04-14860. Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR)

AGENCY:

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice of public meetings and request for written comments.

SUMMARY:

This notice describes the schedule and agenda of two forthcoming meetings of the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR). Notice of these meetings are intended to inform members of the general public of their opportunity to attend the meetings and provide comment. During the public meetings and through the submission of written comments, we encourage individuals with disabilities, including persons who represent service providers, service provider organizations, disability and rehabilitation research and policy groups, and representatives of advocacy organizations with specialized knowledge and experience, to suggest specific ways to improve future research for individuals with disabilities. We are also interested in hearing from individuals concerning how well the existing Federal research programs are responding to the changing needs of individuals with disabilities. We are interested in comments covering a range of areas, including but not limited to employment, community life, education, technology and health. Your information will be used by the ICDR in its deliberations; however, we cannot respond individually to your comments. The meetings will be open and accessible to the general public.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR), authorized by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, promotes coordination and cooperation among Federal departments and agencies conducting disability and rehabilitation research programs. Representatives of 35 Federal entities regularly participate in the ICDR. In addition to the full committee, five subcommittees address specific issues: Disability Statistics, Medical Rehabilitation, Technology, Technology Transfer and the New Freedom Initiative. The goals of the ICDR and its Subcommittees are to: (1) Increase public input and involvement in ICDR deliberations to ensure research efforts lead to solutions for identified needs, (2) improve the visibility of the ICDR and Federal disability research in general, (3) identify and solve common problems through collaboration among agencies, and (4) initiate and monitor activities involving interagency coordination and cooperation in support of the New Freedom Initiative.

According to statute (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended): “After receiving input from individuals with disabilities and the individuals' representatives, the Committee shall identify, assess, and seek to coordinate all Federal programs, activities, and projects, and plans for such programs, activities, and projects with respect to the conduct of research related to rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities.”

The ICDR maintains a public Web site at http://www.icdr.us, which contains additional information about the ICDR. This public Web site also provides a comment form for collection of comments regarding the Federal research agenda in disability and rehabilitation research. The purpose of these public meetings and request for written comments is to ensure that individuals who may not have access to the Internet and the ICDR public Web site also have an opportunity to submit comments.

The Director of the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education is Chair of the ICDR. The Director announces two public meetings in 2004 and invites written comments with respect to the Federal disability and rehabilitation research agenda. Representatives of the ICDR will be present at the meetings to hear your comments. Your comments will be used by the ICDR in its deliberations; however we will not respond individually to your comments.

Dates, Times, and Addresses:

Meeting 1: July 20, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in San Francisco, the Palace Hotel, 2 New Montgomery Street, Meeting Room: Mendocino, San Francisco, CA 94105. Telephone: [phone].

Meeting 2: July 22, 2004, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area, the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Pentagon City, 1250 South Hayes Street, Meeting Room: Plaza D, Arlington, VA 22202. Telephone: [phone].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Robert Jaeger, Executive Secretary ICDR, U.S. Department of Education, 550 12th Street, SW., room 6050, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Internet: [e-mail].

Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call [phone].

Individuals who need accommodations for a disability in order to attend the meeting (i.e., interpreting services, assistive listening devices, material in alternative format) should notify Robert Jaeger at [phone] or [phone] (TDD) ten days in advance of the meeting. The meeting location is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Participants: Individuals who wish to present comments at either public meeting must reserve time on the agenda by contacting the individual identified under Reservations and Additional Meeting Information: Reservations for presenting comments will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Given the expected number of individuals interested in presenting comments at the meetings, reservations should be made as soon as possible. Individuals must specify the location (San Francisco or Washington, DC) where they plan to attend.

Format: Participants will be allowed approximately five minutes to present their comments, depending upon the number of individuals who reserve time on the agenda. Prior to the meeting, participants must submit written copies of their comments, and other written or electronic versions of information such as agency or organization policy statements, recommendations, research findings and research literature. Walk-ins must bring two written copies of their comments.

Reservations and Additional Meeting Information: All individuals attending the public meetings, including those presenting comments, must make reservations by July 9, 2004, by contacting: Robert Jaeger, Executive Secretary, ICDR.

If time permits, individuals who have not registered in advance may be allowed to make comments.

Assistance to Individuals with Disabilities at the Public Meeting: The meeting room and proceedings will be accessible to individuals with disabilities. In addition, when making reservations, anyone presenting comments or attending the meetings who needs special accommodations, such as sign language interpreters, Brailled agenda, computer-assisted real-time (CART) reporting, should inform the previously listed individual of his or her specific accessibility needs. You must make requests for accommodations on or before July 9, 2004. Although we will attempt to meet a request we receive after that date, we may not be able to make available the requested auxiliary aid or service because of insufficient time to arrange it.

Due Dates: We request your registration to attend along with written and e-mail comments to be provided no later than July 9, 2004.

ADDRESSES:

Submit all comments to: Robert Jaeger, Executive Secretary ICDR, U.S. Department of Education, 550 12th Street, SW., room 6050, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: [phone]. Fax: [phone]. Internet: [e-mail].

If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf, you may call [phone].

Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of this notice in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

Electronic Access to This Document

You may view this document, as well as all other Department of Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: http://www.ed.gov/​news/​fedregister.

To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at [phone].

Note:

The official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/​nara/​index.html.

Dated: June 24, 2004.

Troy R. Justesen,

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.