11744 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 

including long-term measures, that are 

designed to yield information on 

various aspects of the effectiveness and 

quality of the Educational Technology, 

Media, and Materials (ETechM2) for 

Individuals with Disabilities Program. 

These measures are: 

• Program Performance Measure 1: 

The percentage of ETechM2 Program 

products and services judged to be of 

high quality by an independent review 

panel of experts qualified to review the 

substantial content of the products and 

services. 

• Program Performance Measure 2: 

The percentage of ETechM2 Program 

products and services judged to be of 

high relevance to improving outcomes 

for infants, toddlers, children, and 

youth with disabilities. 

• Program Performance Measure 3: 

The percentage of ETechM2 Program 

products and services judged to be 

useful in improving results for infants, 

toddlers, children, and youth with 

disabilities. 

• Program Performance Measure 4.1: 

The Federal cost per unit of accessible 

educational materials funded by the 

ETechM2 Program. 

• Program Performance Measure 4.2: 

The Federal cost per unit of accessible 

educational materials from the National 

Instructional Materials Accessibility 

Center funded by the ETechM2 

Program. 

• Program Performance Measure 4.3: 

The Federal cost per unit of video 

description funded by the ETechM2 

Program. 

These measures apply to projects 

funded under this competition, and 

grantees are required to submit data on 

these measures as directed by OSEP. 

Grantees will be required to report 

information on their project’s 

performance in annual performance 

reports and additional performance data 

to the Department (34 CFR 75.590 and 

75.591). 

6. Continuation Awards: In making a 

continuation award under 34 CFR 

75.253, the Secretary considers, among 

other things: Whether a grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the goals and objectives of the project; 

whether the grantee has expended funds 

in a manner that is consistent with its 

approved application and budget; and, 

if the Secretary has established 

performance measurement 

requirements, the performance targets in 

the grantee’s approved application. 

In making a continuation award, the 

Secretary also considers whether the 

grantee is operating in compliance with 

the assurances in its approved 

application, including those applicable 

to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance 

from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

VII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: On request to the 

program contact person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 

individuals with disabilities can obtain 

this document and a copy of the 

application package in an accessible 

format. The Department will provide the 

requestor with an accessible format that 

may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or 

text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 

file, braille, large print, audiotape, or 

compact disc, or other accessible format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. You may access the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations at 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can 

view this document, as well as all other 

documents of this Department 

published in the Federal Register, in 

text or Portable Document Format 

(PDF). To use PDF you must have 

Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 

available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

David Cantrell, 

Deputy Director, Office of Special Education 

Programs, Delegated the authority to perform 

the functions and duties of the Assistant 

Secretary for the Office of Special Education 

and Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2021–03972 Filed 2–25–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; 

Educational Technology, Media, and 

Materials for Individuals With 

Disabilities Program–-Captioned and 

Described Educational Media Center 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) is issuing a notice inviting 

applications for new awards for fiscal 

year (FY) 2021 for Educational 

Technology, Media, and Materials for 

Individuals with Disabilities— 

Captioned and Described Educational 

Media Center, Assistance Listing 

Number 84.327N. This notice relates to 

the approved information collection 

under OMB control number 1820–0028. 

DATES: 

Applications Available: February 26, 

2021. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: April 27, 2021. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: June 28, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on February 13, 2019 

(84 FR 3768), and available at 

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019- 

02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Terry Jackson, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 

Room 5128, Potomac Center Plaza, 

Washington, DC 20202–5076. 

Telephone: (202) 245–6039. Email: 

Terry.Jackson@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay 

Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 

8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: The purpose of 

the Educational Technology, Media, and 

Materials for Individuals with 

Disabilities Program is to improve 

results for students with disabilities by 

(1) promoting the development, 

demonstration, and use of technology; 

(2) supporting educational activities 

designed to be of educational value in 

the classroom for students with 

disabilities; (3) providing support for 

captioning and video description that is 

appropriate for use in the classroom; 

and (4) providing accessible educational 

materials to students with disabilities in 

a timely manner. 

Priority: This competition includes 

one absolute priority. In accordance 

with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this 

priority is from allowable activities 

specified in sections 674(c)(1)(D) and 

681(d) of the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); 20 

U.S.C. 1474(c)(1)(D) and 1481(d). 

Absolute Priority: For FY 2021 and 

any subsequent year in which we make 

awards from the list of unfunded 

applications from this competition, this 

priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 11745 

1 In October 2020, the Federal Communications 

Commission (FCC) adopted rule changes including 

a switch from the term ‘‘video description’’ to 

‘‘audio description’’ that can be found at https://

ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/102760142335/FCC-20- 

155A1.pdf. Audio description (also known as video 

description or description) refers to providing 

auditory access to significant visual content in a 

video through spoken narration accompanying the 

video’s soundtrack. Audio description increases the 

accessibility of visual content, especially for 

audience members who are blind or visually 

impaired or who have visual processing difficulties 

and for those who may be temporarily unable to 

follow the video portion of a program. 

2Closed captioning (also known as captioning) 

refers to providing visual access to audio content 

from a video through text displayed along with the 

video. Captioning increases the accessibility of 

video and multi-media programs, particularly for 

audience members who are deaf or have hearing 

loss, but also for those who are temporarily unable 

to hear a program or who benefit when auditory 

information is substituted/supplemented by text 

(for example, some English learners and some 

students with language processing difficulties). 

3For purposes of this priority, ‘‘eligible users’’ are 

defined as students, including English learners, in 

early learning and kindergarten through grade 12 

(K–12) settings (face-to-face, remote/online, and 

hybrid learning) who have hearing or vision 

impairments and individuals, such as teachers, 

parents, and paraprofessionals, who are directly 

involved in these students’ early learning or K–12 

classroom instruction. To be eligible to use the 

accessible products and materials in the accessible 

technology platform (ATP), children and youth 

with disabilities must meet the criteria for ‘‘eligible 

person’’ in the Copyright Act of the United States, 

at 17 U.S.C. 121. For more information, visit 

www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#121. 

