II

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. 3211

To authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants to develop technologies to eliminate functional barriers to full independence for individuals with disabilities, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

OCTOBER 17 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 22), 2000

Mr. HARKIN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred

to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants

to develop technologies to eliminate functional barriers

to full independence for individuals with disabilities, and

for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Technology for All

5 Americans Act of 2000’’.

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find8 ings:
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1 (1) Disability does not diminish an individual’s

2 right to participate in the cultural, economic, edu3 cational, health care, political, and social main4 stream.

5 (2) Technology is a crucial factor in cultural,

6 economic, educational, health care, political, and so7 cial activity in the United States. The leadership of

8 the United States in the development and utilization

9 of technology is an important factor underlying the

10 strength of the economy and society of the United

11 States.

12 (3) The United States is entering a Technology

13 Revolution that is affecting, and will continue to af14 fect, every aspect of the daily lives of individuals in

15 the United States.

16 (4) Individuals with disabilities are nearly twice

17 as likely as individuals without disabilities to say

18 that the Internet has improved their lives.

19 (5) Although new technologies have improved

20 the lives of many individuals with disabilities in the

21 United States, there is a significant ‘‘Digital Divide’’

22 between individuals with and without disabilities. Individuals with disabilities are less than 1 23 ⁄2 as likely

24 as individuals without disabilities to have access to
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a computer at home and are barely 1 1 ⁄4 as likely as

2 individuals without disabilities to use the Internet.

3 (6) The Digital Divide for individuals with dis4 abilities is exacerbated by the continuing divisions

5 between individuals with and without disabilities in

6 education, employment, income, and other areas.

7 Continuing efforts to remedy these other divisions

8 also will have a significant impact on the Digital Di9 vide.

10 (7) More and more each day, the ability of

11 every individual in the United States to participate

12 in society is determined by how well the individual

13 is able to use technology.

14 (8) The right of access to technology is a fun15 damental civil right.

16 (9) If the Internet and other technologies are

17 accessible, they will offer individuals with disabilities

18 unprecedented opportunities for independence and

19 self-sufficiency through education, health care, em20 ployment, and social interaction. Conversely, if the

21 technologies are not accessible, the lack of accessible

22 technologies will create new barriers to the inde23 pendence and self-sufficiency of individuals with dis24 abilities.
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1 (10) History demonstrates that research on as2 sistive technology and other technology that is acces3 sible to and independently usable by individuals with

4 disabilities benefits everyone.

5 (b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are to—

6 (1) maximize the potential of the United States

7 by closing the Digital Divide for individuals with dis8 abilities, and, as a result, increase the independence

9 and self-sufficiency of individuals with disabilities

10 and further strengthen the United States economy

11 by enabling the greatest possible number of people

12 to contribute their abilities;

13 (2) provide incentives for public and private re14 searchers to use universal design and accessibility

15 principles in new technologies, and to develop tech16 nologies to eliminate functional barriers to full inde17 pendence for individuals with disabilities;

18 (3) increase public access to technology by pro19 viding grants to States to improve delivery of elec20 tronic and information technology used by public li21 braries, including libraries located in public elemen22 tary and secondary schools, that is accessible;

23 (4) increase the development and use of assist24 ive technology and other technology that is accessible

25 to and independently usable by individuals with dis-
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1 abilities, including technology that incorporates the

2 principle of universal design, by providing grants to

3 colleges and universities to establish model curricula

4 incorporating the design and use of such tech5 nologies into academic and professional programs;

6 (5) help children with disabilities maximize

7 their potential in school and after graduation by en8 suring their access to technology to increase their

9 independence and self-sufficiency; and

10 (6) increase awareness of the needs of individ11 uals with disabilities among the officers and employ12 ees of Federal offices that do not specialize in dis13 ability policy.

14 SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

15 (a) AUTHORITY TO AWARD GRANTS.—The Secretary

16 of Education, after consultation with the Secretary of

17 Commerce, shall award grants to commercial, nonprofit,

18 or other organizations, or institutions of higher education,

19 for the research and development of assistive technology

20 and other technology that is accessible to and independ21 ently usable by individuals with disabilities, including tech22 nology that incorporates the principle of universal design,

23 to increase the independence and self-sufficiency of indi24 viduals with disabilities.

25 (b) APPLICATION.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—An organization or institu2 tion desiring to receive a grant under this section

3 shall submit an application to the Secretary of Edu4 cation at such time, in such manner and, subject to

5 paragraph (2), containing such information as the

6 Secretary of Education may require.

7 (2) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—An organization

8 or institution desiring to receive a grant under this

9 section shall include in the application the following:

10 (A) A statement of how the technology

11 proposed to be developed would increase the

12 independence and self-sufficiency of individuals

13 with disabilities by increasing the participation

14 of those individuals in the area of culture, the

15 economy (including employment), education,

16 health care, political participation, or social

17 interaction.

