Department of Education
National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
Logistical, Administrative, and Technical Support
for the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR)
The mission of the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR) is to promote coordination and cooperation among federal departments and agencies conducting rehabilitation research programs, and to make recommendations to the president and Congress. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) in the Department of Education is the statutory chair of the ICDR. President Bush’s 2001 New Freedom Initiative (NFI), recognized the unique role of the ICDR within the government and directed it to prioritize the immediate assistive and universally designed technology needs in the disability community.
New Editions is a sub-contractor to CESSI in support of this mission.
Major activities include consumer research; research and policy analyses; scientific meetings; dissemination activities; and development and maintenance of ICDR infrastructure tools.
The consumer research activities are designed to collect systematic information from various disability stakeholder groups. Furthermore, they serve to inform ICDR deliberations ensuring that research efforts are leading to solutions for identified needs. We plan, implement and report on:
- An annual series of regional focus groups targeting individuals with disabilities who are members of traditionally underrepresented groups;
- Open-ended Web comment forms to solicit feedback from the broad range of disability research stakeholders;
- Surveys on consumer use of, satisfaction with, and need for assistive devices; and
- An annual meeting with leaders of disability advocacy organizations and professional associations.
In the area of research and policy analyses, we completes reviews, policy analyses, and technical reports in response to ICDR member needs on a short turn around. Recent documents include:
- Federal Statutory Definitions of Disability
- Compendium of Federal Funding for Assistive Technology
- Analysis of Issues Affecting Interagency Collaboration
- Review and Analysis of Current Research Using the International Classification of Functioning (ICF)
The full ICDR and its five subcommittees sponsor major scientific summits and conferences annually. The meetings bring together respected researchers, advocates, service providers, and federal representatives to summarize the state-of-the-art in the field, identify research gaps, define data needs for policy development , and prioritize research directions. New Editions helps provides program, logistical and administrative expertise for all of these meetings. Areas recently addressed include:
- Interference to Hearing Technologies by Digital Wireless Telephones
- Wheeled Mobility, Accessible Transportation and Air Travel
- The ICF: Potential Influence on Disability and Rehabilitation
- Personal Assistance Services and Caregiving across the Life Span
New Editions also supports ICDR dissemination activities. We designed and now maintain an accessible Web site for the general public, including the logo. We prepare PowerPoint presentations, exhibit booths, and accessible materials for ICDR members to use at conferences. In addition, New Editions assists CESSI in preparing press releases, research briefs, and other informational resources in lay language.
Under this contract, we helped establish the first administrative infrastructure system for the ICDR. We handle design, operations and technical support in several areas:
- Membership database and electronic communications
- Logistic and administrative support for approximately 40 committee meetings annually
- Preparation of the annual report to the president and Congress
- Design of a Web portal/search engine to facilitate identification of currently funded research across multiple agencies