4For the purposes of this priority, ‘‘video 

programming’’ is defined consistent with the 

Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. 613, 

meaning ‘‘programming by, or generally considered 

comparable to programming provided by a 

television broadcast station, but not including 

consumer-generated media.’’ 

CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider only 

applications that meet this priority. 

This priority is: 

Captioned and Described Educational 

Media Center 

Background: Section 674(c) of the 

IDEA requires, in part, that the Secretary 

of Education support audio 

description,1 open captioning, and 

closed captioning,2 which is appropriate 

for use in early learning and 

kindergarten through grade 12 (K–12) 

settings, of (a) television programs, (b) 

videos, and (c) other materials, 

including programs and materials 

associated with new and emerging 

technologies. 

Ensuring that educational materials 

used in various learning environments 

are accessible to students who have 

hearing or vision impairments is an 

ongoing challenge and extends to a 

variety of critical content areas, 

including science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) 

and Spanish language materials. STEM 

materials are often not in accessible 

formats, and few Spanish language 

materials are captioned or described. 

Therefore, eligible students who are 

hearing or vision impaired or who are 

English learners (ELs) who speak 

Spanish are placed at a disadvantage. 

Research has demonstrated that 

accessible technologies like captioning 

and audio description contribute to 

gains in knowledge and understanding, 

improved retention, and increased 

interest in, and enjoyment of, the world 

for students with sensory disabilities 

(e.g., blindness/visual impairment, 

deafness/hard of hearing, and deaf 

blindness) (Rodriguez & Diaz, 2017). 

Captioning and audio description not 

only benefit students with sensory 

disabilities but can also benefit students 

without sensory disabilities and ELs. 

Studies have demonstrated that 

captioning improves ELs’ performance 

with listening, auditory, and 

comprehension tests. Gernsbacher 

(2015) highlighted that learning to read 

is a complex process and watching 

videos with audio captions can lead to 

improvement in reading skills, defining 

content words, recognizing and 

pronouncing new and different 

vocabulary words, and drawing 

inferences about what happened in the 

videos for hearing and hearing-impaired 

children. 

In the past, the rights to accessible 

educational films and videos were 

purchased with Federal funds to make 

them available to eligible users with 

disabilities. Over the years, however, 

national broadcast television network 

program providers and the Television 

Access (84.327C) projects have 

collaborated to provide accessible 

educational television programs 

available at no cost and available ondemand to children with disabilities 

(U.S. Department of Education, March 

16, 2015). As a result, the Television 

Access (84.327C) projects now secure 

media from program providers at no 

cost. 

The need to support a Center that 

provides captioning and audio 

description for educational curricular 

materials and educational media that is 

appropriate for use in early learning and 

K–12 settings (including face-to-face, 

remote/online, and hybrid learning) 

continues to grow. Furthermore, the 

rapid growth, changes, and quality of 

accessible technology and captioning 

and description services must keep pace 

with advancements in new and 

emerging forms of media and 

technologies. A Center can provide easy 

access, e-learning opportunities, and 

cutting-edge digital technology for 

children and youth with sensory 

disabilities who need support and 

guidance in understanding how to use 

these technologies. In addition, a Center 

can provide families, educators, school 

administrators, and paraprofessionals 

with direct supports to access and use 

resources that are audio described and 

captioned and make appropriate 

curricular material selections. 

Priority: The purpose of this priority 

is to fund a cooperative agreement to 

establish and operate a Captioned and 

Described Educational Media Center 

(Center) that will oversee the selection, 

acquisition, captioning, audio 

description, and distribution of 

educational media and materials 

through a free loan service for eligible 

users.3

The Center must achieve, at a 

minimum, the following expected 

outcomes: 

(a) Improved selection, acquisition, 

captioning, audio description, 

dissemination, and public awareness of 

curricular and accompanying learning 

materials through a free loan service for 

eligible users; 

(b) Increased number of described and 

captioned educational video 

programming,4 audio, and online digital 

media produced by the Center and the 

Television Access (84.327C) projects 

that are free of charge to users; 

(c) Improved access and use of 

accessible curricular materials and 

online media products for early 

childhood providers, K–12 educators, 

children and youth with disabilities, 

ELs, teachers, families, and other 

professionals; 

(d) Increased supports, resources, and 

trainings related to the use of accessible 

described and captioned media in early 

learning environments and K–12 

settings for children and youth with 

disabilities, their families, teachers, and 

other professionals, including 

collections of described and captioned 

curricula, training materials, modules, 

webinars, and other informational 

resources; 

(e) Increased access to content 

through a dedicated online portal and 

through the use of new and emerging 

technologies and processes; and 

(f) Improved coordination and 

efficient use of funding across the 

Television Access (84.327C) projects 

and this Center to more efficiently and 

effectively meet the needs of States, 

administrators, educators, service 

providers, children and youth with 

disabilities, ELs, and their families, and 

more efficient use of the funding 

available to support these activities. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
11746 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 

5Logic model (also referred to as a theory of 

action) means a framework that identifies key 

project components of the proposed project (i.e., the 

active ‘‘ingredients’’ that are hypothesized to be 

critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and 

describes the theoretical and operational 

relationships among the key project components 

and relevant outcomes. See 34 CFR 77.1. 

