RERC-Telecommunications Access – funded by NIDRR RERC-Hearing Enhancement – funded by NIDRR

What is NIDRR? US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) OSERS is the main federal agency that supports applied research, training and development to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities Three components of OSERS Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)

NIDRR Long Range Plan Exists under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by Congress (every 5 years) The Long Range Plan may be found at this link: 18/pdf/ pdf 18/pdf/ pdf Domains for the fiscal years Employment Community Living and Participation Health and Function

NIDRR Programs Grant Mechanisms (9) Rehabilitation Research and Training Centers (RRTC’s) Rehabilitation Engineering Research Centers (RERC’s) Dissemination and Rehabilitation Research Projects (DRRPs) ADA National Network Regional Centers Model Systems in SCI, TBI and Burn Injury Field Initiated Projects Advanced Rehabilitation Research Training Program Switzer Research Fellowships Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Contracts From the NIDRR LRP

RERC Goal “to address the barriers confronted by individuals with disabilities in all aspects of their lives.” From the NIDRR LRP

RERC Priorities Priorities fall within the following four areas of rehabilitation engineering Rehabilitation strategies, techniques and interventions Information and communication technologies Individual mobility and manipulation Physical access and transportation There are currently 17 active RERC’s From the NIDRR LRP

NIDRR RERC Funding Process 5-year grant cycles Currently $950,000 / year for most RERCs A request for proposals (RFP) is announced in the Federal Register First announcement, with comment period Final announcement ~ 2 months for transmittal of applications

Elements of an RERC Research and Development Projects Assessment accurately identify attributes and/or rehabilitation needs of individuals Treatment developing and evaluating innovative technologies and intervention strategies Training & Outreach provide information to consumers, professionals, standards bodies, and inform standards of practice Dissemination State of the Science Conference Publications, Presentations, and via other media

NB vs WB Speech Study 2012 HLAA Convention

Subjects: 22 Cochlear Implantees Gender 16 Female 6 Male Age (22 – 74 years) 3 -under 45 years old – 65 years old years old Hearing Device 12 bilateral CI users 4 unilateral CI users 5 bilateral HD users (1 CI & 1 HA)

Stimuli Sentence sets from the Computer Assisted Speech Perception Evaluation and Training Tool Scored as number of words correctly repeated per sentence set (102 total/set) 2 audio-only conditions Narrowband telephone speech (AMR NB at 12.2 kBit/s) Wideband telephone speech (G at kBit/s) Average presentation level of ~70 dB SPL at the location of the listener’s head (simulated cell phone listening via speakerphone)

Subjective Mental Effort Questionnaire (SMEQ)