18 (B) An assessment of the current level (as

19 of the date of submission of the application) of

20 use of assistive technology and other technology

21 that is accessible to and independently usable

22 by individuals with disabilities, including tech23 nology that incorporates the principles of uni24 versal design, in the area to which the grant

25 proposal contained in the application relates.
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1 (C) An assessment of how the technology

2 proposed to be developed could be made avail3 able to the greatest number of individuals with

4 disabilities.

5 (D) Such other information as the Sec6 retary of Education determines to be appro7 priate.

8 (c) STRATEGIC PLAN.—

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education,

10 after consultation with the Secretary of Commerce,

11 the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the

12 Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and

13 the Secretary of Labor, shall develop a strategic plan

14 for awarding grants under subsection (a) that is de15 signed to ensure that, in combination, the grants will

16 result in the greatest possible increase in independ17 ence and self-sufficiency for individuals with disabil18 ities.

19 (2) PURPOSES.—The Secretary of Education,

20 after consultation with the Secretary of Commerce,

21 the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the

22 Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and

23 the Secretary of Labor, shall develop the strategic

24 plan in a manner that furthers the purposes of this
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1 Act, particularly the purpose described in section

2 2(b)(6).

3 (d) REPORTS.—

4 (1) PROGRESS.—An organization or institution

5 that receives a grant under this section shall annu6 ally prepare and submit to the Secretary of Edu7 cation a report describing the progress of the organi8 zation or institution in developing assistive tech9 nology or other technology that is accessible to and

10 independently usable by individuals with disabilities,

11 including technology that incorporates the principle

12 of universal design.

13 (2) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretary of Edu14 cation shall compile and distribute to the recipients

15 described in paragraph (1) and other interested par16 ties a report that describes the best practices of the

17 recipients in developing technology described in

18 paragraph (1).

19 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

20 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section

21 such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years

22 2001 through 2005.

23 SEC. 4. GRANTS TO STATES FOR PUBLIC LIBRARIES.

24 (a) AUTHORITY TO AWARD GRANTS.—
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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education

2 (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall

3 award grants to States to improve delivery of elec4 tronic and information technology, including com5 puters and Internet access, used by public libraries,

6 including libraries located in public elementary and

7 secondary schools, that is accessible.

8 (2) PROCESS.—The Secretary shall establish a

9 process for awarding grants under paragraph (1)

10 that furthers the purposes of this Act, particularly

11 the purpose described in section 2(b)(6).

12 (b) APPLICATION.—

13 (1) IN GENERAL.—A State that desires to re14 ceive a grant under this section shall submit an ap15 plication to the Secretary at such time, in such man16 ner and, subject to paragraph (2), containing such

17 information as the Secretary may require.

18 (2) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—A State that

19 desires to receive a grant under this section shall in20 clude in the application the following:

21 (A) A statement of the State’s plan of op22 eration for—

23 (i) improving delivery of electronic

24 and information technology, including com25 puters and Internet access, used by the
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1 State’s public libraries, including libraries

2 located in public elementary and secondary

3 schools in the State, that incorporates as4 sistive technology or other technology that

5 is accessible to and independently usable

6 by individuals with disabilities, including

7 technology that incorporates the principle

8 of universal design; and

9 (ii) providing for training library staff

10 at the State’s public libraries in electronic

11 and information technology.

12 (B) A statement that the grant proposal

13 contained in the application was developed with

14 the full and meaningful participation of individ15 uals with disabilities, and the family members,

16 guardians, advocates, and authorized represent17 atives of those individuals.

18 (C) Such other information as the Sec19 retary determines to be appropriate.

20 (c) REPORTS.—

21 (1) PROGRESS.—A State that receives a grant

22 under this section shall annually prepare and submit

23 to the Secretary a report describing the progress of

24 the State in achieving the goals for which the grant

25 is awarded.
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1 (2) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretary shall

2 compile and distribute to the recipients described in

3 paragraph (1) and other interested parties a report

4 that describes the best practices of the recipients in

5 achieving the goals for which the grant is awarded.

6 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

7 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section

8 such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years

9 2001 through 2005.