In addition to these programmatic 

requirements, to be considered for 

funding under this priority, applicants 

must meet the following application and 

administrative requirements in this 

priority: 

(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Significance,’’ how the proposed 

project will— 

(1) Use applicable national, State, 

regional, or local data to demonstrate 

the need for the Center to oversee the 

selection and acquisition for captioning 

and audio description for children with 

sensory disabilities, families, educators, 

paraprofessionals, including children 

with disabilities, and ELs who may be 

underserved; and 

(2) Increase knowledge and 

understanding of the benefits, services, 

or opportunities that are available by 

using accessible educational materials 

and educational television programming 

in early childhood environments, K–12, 

and remote/online settings. 

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Quality of project services,’’ how the 

project will— 

(1) Improve the quality, usability, 

availability, and access to the content of 

a free online site to make it possible for 

eligible users to easily borrow media 

from the loan service; 

(2) Provide secure access to ondemand, curricular materials, accessible 

educational video programming, and elearning modules; 

(3) Select educational curricular 

material and television programs of high 

educational value and quality that are 

widely available and appropriate for use 

in early learning environments and K– 

12 settings (face-to-face, remote/online, 

or hybrid learning environments) for 

children and youth with disabilities and 

ELs; 

(4) Implement strategies and 

procedures for identifying and 

prioritizing educational media and 

curricular materials that are not 

currently readily accessible to students 

but are appropriate for eligible users 

attending early learning programs and 

elementary and secondary schools that 

meet the educational needs of those 

students, including ELs; 

(5) Coordinate with the Television 

Access (84.327C) projects and media 

producers and distributors for the 

Center to acquire (at no cost) the rights 

to caption, describe, and widely 

distribute selected media, including 

distribution in alternate formats, such as 

video streaming; 

(6) Provide training, support, and 

resources (e.g., collections of described 

and captioned curricula, training 

materials, modules, webinars, other 

informational resources) related to the 

use of described and captioned 

materials and programming for children 

and youth with disabilities, their 

families, teachers, educators, 

administrators, and other professionals; 

(7) Ensure equal access and treatment 

for members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented 

based on race, color, national origin, 

gender, age, or disability. To meet these 

requirements, the applicant must 

describe how it will— 

(i) Identify the needs of the intended 

recipients for technical assistance and 

information; and 

(ii) Ensure that services and products 

meet the needs of the intended 

recipients of the grant; 

(8) Achieve its goals, objectives, and 

intended outcomes. To meet this 

requirement, the applicant must 

provide—- 

(i) Measurable intended project 

outcomes; and 

(ii) In Appendix A, the logic model 5

or conceptual framework by which the 

proposed project will achieve its 

intended outcomes that depicts, at a 

minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, 

and intended outcomes of the proposed 

project; and 

(9) Use a logic model or conceptual 

framework (and provide a copy in 

Appendix A) to develop project plans 

and activities, describing any 

underlying concepts, assumptions, 

expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well 

as the presumed relationships or 

linkages among these variables, and any 

empirical support for this framework. 

Note: The following websites provide more 

information on logic models and conceptual 

frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/ 

logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/ 

resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tadproject-logic-model-andconceptualframework. 

(c) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Adequacy of resources and quality of 

project personnel,’’ how— 

(1) The proposed key personnel, 

consultants, and contractors have the 

qualifications, experience, and 

commitment to carry out the proposed 

activities and achieve the project’s 

intended outcomes; 

(2) The proposed project will 

encourage applications for employment 

from persons who are members of 

groups that have traditionally been 

underrepresented based on race, color, 

national origin, linguistic diversity, 

gender, age, or disability, as appropriate; 

(3) The applicant and key partners 

have adequate resources to carry out 

proposed project activities. To address 

this requirement, the applicant must 

describe the willingness of the potential 

television program providers or program 

owners, as appropriate, to permit and 

facilitate the video description or the 

video description and captioning of 

their programs; and 

(4) The proposed costs are reasonable 

in relation to the anticipated results and 

benefits. 

(d) In the narrative section of the 

application under ‘‘Quality of the 

project evaluation,’’ include an 

evaluation plan for the project as 

described in the following paragraphs. 

The evaluation plan must describe 

measures of progress in implementation, 

including the extent to which the 

project’s products and services have 

reached its target population; and 

measures of intended outcomes or 

results of the project’s activities to 

assess the effectiveness of those 

activities. 

In designing the evaluation plan, the 

applicant must— 

(1) Provide a logic model or 

conceptual framework that depicts, at a 

minimum, the goals, activities, project 

evaluation, methods, performance 

measures, outputs, and outcomes of the 

proposed project; 

(2) Provide a plan to implement the 

activities described in this priority; and 

(3) Provide a plan, linked to the 

proposed project’s logic model or 

conceptual framework, for a formative 

evaluation of the proposed project’s 

activities. The plan must describe how 

the formative evaluation will use clear 

performance objectives to ensure 

continuous improvement in the 

operation of the proposed project, 

including objective measures of progress 

in implementing the project and 

ensuring the quality of products and 

resources. 

Note: The following websites provide more 

information on logic models and conceptual 

frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/ 

logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/ 

resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tadproject-logic-model-and-conceptualframework. 

