The research endeavor benefits from thoughtful management practices specifically tailored to enhance relevance, importance, scientific quality, coordination, participation, flexibility, productivity, and communication. This plan addresses a number of strategies to reinforce the impact and significance of the research program. These include an emphasis on Centers of Excellence; coordination of federal disability research through the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR); evaluation and performance reviews; an enhanced peer review process; expanded use of information technology; international research; promotion of collaborative research; and continuous participatory planning.
Centers of Excellence and Program Review. NIDRR is committed to regenerating its Centers of Excellence concept in disability and rehabilitation research. Recognizing that Centers of Excellence result from a partnership between NIDRR and its grantees, NIDRR has worked with grantees to refine a Centers of Excellence model that delineates the standards of excellence. These standards are grouped into four categories: excellence in administration, excellence in scientific research, excellence in relevance and productivity, and excellence in capacity-building. NIDRR will continue to promote this model through its program reviews, technical assistance, and educational activities.
NIDRR will continue to hold in-depth program reviews for all centers and model systems, with each center receiving a formative review after one year of operation and a summative review in its last year. Program reviews afford opportunities for NIDRR’s broad constituency to critique its centers and to provide valuable input. These reviews have succeeded in increasing attention to quality and accountability.
Coordination of Federal Disability Research. NIDRR promotes coordination and collaboration within the federal government through the Interagency Committee on Disability Research (ICDR). Over the next five years, there will be an added emphasis on strengthening the foundation for disability research through capacity-building, improving disability statistics, enhancing tools and methods of disability studies and rehabilitation science, and drawing attention to disability issues in the nation’s science and technology policy.
Peer Review Process. With guidance taken from the Long-Range Plan, as well as that suggested in the Institute of Medicine’s recent review, NIDRR implemented standing panels in its field-initiated competition in 1999. This approach promises to provide more consistent feedback to applicants and to raise the accepted level of research excellence. NIDRR will monitor the new process closely and will provide feedback to all constituents on the apparent strengths and weaknesses of the new process, as well as needed modifications.
International Research and Related Activities. NIDRR’s international program has long included capacity-building strategies, such as an exchange of experts, technical assistance, and conferences. As the world becomes ever more a global economy, however, an international perspective on technology is vital, especially information technology, service delivery, and product standards. NIDRR’s concept of the emerging universe of disability recognizes the cultural, linguistic, economic, and geographic components of disability that are exemplified and addressed in international research, education, and technical assistance. Telecommunications, especially distance learning and telerehabilitation, both necessitate and facilitate a worldwide perspective.
Continuous Participatory Planning. NIDRR will continue to involve its constituents and its staff in implementing and evaluating the Long-Range Plan, as well as in developing future plans. The full implementation of the plan will require a concerted effort and attention to funding priorities, dissemination, training, and education. NIDRR plans to continue an open dialogue with individuals with disabilities and their families, researchers, service providers, policy-makers, and industry representatives to assess the success of this plan and set directions for the future.
Conclusion
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