10 SEC. 5. GRANTS TO INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

11 (a) AUTHORITY TO AWARD GRANTS.—The Secretary

12 of Education (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Sec13 retary’’) shall award grants to institutions of higher edu14 cation for the purpose of incorporating the principles of

15 assistive technology and other technology that is accessible

16 to and independently usable by individuals with disabil17 ities, including technology that incorporates the principle

18 of universal design, into—

19 (1) curricula of academic programs that will en20 courage the design of such technologies, such as en21 gineering and computer science; and

22 (2) curricula of academic programs that will en23 courage awareness of the availability of such tech24 nologies, and understanding of the best uses of such

25 technologies among professionals who work with in-
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1 dividuals with disabilities, including professionals in

2 the fields of education, medicine, and social work.

3 (b) PROCESS.—The Secretary shall establish a proc4 ess for awarding grants under subsection (a) that furthers

5 the purposes of this Act, particularly the purpose de6 scribed in section 2(b)(6).

7 (c) APPLICATION.—

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—An institution of higher edu9 cation that desires to receive a grant under this sec10 tion shall submit an application to the Director at

11 such time, in such manner and, subject to paragraph

12 (2), containing such information as the Director

13 may require.

14 (2) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—An institution

15 of higher education that desires to receive a grant

16 under this section shall include in the application a

17 statement that the grant proposal contained in the

18 application was developed with the full and meaning19 ful participation of individuals with disabilities, and

20 the family members, guardians, advocates, and au21 thorized representatives of those individuals.

22 (d) REPORTS.—

23 (1) PROGRESS.—An institution that receives a

24 grant under this section shall annually prepare and

25 submit to the Secretary a report describing the
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1 progress of the institution in incorporating the prin2 ciples of assistive technology and other technology

3 that is accessible to and independently usable by in4 dividuals with disabilities, including technology that

5 incorporates the principle of universal design, into a

6 wide range of curricula.

7 (2) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretary shall

8 compile and distribute to the recipients described in

9 paragraph (1) and other interested parties a report

10 that describes the best practices of the recipients in

11 incorporating the principles described in paragraph

12 (1) into a wide range of curricula.

13 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

14 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section

15 such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years

16 2001 through 2005.

17 SEC. 6. GRANTS TO STATES TO INCORPORATE TECH18 NOLOGY INTO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN WITH

19 DISABILITIES.

20 (a) AUTHORITY TO AWARD GRANTS.—

21 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education

22 (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Secretary’’) shall

23 award grants to State educational agencies for dem24 onstration projects to promote the incorporation of

25 technology into children with disabilities’ education
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1 and transition from school to work, to increase their

2 independence and self-sufficiency.

3 (2) PROCESS.—The Secretary shall establish a

4 process for awarding grants under paragraph (1)

5 that furthers the purposes of this Act, particularly

6 the purpose described in section 2(b)(6).

7 (b) APPLICATION.—

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—A State educational agency

9 that desires to receive a grant under this section

10 shall submit an application to the Secretary at such

11 time, in such manner and, subject to paragraph (2),

12 containing such information as the Secretary may

13 require.

14 (2) REQUIRED INFORMATION.—A State edu15 cational agency that desires to receive a grant under

16 this section shall include in the application the fol17 lowing:

18 (A) A plan for working with other State

19 and local agencies that have responsibility for

20 working with individuals with disabilities, and

21 local school districts, to develop model programs

22 for incorporation of technology into children

23 with disabilities’ education and transition from

24 school to work, to increase their independence

25 and self-sufficiency.
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1 (B) A description of proposed training of

2 teachers, and other individuals who work with

3 children with disabilities, in—

4 (i) the availability of assistive tech5 nology or other technology that is acces6 sible to and independently usable by indi7 viduals with disabilities, including tech8 nology that incorporates the principle of

9 universal design; and

10 (ii) the incorporation of the tech11 nology described in clause (i) to fulfill the

12 goals described in subparagraph (A).

13 (C) A statement that—

14 (i) the grant proposal contained in the

15 application was developed with the full and

16 meaningful participation of individuals

17 with disabilities, and the family members,

18 guardians, advocates, and authorized rep19 resentatives of those individuals; and

20 (ii) the persons described in clause (i)

21 will be equally involved with the ongoing

22 implementation of the technology incorpo23 ration program.

24 (c) REPORTS.—
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1 (1) PROGRESS.—An agency that receives a

2 grant under this section shall prepare and submit to

3 the Secretary a report describing the progress of the

4 agency in incorporating technology into children with

5 disabilities’ education and transition from school to

6 work, to improve their independence and self-suffi7 ciency.

8 (2) BEST PRACTICES.—The Secretary shall

9 compile and distribute to the recipients described in

10 paragraph (1) and other interested parties a report

11 that describes the best practices of the recipients in

12 incorporating technology into children with disabil13 ities’ education and transition from school to work,

14 to improve their independence and self-sufficiency.

15 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

16 are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section

17 such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years

18 2001 through 2005.

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