[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 124 (Thursday, June 28, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35447-35448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-12503]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Interagency Committee on Disability Research
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of public meetings and request for written comments.
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SUMMARY: This notice describes the schedule and agenda of a forthcoming
meeting of the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR).
Notice of this meeting is intended to inform members of the general
public of their opportunity to attend the meeting and provide comment.
DATES: The meeting will take place on August 14, 2007.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the
Holiday Inn on the Hill, 415 New Jersey Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20001. Telephone: (202) 638-1616.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: During the public meeting 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
wide range of research areas, including, but not limited to, the
following:
Rehabilitation, employment and community integration of
military service members with disabilities, with a specific interest in
input from the military community, including active duty service
members and their families, service providers, retirees, and other
stakeholders about research issues related to the continuum of care;
Employment of people with disabilities;
Health disparities;
Access to and development of assistive technology and
universally designed technologies; and
Transition of youths with disabilities to postsecondary
education, employment and independent living.
Your input will be used by the ICDR in its deliberations; however,
we cannot respond individually to your comments.
[[Page 35448]]
The meetings will be open and accessible to the general public.
Background
The 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 16 Federal agencies, including 59 institutes and
offices within those agencies, participate in the ICDR. The mandate of
the ICDR includes three goals: Identify emerging issues and topic areas
in disability and rehabilitation that would benefit from coordinated
research planning, program development, and federal funding efforts;
assess gaps and duplication in existing research programs, activities,
and plans across agencies; and seek to coordinate existing or planned
research, programs, activities, or projects among federal agencies.
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 this public meeting 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 a public meeting in 2007 and invites written comments with
respect to the Federal disability and rehabilitation research agenda.
Representatives of the ICDR will be present at the meeting to hear your
comments. Your comments will be used by the ICDR in its deliberations;
however we will not respond individually to your comments.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Constance Pledger, Executive Director
ICDR, U.S. Department of Education, 550 12th Street, SW., room 6039,
Potomac Center Plaza (PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202)
245-7480. Fax: (202) 245-7630. Internet: [email protected].
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1-800-877-8339.
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 Constance
Pledger at (202) 245-7480 or TDD users may call FRS at 1-800-877-8339
ten business days in advance of the meeting. The meeting location is
accessible to individuals with disabilities.
Participants: Individuals who wish to present comments at the
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 meeting,
reservations should be made as soon as possible.
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 any relevant supporting information. Walk-ins
must bring two written copies of their comments.
Reservations and Additional Meeting Information: All individuals
attending the public meeting, including those presenting comments, must
make reservations by July 31, 2007 by contacting: Constance Pledger,
Executive Director 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 Constance Pledger, Executive
Director ICDR, of his or her specific accessibility needs. You must
make requests for accommodations on or before July 31, 2007. 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 31, 2007.
Submit all comments to: Constance Pledger, Executive Director ICDR,
U.S. Department of Education, 550 12th Street, SW., room 6039, PCP,
Washington, DC 20202-2700. Telephone: (202) 245-7480. Fax: (202) 245-
7630. Internet: [email protected].
Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD)
may call the FRS at 1-800-877-8339.
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 review 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, toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in the
Washington, DC area, at (202) 512-1530.
Note: The official version of this document is the document
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html.
Dated: June 22, 2007.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education andRehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E7-12503 Filed 6-27-07; 8:45 am]
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