home, community, or workplace.
Applicants must also limit the number of research and development
projects to a maximum of eight, and restrict the range of different
types of technologies to what is manageable with available resources.
Under this priority, the RERC must be designed to contribute to the
following outcomes:
(a) Increased technical and scientific knowledge relevant to
technologies for increasing independence in daily living for adults
with cognitive impairments. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by
establishing a rigorous research and development plan that is balanced
between technology development or adaption and technology evaluation
and incorporates needs assessment, usability testing, and intervention
development or efficacy studies, as appropriate. The research and
development plan must be designed to build a base of evidence for
assessing the usability, accessibility, acceptance, utility, and cost-
benefit of technologies intended to improve independence in daily
activities for adults with cognitive impairment in the home, community,
or workplace settings. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by:
(i) Building a transdisciplinary team of collaborators from
relevant disciplines, such as: Rehabilitation and bio-engineering,
computer science, human factors specialists, cognitive and behavioral
scientists, clinicians and other relevant providers;
(ii) Conducting research and research syntheses or secondary
analysis of existing data to evaluate user needs and specify the
accessibility, acceptance, and human factors design features that will
need to be built into the technology solutions developed and evaluated
by the RERC to accommodate the cognitive impairments and preferences of
the target population;
(iii) Conducting rigorous usability testing in the settings in
which the technology will be used;
(iv) Developing and prioritizing a list of evaluation topics that,
when addressed, will lead to research-based information on the utility
or efficacy of technology solutions developed by the RERC; and
(v) Involving key stakeholders in the research and research
planning activities to maximize the relevance and usefulness of the
research products being developed. Stakeholders can include, but are
not limited to, individuals with disabilities and their families;
national, State, or local-level policymakers, administrators, or
service providers; and industry representatives.
(b) Improved usability and effectiveness of technologies, products,
devices, systems, performance guidelines, and assessment tools through
systematic development or adaptation, testing, and evaluation of
innovations. In developing the technologies under this priority the
RERC must:
(i) Incorporate user-centered designed strategies and consider the
context in which the technology product, device, or system will be
used;
(ii) Emphasize the principles of universal design and, as
appropriate, conform to human factors standards, such as reliability,
safety, and simplicity; accessibility and acceptability to users;
protective of users' privacy preferences; intuitive user interfaces;
feedback in meaningful sensory modalities; and appropriateness to
diverse populations;
(iii) Incorporate ongoing training opportunities or user supports
into the design of the technology or into the practice settings or
delivery systems in which the technology will be integrated; and
(iv) Ensure that the technologies are interoperable within existing
rehabilitation systems or home or mobile technologies and that they
communicate with existing information technology systems, as
appropriate.
(c) Improved research capacity areas that will contribute to
enhancing the ability of adults with cognitive impairment to perform
daily activities. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by
collaborating with the relevant institutions of higher education,
professional associations, clinicians and service providers, and other
researchers or educators, as appropriate.
(d) Improved awareness and understanding of cutting-edge
developments and promising technology solutions that will contribute to
enhancing the ability of adults with cognitive impairment to perform
daily activities. The RERC must contribute to this outcome by
identifying and communicating with relevant stakeholders, including
NIDRR, individuals with disabilities and their representatives,
disability organizations, service providers, professional journals,
manufacturers, and other interested parties regarding trends and
evolving product concepts related to its designated priority research
area.
(e) Increased impact of research and development activities carried
out under this priority area. The RERC must contribute to this outcome
by:
(i) Providing technical assistance to relevant public and private
organizations, individuals with disabilities and their families, LTSS
providers, and employers on policies, guidelines, and standards; and
(ii) Establishing or contributing to an existing program or service
that provides objective information and technical and consumer reviews
about technologies of promise to support independence in daily living
for adults with cognitive impairments.
(f) Increased transfer of RERC-developed technologies to the
marketplace for widespread testing and use by developing and
implementing a plan to ensure that technologies developed by the RERC
are made
[[Page 18493]]
available to the public or to service delivery systems that serve the
public. This technology transfer plan must be developed in the first
year of the project period in consultation with the NIDRR-funded Center
on Knowledge Translation for Technology Transfer.
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)).
Final Priority
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 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 Orders 12866 and 13563
Regulatory Impact Analysis
Under Executive Order 12866, the Secretary must determine whether
this regulatory action is ``significant'' and, therefore, subject to
the requirements of the Executive order and subject to review by the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Section 3(f) of Executive Order
12866 defines a ``significant regulatory action'' as an action likely
to result in a rule that may--
(1) Have an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more,
or adversely affect a sector of the economy, productivity, competition,
jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or
tribal governments or communities in a material way (also referred to
as an ``economically significant'' rule);
(2) Create serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with an
action taken or planned by another agency;
(3) Materially alter the budgetary impacts of entitlement grants,
user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients
thereof; or
(4) Raise novel legal or policy issues arising out of legal
mandates, the President's priorities, or the principles stated in the
Executive order.
This proposed regulatory action is not a significant regulatory
action subject to review by OMB under section 3(f) of Executive Order
12866.
We have also reviewed this regulatory action under Executive Order
13563, which supplements and explicitly reaffirms the principles,
structures, and definitions governing regulatory review established in
Executive Order 12866. To the extent permitted by law, Executive Order
13563 requires that an agency--
(1) Propose or adopt regulations only upon a reasoned determination
that their benefits justify their costs (recognizing that some benefits
and costs are difficult to quantify);
(2) Tailor its regulations to impose the least burden on society,
consistent with obtaining regulatory objectives and taking into
account--among other things and to the extent practicable--the costs of
cumulative regulations;
(3) In choosing among alternative regulatory approaches, select
those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential
economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other
advantages; distributive impacts; and equity);
(4) To the extent feasible, specify performance objectives, rather
than the behavior or manner of compliance a regulated entity must
adopt; and
(5) Identify and assess available alternatives to direct
regulation, including economic incentives--such as user fees or
marketable permits--to encourage the desired behavior, or provide
information that enables the public to make choices.
Executive Order 13563 also requires an agency ``to use the best
available techniques to quantify anticipated present and future
benefits and costs as accurately as possible.'' The Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs of OMB has emphasized that these
techniques may include ``identifying changing future compliance costs
that might result from technological innovation or anticipated
behavioral changes.''
We are issuing this proposed priority only upon a reasoned
determination that its benefits would justify its costs. In choosing
among alternative regulatory approaches, we selected those approaches
that would maximize net benefits. Based on the analysis that follows,
the Department believes that this proposed priority is consistent with
the principles in Executive Order 13563.
We also have determined that this regulatory action would not
unduly interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the
exercise of their governmental functions.
In accordance with both Executive orders, the Department has
assessed the potential costs and benefits, both quantitative and
qualitative, of this regulatory action. The potential costs are those
resulting from statutory requirements and those we have determined as
necessary for administering the Department's programs and activities.
The benefits of the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers
Program have been well established over the years. Projects similar to
the RERCs have been completed successfully, and the proposed priority
will generate new knowledge through research. The new RERCs will
generate, disseminate, and promote the use of new information that
would improve outcomes for individuals with disabilities in the areas
of community living and participation, employment, and health and
function.
Intergovernmental Review: This program is not subject to Executive
Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print,
audiotape, or compact disc) 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 or TTY, call the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in
[[Page 18494]]
text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To use PDF you must have
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: March 27, 2014.
Michael K. Yudin,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 2014-07295 Filed 4-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P