(4) Designate, with the approval of the 

Office of Special Education Programs 

(OSEP) project officer, a project liaison 

staff person with sufficient dedicated 

time, experience in evaluation, and 

knowledge of the project to work in 

collaboration with the Center to 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 11747 

Improve Program and Project 

Performance (CIPP), the project director, 

and the OSEP project officer on the 

following tasks: 

(i) Revise, as needed, the logic model 

submitted in the application to provide 

for a more comprehensive measurement 

of implementation and outcomes and to 

reflect any changes or clarifications to 

the model discussed at the kick-off 

meeting; 

(ii) Refine the evaluation design and 

instrumentation proposed in the 

application consistent with the logic 

model (e.g., prepare evaluation 

questions about significant program 

processes and outcomes; develop 

quantitative or qualitative data 

collections that permit both the 

collection of progress data, including 

fidelity of implementation, as 

appropriate, and the assessment of 

project outcomes; and identify analytic 

strategies); 

(iii) Revise, as needed, the evaluation 

plan submitted in the application such 

that it clearly— 

(A) Specifies the evaluation questions, 

measures, and associated instruments or 

sources for data appropriate to answer 

these questions, suggests analytic 

strategies for those data, provides a 

timeline for conducting the evaluation, 

and includes staff assignments for 

completing the evaluation activities; 

and 

(B) Can be used to assist the project 

director and the OSEP project officer, 

with the assistance of CIPP, as needed 

to specify the project performance 

measures to be addressed in the 

project’s annual performance report; 

(iv) Dedicate sufficient staff time and 

other resources during the first six 

months of the project to collaborate with 

CIPP staff, including regular meetings 

(e.g., weekly, biweekly, or monthly) 

with CIPP and the OSEP project officer, 

in order to accomplish the tasks 

described in paragraph (d)(4) of this 

section; and 

(v) Dedicate sufficient funds in each 

budget year to cover the costs of 

carrying out the tasks described in 

paragraphs (d)(4) of this section and 

revising and implementing the 

evaluation plan. Please note in your 

budget narrative the funds dedicated for 

this activity. 

(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative 

section of the application under 

‘‘Quality of the management plan,’’ 

how— 

(1) The proposed management plan 

will ensure that the project’s intended 

outcomes will be achieved on time and 

within budget. To address this 

requirement, the applicant must 

describe— 

(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for 

key project personnel, consultants, and 

subcontractors, as applicable; and 

(ii) Timelines and milestones for 

accomplishing the project tasks; 

(2) Key project personnel, consultants, 

and contractors will be sufficiently 

allocated to the project and how these 

allocations are appropriate and adequate 

to achieve the project’s intended 

outcomes; 

(3) The proposed management plan 

will ensure that the products and 

resources provided are of high quality, 

relevant, and useful to recipients; and 

(4) The proposed project will benefit 

from a diversity of perspectives, 

including those of families, educators, 

researchers, and policy makers, among 

others, in its development and 

operation. 

(f) Address the following application 

requirements. The applicant must 

include— 

(1) In Appendix A, personnel-loading 

charts, and timelines, as applicable, to 

illustrate the management plan 

described in the narrative; and 

(2) In the budget, attendance at the 

following: 

(i) A one and one-half day kick-off 

meeting in Washington, DC, or virtually, 

after receipt of the award, and an annual 

planning meeting in Washington, DC, or 

virtually, with the Office of Special 

Education Programs (OSEP) project 

officer and other relevant staff during 

each subsequent year of the project 

period. 

Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the 

award, a post-award teleconference must be 

held between the OSEP project officer and 

the grantee’s project director or other 

authorized representative. 

(ii) A two and one-half-day project 

directors’ conference in Washington, 

DC, or a virtual conference, during each 

year of the project period. 

(iii) Two annual two-day trips, or 

virtually, to attend Department 

briefings, Department-sponsored 

conferences, and other meetings, as 

requested by OSEP. 

(iv) A one-day intensive 3+2 review 

meeting during the last half of the 

second year of the project period. 

(3) Information on how the project 

will maintain a website, with an easyto-navigate design, that meets 

government or industry-recognized 

standards for accessibility; 

(4) In Appendix A, an assurance to 

assist OSEP with the transfer of 

pertinent resources and products and to 

maintain the continuity of services to 

States during the transition to this new 

award period and at the end of this 

award period, as appropriate. 

Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project: 

In deciding whether to continue funding 

the project for the fourth and fifth years, 

the Secretary will consider the 

requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), 

including— 

(a) The recommendations of a 3+2 

review team consisting of experts who 

have experience and knowledge in 

providing captioning and description 

services for children and youth with 

disabilities. This review will be 

conducted during a one-day intensive 

meeting that will be held during the last 

half of the second year of the project 

period; 

(b) The timeliness with which, and 

how well, the requirements of the 

negotiated cooperative agreement have 

been or are being met by the project; and 

(c) The quality, relevance, and 

usefulness of the project’s products and 

services and the extent to which the 

project’s products and services are 

aligned with the project’s objectives and 

likely to result in the project achieving 

its intended outcomes. 

Under 34 CFR 75.253, the Secretary 

may reduce continuation awards or 

discontinue awards in any year of the 

project period for excessive carryover 

balances or a failure to make substantial 

progress. The Department intends to 

closely monitor unobligated balances 

and substantial progress under this 

program and may reduce or discontinue 

funding accordingly. 

References 

Gernsbacher, M.A. (2015). Video captions 

benefit everyone. Policy Insights from the 

Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 2(1), 

195–202. https://doi.org/10.1177/ 

2372732215602130. 

Rodriguez, J., & Diaz, M.V. (2017). Media 

with captions and description to support 

learning among children with sensory 

disabilities. Universal Journal of 

Educational Research, 5(11), 2016–2025. 

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ 

EJ1159754.pdf. 

U.S. Department of Education. (2015, March 

16). Video-on-Demand Children’s TV 

Programming Now Accessible for 

Thousands of Students with Visual or 

Hearing Disabilities [Press release]. 

www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/videodemand-children%E2%80%99s-tvprogramming-now-accessible-thousandsstudents-visual-or-hearing-disabilities. 

Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: 

Under the Administrative Procedure Act 

(APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department 

generally offers interested parties the 

opportunity to comment on proposed 

priorities. Section 681(d) of IDEA, 

however, makes the public comment 

requirements of the APA inapplicable to 

the priority in this notice. 

