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A Videoconference to Promote Feedback to NIDRR
As a part of the development of the new long-range plan for the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), NIDRR is conducting a series of three national video teleconferences, June 18, June 25 and July 16, all from 2-5 PM EDT. It is our intent to promote wide diversity in those participating, geographically, by interest and by race and ethnicity.
Background
The NIDRR long-range plan has served as the major guide for establishing priorities and funding research within NIDRR, and to shape the research agenda for disability and rehabilitation research as a whole. NIDRR is mandated to "prepare and publish in the Federal Register for public comment a draft of a 5-year plan that outlines priorities for rehabilitation research, demonstration projects, training, and related activities and explains the basis for such priorities"1. The plan is to identify activities regarding the full inclusion and integration into society of individuals with disabilities, especially in the area of employment; determine the funding priorities and specify appropriate goals and timetables (ibid.). The plan is to be developed "after full consideration of the input of individuals with disabilities and the individuals' representatives, organizations representing individuals with disabilities, providers of services furnished under this Act, researchers in the rehabilitation field, and any other persons or entities the Director considers to be appropriate"(ibid.).
To that end, NIDRR has established a Steering Committee to systematically gain input from a group of researchers and community leaders. In addition, it will conduct three national video teleconferences, and will collect comments via web page, email, telephone and regular mail. This document speaks to the videoconferences.
Objective
The videoconferences are intended to allow the various stakeholders to provide input to the planning process. NIDRR is particularly interested in gaining insights into those areas critical to the disability community in which research is needed and which are not currently being adequately addressed, or on which appropriate emphasis has not been placed. The conferences are expected to not only provide input to NIDRR, but also to allow the various stakeholders to hear issues raised by others. Thus, each host site should seek to recruit a cross-section of stakeholders, with particular focus on consumers and researchers, and including service providers and policy makers as appropriate.
Conduct of the Conference
- The general format will be that of a town hall meeting.
- Each site should designate a local moderator (name should be provided ASAP) who will assure the orderly management of that site and who will introduce by name only those desiring to speak when that site's turn comes.
- The conference will begin with introductory remarks by Director Tingus, followed by an explanation of the procedures to be followed, including a brief review of the sequence of topics (themes) to be covered in the conference.
- A random sequence will be used to select the order in which the sites will be polled for input on each topic. That sequence will be used throughout the conference.
Suggestions for successful participation:
A website will be available prior to the conferences with information regarding the agenda for each meeting, together with background materials (Rehabilitation Act, current Long Range Plan, New Freedom Initiative, etc.).
It is recommended that, if possible, attendees be encouraged to gather approximately an hour prior to the beginning of the conference to allow time for each site to get to know who is there, to get an idea of the topics of most interest to whom, and to determine a speaking order, as actual speaking time will be limited. It is anticipated that there will be time for not more than fifty to sixty individuals to speak (average of three minutes per speaker allocated.) If individuals have prepared remarks, they will be encouraged to submit them by email as soon as possible (before, during or after the conference). Advance comments to be read at the conference must be submitted by 5 PM EDT the day before the conference.
Other issues:
For those not able to reach one of the videoconference sites, it will also be possible to participate in the conference in one of two ways,
- by dialing a toll free (800) number or
- by accessing the website with real-time caption streaming.
Individuals who dial in will also be provided an opportunity to discuss; a separate moderator of the telephone bridge will poll those online to facilitate their participation and to maintain efficient communications with the whole conference. The captioning service will read comments submitted as text via the website during the videoconferences.
If individuals wish to provide input but cannot participate during any of the conferences by any of the above means, other options for submitting comments include: a toll-free telephone number (1-866-448-8380), a website (to be determined), and an email address (NIDRR.Plan@ed.gov), as well as transmission by US mail to: NIDRR, 330 C Street, SW, Room 3060, Washington, DC 20202-2572. In addition, individuals may call the NIDRR main telephone: (202) 205-8134.
Notes:
1. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, Title II, Section 202. (h)