Dear Colleagues and Friends,
The Interagency Committee on Disability Research is pleased to have received more than 2,000 hits and inquiries about the ICDR "Stakeholder Meetings" that will take place on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 and Wednesday, August 13, 2008. After evaluating the number of responses and registrations received, the meeting schedule has been changed. Based on registration patterns, the meetings have been reduced from four to two. The ICDR will host meetings on the originally scheduled dates of August 5, 2008 and Wednesday, August 13, 2008 with only one session conducted on each meeting date.
On behalf of the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR), I invite you to participate in the Stakeholder Meetings that will take place on Tuesday, August 5, 2008 and Wednesday, August 13, 2008. You can participate in person, by telephone or via Webcast on August 5, 2008 at 9:00-12:00 or on August 13, 2008 at 1:00-4:00 eastern time (ET), offering you multiple options to provide input to the federal disability research agenda.
The purpose of this event is to allow individuals with disabilities and their representatives (family members, organizations, service providers, disability and rehabilitation research and policy groups, advocacy organizations with specialized disability knowledge) the opportunity to suggest specific ways to improve future disability and rehabilitation research to benefit 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. These comments can cover a wide range of research areas, including, but not limited to:
- Employment of people with disabilities
- Community integration and continuum of care
- Health disparities
- Access to assistive technology and universal design
- Transition of youth to employment and independent living
- Availability of accessible housing, transportation and recreation
A panel of ICDR members will hear the testimony during two meetings on the dates listed above at the Doubletree Hotel in Arlington, VA. For those who are unable to testify in person, testimony may be given by phone or in writing. (Written testimony will be read as time permits.) The meeting will also be Webcast and interested parties can observe the proceedings live via an IP Web site.
Our goal is to identify and draft recommendations to improve federal disability and rehabilitation research. Therefore, your participation is critical to meeting this goal. If you are unable to attend or provide testimony, please pass this on to someone who you believe is interested in participating. We anticipate that this meeting will result in new and better recommendations for the federal disability research agenda.
To register to attend and/or provide testimony, we have posted relevant information on a special Web site. The ICDR Stakeholder Meeting Web site is: http://www.icdr.us/stakeholders. When you register please indicate the session you prefer, whether you will be providing comment and whether you will be participating in person, via telephone, or by Webcast.
We look forward to your participation and believe that this Stakeholder meeting will help advance the disability and rehabilitation research field. For further information, please contact Carol Blachly at [email protected] or visit the Web site.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Sheehy
ICDR Acting Chair |