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 

and 1481. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
11748 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 

Note: Projects will be awarded and must be 

operated in a manner consistent with the 

nondiscrimination requirements contained in 

the Federal civil rights laws. 

Applicable Regulations: (a) The 

Education Department General 

Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR 

parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 84, 86, 97, 98, 

and 99. (b) The Office of Management 

and Budget Guidelines to Agencies on 

Governmentwide Debarment and 

Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR 

part 180, as adopted and amended as 

regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 

part 3485. (c) The Uniform 

Administrative Requirements, Cost 

Principles, and Audit Requirements for 

Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200, as 

adopted and amended as regulations of 

the Department in 2 CFR part 3474. 

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 

apply to all applicants except federally 

recognized Indian Tribes. 

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 

apply to institutions of higher education 

(IHEs) only. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Cooperative 

agreement. 

Estimated Available Funds: 

$2,000,000. 

Contingent upon the availability of 

funds and the quality of applications, 

we may make additional awards in FY 

2022 from the list of unfunded 

applications from this competition. 

Maximum Award: We will not make 

an award exceeding $10,000,000 for the 

60-month project period. 

Estimated Number of Awards: 1. 

Note: The Department is not bound by any 

estimates in this notice. 

Project Period: Up to 60 months. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: State 

educational agencies; local educational 

agencies (LEAs), including public 

charter schools that operate as LEAs 

under State law; IHEs; other public 

agencies; private nonprofit 

organizations; freely associated States 

and outlying areas; Indian Tribes or 

Tribal organizations; and for-profit 

organizations. 

Note: If you are a nonprofit organization, 

under 34 CFR 75.51, you may demonstrate 

your nonprofit status by providing: (1) Proof 

that the Internal Revenue Service currently 

recognizes the applicant as an organization to 

which contributions are tax deductible under 

section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue 

Code; (2) a statement from a State taxing 

body or the State attorney general certifying 

that the organization is a nonprofit 

organization operating within the State and 

that no part of its net earnings may lawfully 

benefit any private shareholder or individual; 

(3) a certified copy of the applicant’s 

certificate of incorporation or similar 

document if it clearly establishes the 

nonprofit status of the applicant; or (4) any 

item described above if that item applies to 

a State or national parent organization, 

together with a statement by the State or 

parent organization that the applicant is a 

local nonprofit affiliate. 

2. a. Cost Sharing or Matching: This 

program does not require cost sharing or 

matching. 

b. Indirect Cost Rate Information: This 

program uses an unrestricted indirect 

cost rate. For more information 

regarding indirect costs, or to obtain a 

negotiated indirect cost rate, please see 

www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/ 

intro.html. 

c. Administrative Cost Limitation: 

This program does not include any 

program-specific limitation on 

administrative expenses. All 

administrative expenses must be 

reasonable and necessary and conform 

to Cost Principles described in 2 CFR 

part 200 subpart E of the Uniform 

Guidance. 

3. Subgrantees: A grantee under this 

competition may not award subgrants to 

entities to directly carry out project 

activities described in its application. 

Under 34 CFR 75.708(e), a grantee may 

contract for supplies, equipment, and 

other services in accordance with 2 CFR 

part 200. 

4. Other General Requirements: (a) 

Recipients of funding under this 

competition must make positive efforts 

to employ and advance in employment 

qualified individuals with disabilities 

(see section 606 of IDEA). 

(b) Each applicant for, and recipient 

of, funding must, with respect to the 

aspects of their proposed project 

relating to the absolute priority, involve 

individuals with disabilities, or parents 

of individuals with disabilities ages 

birth through 26, in planning, 

implementing, and evaluating the 

project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of 

IDEA). 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Application Submission 

Instructions: Applicants are required to 

follow the Common Instructions for 

Applicants to Department of Education 

Discretionary Grant Programs, 

published in the Federal Register on 

February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768), and 

available at www.govinfo.gov/content/ 

pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf, 

which contain requirements and 

information on how to submit an 

application. 

2. Intergovernmental Review: This 

competition is subject to Executive 

Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 

CFR part 79. Information about 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs under Executive Order 12372 

is in the application package for this 

competition. 

3. Funding Restrictions: We reference 

regulations outlining funding 

restrictions in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

4. Recommended Page Limit: The 

application narrative is where you, the 

applicant, address the selection criteria 

that reviewers use to evaluate your 

application. We recommend that you (1) 

limit the application narrative to no 

more than 50 pages and (2) use the 

following standards: 

• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5′′ x 11′′, on one side 

only, with 1′′ margins at the top, bottom, 

and both sides. 

• Double-space (no more than three 

lines per vertical inch) all text in the 

application narrative, including titles, 

headings, footnotes, quotations, 

reference citations, and captions, as well 

as all text in charts, tables, figures, 

graphs, and screen shots. 

• Use a font that is 12 point or larger. 

• Use one of the following fonts: 

Times New Roman, Courier, Courier 

New, or Arial. 

The recommended page limit does not 

apply to the cover sheet; the budget 

section, including the narrative budget 

justification; the assurances and 

certifications; or the abstract (follow the 

guidance provided in the application 

package for completing the abstract), the 

table of contents, the list of priority 

requirements, the resumes, the reference 

list, the letters of support, or the 

appendices. However, the 

recommended page limit does apply to 

all of the application narrative, 

including all text in charts, tables, 

figures, graphs, and screen shots. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Selection Criteria: The selection 

criteria for this competition are from 34 

CFR 75.210 and are as follows: 

(a) Significance (15 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

significance of the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the significance of 

the proposed project, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The significance of the problem or 

issue to be addressed by the proposed 

project; 

(ii) The extent to which specific gaps 

or weaknesses in services, 

infrastructure, or opportunities have 

been identified and will be addressed by 

the proposed project, including the 

nature and magnitude of those gaps or 

weaknesses; and 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 11749 

(iii) The potential contribution of the 

proposed project to increased 

knowledge or understanding of 

educational problems, issues, or 

effective strategies. 

