\ MAX NAMI-- AND lNI'ANDED AITHORITY FOR TH1 f.OMMITTM 743 



panel. On August 10, Roodzant presented to the committee the out- 

 lines of the study to be undertaken by a 9-member panel (later ex- 

 panded to 11), headed by Dr. William A. Spencer, director of the Texas 

 Institute for Rehabilitation and Research in Houston, Tex., and chair- 

 man of the department of rehabilitation, Baylor College of Medicine. 

 The panel included other experts in medicine and rehabilitation, as 

 well as several handicapped persons, and others who had been active in 

 the field. Roodzant testified before the committee: 



In an attempt to present to you a representative group of experts on the problem, 

 we have solicited some 50 organizations interested in these problems and come up 

 with a panel that is proposed before you this morning. 



Brown and Krueger spoke in support of the panel, and the committee 

 unanimously approved the plan presented by Roodzant. 



To provide guidance and direction for new research and applica- 

 tion of technology to aid the handicapped, Teague announced hearings 

 of the Subcommittee on Science, Research and Technology on Sep- 

 tember 22 and 23, chaired by Brown. In his opening statement, Brown 

 noted that "we have made a commitment to do something about it." 

 He mentioned Teague's special concern, "which extends for many, 

 many years," leading the full committee to make a similar commit- 

 ment. In addition to members of the panel who testified, Edward Z. 

 Gray, NASA's Assistant Administrator for Industry Affairs and 

 Technology Utilization presented an updated account of NASA's 

 application of space technology to aid the handicapped. 



THE BROWN HEARINGS 



A wide range of witnesses testified, including representatives of the 

 medical and engineering professions, Federal agencies involved with 

 handicapped persons, and members of handicapped consumer groups. 

 Throughout the hearings, witnesses stressed the need to involve 

 handicapped consumers in the R. & D. phases of technology to bene- 

 fit the disabled. Acceptance and use by those directly concerned was a 

 point which some researchers did not fully grasp. For example, the 

 whole area of architectural barriers was one in which there were 

 differences of opinion between HUD experts and handicapped people 

 themselves. Fortunately, the committee had already retained W. R. 

 "Dede" Matthews, a Texas architect, who was tackling this problem 

 as a special consultant to the committee. In 1977, John G. Clements 

 joined the staff to work in this and other areas of research programs 

 aiding the handicapped. With the departure of Roodzant in 1979, 

 Clements took over his responsibilities. 



