Date: Wednesday, June 21, 2023
Category: General Session
The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) is committed to funding research and development activities to improve community living, health and function, and employment outcomes among people with disabilities. Approximately 30% of NIDILRR’s annual budget is dedicated to R&D that leads to technologies for use by people with disabilities and people who provide them with services and supports. NIDILRR broadly categorizes these technologies as rehabilitation, assistive, service, and system technologies.
In recent years NIDILRR has made changes in its grant-making infrastructure, to emphasize the importance of appropriate engineering R&D conducted by Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERCs). NIDILRR is also finishing up work on its next long-range plan, to commence in 2024. Come engage in a discussion with Thomas Corfman, Program Manager at NIDILRR, and Phillip Beatty, ORS Director at NIDILRR, on the ongoing evolution of NIDILRR’s technology R&D portfolio.
Learning Outcomes:
- Describe the difference between field-initiated and agency-initiated grant opportunities at NIDILRR.
- Recognize the differences and relationships between rehabilitation, assistive, service, and system technologies.
- Identify NIDILRR grant mechanisms that are available to support R&D toward technologies for people with disabilities.