(b) Quality of project services (30 

points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the services to be provided by 

the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of the 

services to be provided by the proposed 

project, the Secretary considers the 

quality and sufficiency of strategies for 

ensuring equal access and treatment for 

eligible project participants who are 

members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented 

based on race, color, national origin, 

gender, age, or disability. 

(3) In addition, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The extent to which the services to 

be provided by the proposed project 

reflect up-to-date knowledge from 

research and effective practice; 

(ii) The extent to which the training 

or professional development services to 

be provided by the proposed project are 

of sufficient quality, intensity, and 

duration to lead to improvements in 

practice among the recipients of those 

services; 

(iii) The extent to which the services 

to be provided by the proposed project 

involve the collaboration of appropriate 

partners for maximizing the 

effectiveness of project services; 

(iv) The extent to which the services 

to be provided by the proposed project 

are appropriate to the needs of the 

intended recipients or beneficiaries of 

those services; and 

(v) The likely impact of the services 

to be provided by the proposed project 

on the intended recipients of those 

services. 

(c) Adequacy of resources and quality 

of project personnel (20 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

adequacy of resources for the proposed 

project and the quality of the personnel 

who will carry out the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of 

project personnel, the Secretary 

considers the extent to which the 

applicant encourages applications for 

employment from persons who are 

members of groups that have 

traditionally been underrepresented 

based on race, color, national origin, 

gender, age, or disability. 

(3) In addition, the Secretary 

considers the following factors: 

(i) The qualifications, including 

relevant training and experience, of key 

project personnel; 

(ii) The qualifications, including 

relevant training and experience, of 

project consultants or subcontractors; 

(iii) The adequacy of support, 

including facilities, equipment, 

supplies, and other resources, from the 

applicant organization or the lead 

applicant organization; 

(iv) The relevance and demonstrated 

commitment of each partner in the 

proposed project to the implementation 

and success of the project; and 

(v) The extent to which the costs are 

reasonable in relation to the objectives, 

design, and potential significance of the 

proposed project. 

(d) Quality of the project evaluation 

(20 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the evaluation to be 

conducted of the proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of the 

evaluation, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(i) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation are thorough, feasible, and 

appropriate to the goals, objectives, and 

outcomes of the proposed project; 

(ii) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation include the use of 

objective performance measures that are 

clearly related to the intended outcomes 

of the project and will produce 

quantitative and qualitative data to the 

extent possible; 

(iii) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation provide for examining the 

effectiveness of project implementation 

strategies; 

(iv) The extent to which the methods 

of evaluation will provide performance 

feedback and permit periodic 

assessment of progress toward achieving 

intended outcomes; and 

(v) The extent to which the evaluation 

plan clearly articulates the key project 

components, mediators, and outcomes, 

as well as a measurable threshold for 

acceptable implementation. 

(e) Quality of the management plan 

(15 points). 

(1) The Secretary considers the 

quality of the management plan for the 

proposed project. 

(2) In determining the quality of the 

management plan for the proposed 

project, the Secretary considers the 

following factors: 

(i) The adequacy of the management 

plan to achieve the objectives of the 

proposed project on time and within 

budget, including clearly defined 

responsibilities, timelines, and 

milestones for accomplishing project 

tasks; 

(ii) The extent to which the time 

commitments of the project director and 

principal investigator and other key 

project personnel are appropriate and 

adequate to meet the objectives of the 

proposed project; 

(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for 

ensuring high-quality products and 

services from the proposed project; 

(iv) How the applicant will ensure 

that a diversity of perspectives are 

brought to bear in the operation of the 

proposed project, including those of 

parents, teachers, the business 

community, a variety of disciplinary 

and professional fields, recipients or 

beneficiaries of services, or others, as 

appropriate; and 

(v) The adequacy of procedures for 

ensuring feedback and continuous 

improvement in the operation of the 

proposed project. 

2. Review and Selection Process: We 

remind potential applicants that in 

reviewing applications in any 

discretionary grant competition, the 

Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 

75.217(d)(3), the past performance of the 

applicant in carrying out a previous 

award, such as the applicant’s use of 

funds, achievement of project 

objectives, and compliance with grant 

conditions. The Secretary may also 

consider whether the applicant failed to 

submit a timely performance report or 

submitted a report of unacceptable 

quality. 

In addition, in making a competitive 

grant award, the Secretary requires 

various assurances, including those 

applicable to Federal civil rights laws 

that prohibit discrimination in programs 

or activities receiving Federal financial 

assistance from the Department (34 CFR 

100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

3. Additional Review and Selection 

Process Factors: In the past, the 

Department has had difficulty finding 

peer reviewers for certain competitions 

because so many individuals who are 

eligible to serve as peer reviewers have 

conflicts of interest. The standing panel 

requirements under section 682(b) of 

IDEA also have placed additional 

constraints on the availability of 

reviewers. Therefore, the Department 

has determined that for some 

discretionary grant competitions, 

applications may be separated into two 

or more groups and ranked and selected 

for funding within specific groups. This 

procedure will make it easier for the 

Department to find peer reviewers by 

ensuring that greater numbers of 

individuals who are eligible to serve as 

reviewers for any particular group of 

applicants will not have conflicts of 

interest. It also will increase the quality, 

independence, and fairness of the 

review process, while permitting panel 

members to review applications under 

discretionary grant competitions for 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
11750 Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 

which they also have submitted 

applications. 

4. Risk Assessment and Specific 

Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 

200.206, before awarding grants under 

this competition the Department 

conducts a review of the risks posed by 

applicants. Under 2 CFR 200.208, the 

Secretary may impose specific 

conditions and, under 2 CFR 3474.10, in 

appropriate circumstances, high-risk 

conditions on a grant if the applicant or 

grantee is not financially stable; has a 

history of unsatisfactory performance; 

has a financial or other management 

system that does not meet the standards 

in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 

fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; 

or is otherwise not responsible. 

5. Integrity and Performance System: 

If you are selected under this 

competition to receive an award that 

over the course of the project period 

may exceed the simplified acquisition 

threshold (currently $250,000), under 2 

CFR 200.206(a)(2) we must make a 

judgment about your integrity, business 

ethics, and record of performance under 

Federal awards—that is, the risk posed 

by you as an applicant—before we make 

an award. In doing so, we must consider 

any information about you that is in the 

integrity and performance system 

(currently referred to as the Federal 

Awardee Performance and Integrity 

Information System (FAPIIS)), 

accessible through the System for 

Award Management. You may review 

and comment on any information about 

yourself that a Federal agency 

previously entered and that is currently 

in FAPIIS. 

Please note that, if the total value of 

your currently active grants, cooperative 

agreements, and procurement contracts 

from the Federal Government exceeds 

$10,000,000, the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix XII, 

require you to report certain integrity 

information to FAPIIS semiannually. 

Please review the requirements in 2 CFR 

part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant 

plus all the other Federal funds you 

receive exceed $10,000,000. 

6. In General: In accordance with the 

Office of Management and Budget’s 

guidance located at 2 CFR part 200, all 

applicable Federal laws, and relevant 

Executive guidance, the Department 

will review and consider applications 

for funding pursuant to this notice 

inviting applications in accordance 

with— 

(a) Selecting recipients most likely to 

be successful in delivering results based 

on the program objectives through an 

objective process of evaluating Federal 

award applications (2 CFR 200.205); 

(b) Prohibiting the purchase of certain 

telecommunication and video 

surveillance services or equipment in 

alignment with section 889 of the 

National Defense Authorization Act of 

2019 (Pub. L. 115—232) (2 CFR 

200.216); 

(c) Providing a preference, to the 

extent permitted by law, to maximize 

use of goods, products, and materials 

produced in the United States (2 CFR 

200.322); and 

(d) Terminating agreements in whole 

or in part to the greatest extent 

authorized by law if an award no longer 

effectuates the program goals or agency 

priorities (2 CFR 200.340). 

VI. Award Administration Information 

1. Award Notices: If your application 

is successful, we notify your U.S. 

Representative and U.S. Senators and 

send you a Grant Award Notification 

(GAN); or we may send you an email 

containing a link to access an electronic 

version of your GAN. We may notify 

you informally, also. 

If your application is not evaluated or 

not selected for funding, we notify you. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: We identify 

administrative and national policy 

requirements in the application package 

and reference these and other 

requirements in the Applicable 

Regulations section of this notice. 

We reference the regulations outlining 

the terms and conditions of an award in 

the Applicable Regulations section of 

this notice and include these and other 

specific conditions in the GAN. The 

GAN also incorporates your approved 

application as part of your binding 

commitments under the grant. 

3. Open Licensing Requirements: 

Unless an exception applies, if you are 

awarded a grant under this competition, 

you will be required to openly license 

to the public grant deliverables created 

in whole, or in part, with Department 

grant funds. When the deliverable 

consists of modifications to pre-existing 

works, the license extends only to those 

modifications that can be separately 

identified and only to the extent that 

open licensing is permitted under the 

terms of any licenses or other legal 

restrictions on the use of pre-existing 

works. Additionally, a grantee that is 

awarded competitive grant funds must 

have a plan to disseminate these public 

grant deliverables. This dissemination 

plan can be developed and submitted 

after your application has been 

reviewed and selected for funding. For 

additional information on the open 

licensing requirements please refer to 2 

CFR 3474.20. 

4. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a 

grant under this competition, you must 

ensure that you have in place the 

necessary processes and systems to 

comply with the reporting requirements 

in 2 CFR part 170 should you receive 

funding under the competition. This 

does not apply if you have an exception 

under 2 CFR 170.110(b). 

(b) At the end of your project period, 

you must submit a final performance 

report, including financial information, 

as directed by the Secretary. If you 

receive a multiyear award, you must 

submit an annual performance report 

that provides the most current 

performance and financial expenditure 

information as directed by the Secretary 

under 34 CFR 75.118. The Secretary 

may also require more frequent 

performance reports under 34 CFR 

75.720(c). For specific requirements on 

reporting, please go to www.ed.gov/ 

fund/grant/apply/appforms/ 

appforms.html. 

(c) Under 34 CFR 75.250(b), the 

Secretary may provide a grantee with 

additional funding for data collection 

analysis and reporting. In this case the 

Secretary establishes a data collection 

period. 

5. Performance Measures: For the 

purposes of the Government 

Performance and Results Act of 1993 

(GPRA) and reporting under 34 CFR 

75.110, the Department has established 

a set of performance measures, 

including long-term measures, that are 

designed to yield information on 

various aspects of the effectiveness and 

quality of the Educational Technology, 

Media, and Materials (ETechM2) for 

Individuals with Disabilities Program. 

These measures are: 

• Program Performance Measure 1: 

The percentage of ETechM2 Program 

products and services judged to be of 

high quality by an independent review 

panel of experts qualified to review the 

substantial content of the products and 

services. 

• Program Performance Measure 2: 

The percentage of ETechM2 Program 

products and services judged to be of 

high relevance to improving outcomes 

for infants, toddlers, children, and 

youth with disabilities. 

• Program Performance Measure 3: 

The percentage of ETechM2 Program 

products and services judged to be 

useful in improving results for infants, 

toddlers, children, and youth with 

disabilities. 

• Program Performance Measure 4.1: 

The Federal cost per unit of accessible 

educational materials funded by the 

ETechM2 Program. 

• Program Performance Measure 4.2: 

The Federal cost per unit of accessible 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 37 / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Notices 11751 

educational materials from the National 

Instructional Materials Accessibility 

Center funded by the ETechM2 

Program. 

• Program Performance Measure 4.3: 

The Federal cost per unit of video 

description funded by the ETechM2 

Program. 

These measures apply to projects 

funded under this competition, and 

grantees are required to submit data on 

these measures as directed by OSEP. 

Grantees will be required to report 

information on their project’s 

performance in annual performance 

reports and additional performance data 

to the Department (34 CFR 75.590 and 

75.591). 

6. Continuation Awards: In making a 

continuation award under 34 CFR 

75.253, the Secretary considers, among 

other things: Whether a grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the goals and objectives of the project; 

whether the grantee has expended funds 

in a manner that is consistent with its 

approved application and budget; and, 

if the Secretary has established 

performance measurement 

requirements, whether the grantee has 

made substantial progress in achieving 

the performance targets in the grantee’s 

approved application. 

In making a continuation award, the 

Secretary also considers whether the 

grantee is operating in compliance with 

the assurances in its approved 

application, including those applicable 

to Federal civil rights laws that prohibit 

discrimination in programs or activities 

receiving Federal financial assistance 

from the Department (34 CFR 100.4, 

104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23). 

VII. Other Information 

Accessible Format: On request to the 

program contact person listed under FOR

FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, 

individuals with disabilities can obtain 

this document and a copy of the 

application package in an accessible 

format. The Department will provide the 

requestor with an accessible format that 

may include Rich Text Format (RTF) or 

text format (txt), a thumb drive, an MP3 

file, braille, large print, audiotape, or 

compact disc, or other accessible format. 

Electronic Access to This Document: 

The official version of this document is 

the document published in the Federal 

Register. You may access the official 

edition of the Federal Register and the 

Code of Federal Regulations at 

www.govinfo.gov. At this site you can 

view this document, as well as all other 

documents of this Department 

published in the Federal Register, in 

text or Portable Document Format 

(PDF). To use PDF you must have 

Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is 

available free at the site. 

You may also access documents of the 

Department published in the Federal 

Register by using the article search 

feature at www.federalregister.gov. 

Specifically, through the advanced 

search feature at this site, you can limit 

your search to documents published by 

the Department. 

David Cantrell, 

Deputy Director, Office of Special Education 

Programs, delegated the authority to perform 

the functions and duties of the Assistant 

Secretary for the Office of Special Education 

and Rehabilitative Services. 

[FR Doc. 2021–03996 Filed 2–25–21; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4000–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

Applications for New Awards; 

Technical Assistance and 

Dissemination To Improve Services 

and Results for Children With 

Disabilities; Personnel Development 

To Improve Services and Results for 

Children With Disabilities; and 

Educational Technology, Media, and 

Materials for Individuals With 

Disabilities Programs—National 

Technical Assistance Center for 

Postsecondary Education and Training 

for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of 

Hearing 

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services, Department of 

Education. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Education 

(Department) is issuing a notice inviting 

applications for new awards for fiscal 

year (FY) 2021 for the National 

Technical Assistance Center for 

Postsecondary Education and Training 

for Individuals who are Deaf or Hard of 

Hearing, Assistance Listing Number 

84.326D. This notice relates to the 

approved information collection under 

OMB control number 1820–0028. 

DATES: 

Applications Available: February 26, 

2021. 

Deadline for Transmittal of 

Applications: April 27, 2021. 

Deadline for Intergovernmental 

Review: June 28, 2021. 

ADDRESSES: For the addresses for 

obtaining and submitting an 

application, please refer to our Common 

Instructions for Applicants to 

Department of Education Discretionary 

Grant Programs, published in the 

Federal Register on February 13, 2019 

(84 FR 3768), and available at 

www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019- 

02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Louise Tripoli, U.S. Department of 

Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, 

Room 5124, Potomac Center Plaza, 

Washington, DC 20202–5076. 

Telephone: (202) 245–7554. Email: 

Louise.Tripoli@ed.gov. 

If you use a telecommunications 

device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 

telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay 

Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–877– 

8339. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Purpose of Program: Funds from the 

following three Department programs 

support this competition: The Technical 

Assistance and Dissemination to 

Improve Services and Results for 

Children with Disabilities (TA&D) 

program; the Personnel Development to 

Improve Services and Results for 

Children with Disabilities (PD) program; 

and the Educational Technology, Media, 

and Materials for Individuals with 

Disabilities (ETechM2) program. 

The purpose of the TA&D program is 

to promote academic achievement and 

to improve results for children with 

disabilities by providing technical 

assistance (TA), supporting model 

demonstration projects, disseminating 

useful information, and implementing 

activities that are supported by 

scientifically based research. The 

purposes of the PD program are to (1) 

help address State-identified needs for 

personnel—in special education, related 

services, early intervention, and regular 

education—to work with children and 

youth with disabilities; and (2) ensure 

that those personnel have the skills and 

knowledge—derived from practices that 

have been determined through research 

and experience to be successful—that 

are needed to serve those children. 

Finally, the purposes of the ETechM2 

program are to (1) improve results for 

children with disabilities by promoting 

the development, demonstration, and 

use of technology; (2) support 

educational activities designed to be of 

educational value in the classroom for 

students with disabilities; (3) provide 

support for captioning and video 

description that is appropriate for use in 

the classroom; and (4) provide 

accessible educational materials to 

students with disabilities in a timely 

manner. 

Priority: This competition includes 

one absolute priority. In accordance 

with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this 

priority is from allowable activities 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES