6832 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services; Grant

Applications Under Part D, Subpart 2

of the Individuals With Disabilities

Education Act

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for

new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2001.

SUMMARY: This notice provides closing

dates and other information regarding

the transmittal of applications for FY

2001 competitions under three programs

authorized by the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as

amended. The three programs are: (1)

Special Education—Research and

Innovation to Improve Services and

Results for Children with Disabilities

(five priorities); (2) Special Education—

Technical Assistance and Dissemination

to Improve Services and Results for

Children with Disabilities (two

priorities); and (3) Special Education—

Technology and Media Services for

Individuals with Disabilities (five

priorities).

Goals 2000: Educate America Act

The Goals 2000: Education America

Act (Goals 2000) focuses the Nation’s

education reform efforts on the eight

National Education Goals and provides

a framework for meeting them. Goals

2000 promotes new partnerships to

strengthen schools and expands the

Department’s capacities for helping

communities to exchange ideas and

obtain information needed to achieve

the goals.

These priorities would address the

National Education Goals by helping to

improve results for children with

disabilities.

Waiver of Rulemaking

It is generally our practice to offer

interested parties the opportunity to

comment on proposed priorities.

However, section 661(e)(2) of IDEA

makes the Administrative Procedure Act

(5 U.S.C. 553) inapplicable to the

priorities in this notice.

General Requirements: (a) The

projects funded under this notice must

make positive efforts to employ and

advance in employment qualified

individuals with disabilities in project

activities (see Section 606 of IDEA).

(b) Applicants and grant recipients

funded under this notice must involve

individuals with disabilities or parents

of individuals with disabilities in

planning, implementing, and evaluating

the projects (see Section 661(f)(1)(A) of

IDEA).

(c) The projects funded under these

priorities must budget for a two-day

Project Directors’ meeting in

Washington, D.C. during each year of

the project.

(d) In a single application, an

applicant must address only one

absolute priority in this notice.

(e) Part III of each application

submitted under a priority in this

notice, the application narrative, is

where an applicant addresses the

selection criteria that are used by

reviewers in evaluating the application.

You must limit Part III to the equivalent

of no more than the number of pages

listed in the table at the end of this

notice for each applicable priority, using

the following standards:

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

only) with one-inch margins (top,

bottom, and sides).

• Double-space (no more than three

lines per vertical inch) all text in the

application narrative, including titles,

headings, footnotes, quotations, and

captions, as well as all text in charts,

tables, figures, and graphs.

• If using a proportional computer

font, use no smaller than a 12-point

font, and an average character density

no greater than 18 characters per inch.

If using a nonproportional font or a

typewriter, do not use more than 12

characters per inch.

The page limit does not apply to Part

I—the cover sheet; Part II—the budget

section, including the narrative budget

justification; Part IV, the assurances and

certifications; or the one-page abstract,

the resumes, the bibliography or

references, or the letters of support.

However, you must include all of the

application narrative in Part III.

We will reject without consideration

or evaluation any application if—

• You apply these standards and

exceed the page limit; or

• You apply other standards and

exceed the equivalent of the page limit.

Reasonable Accommodation: We will

consider, and may fund, requests for

additional funding above the maximum

amounts indicated for each priority or

focus as an addendum to an application

to reflect the costs of reasonable

accommodations necessary to allow

individuals with disabilities to be

employed on the project as personnel on

project activities.

Pilot Project for Electronic Submission

of Applications

The U.S. Department of Education is

expanding its pilot project of electronic

submission of applications to include

certain formula grant programs, as well

as additional discretionary grant

competitions. The three programs in

this announcement are included in the

pilot project. If you are an applicant for

a grant under any of the three programs,

you may submit your application to us

in either electronic or paper format.

The pilot project involves the use of

the Electronic Grant Application System

(e-APPLICATION, formerly e-GAPS)

portion of the Grant Administration and

Payment System (GAPS). We request

your participation in this pilot project.

We shall continue to evaluate its

success and solicit suggestions for

improvement.

If you participate in this eAPPLICATION pilot, please note the

following:

• Your participation is voluntary.

• You will not receive any additional

point value or penalty because you

submit a grant application in electronic

or paper format.

• You can submit all documents

electronically, including the

Application for Federal Assistance (ED

424), Budget Information—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all

necessary assurances and certifications.

• Fax a signed copy of the

Application for Federal Assistance (ED

424) after following these steps:

1. Print ED 424 from the eAPPLICATION system.

2. Make sure that the institution’s

Authorizing Representative signs this

form.

3. Before faxing this form, submit

your electronic application via the eAPPLICATION system. You will receive

an automatic acknowledgment, which

will include a PR/Award number (an

identifying number unique to your

application).

4. Place the PR/Award number in the

upper right hand corner of ED 424.

5. Fax ED 424 to the Application

Control Center within three working

days of submitting your electronic

application. We will indicate a fax

number in e-APPLICATION at the time

of your submission.

• We may request that you give us

original signatures on all other forms at

a later date.

You may access the electronic grant

application for the program at: http://egrants.ed.gov

We have included additional

information about the e-APPLICATION

pilot project (see Parity Guidelines

between Paper and Electronic

Applications) in the application

package.

Research and Innovation To Improve

Services and Results for Children With

Disabilities [CFDA 84.324]

Purpose of Program: To produce, and

advance the use of, knowledge to: (a)

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6833

Improve services provided under IDEA,

including the practices of professionals

and others involved in providing those

services to children with disabilities;

and (b) improve educational and early

intervention results for infants, toddlers,

and children with disabilities.

Eligible Applicants: Under Absolute

Priorities 1, 2, 3, and 5, and under focus

area 2 of Absolute Priority 4, eligible

applicants are State and local

educational agencies, institutions of

higher education (IHEs); other public

agencies, private nonprofit

organizations, outlying areas, freely

associated States, and Indian tribes or

tribal organizations. Under Absolute

Priority 4, eligible applicants for focus

areas 1 and 3 are limited to local

educational agencies (LEAs), or

consortia of LEAs with either IHEs or

private nonprofit organizations.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The

Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in

34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 80, 81, 82, 85,

86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection

criteria for the priorities under this

program are drawn from the EDGAR

general selection criteria menu. The

specific selection criteria for each

priority are included in the funding

application packet for the applicable

competition.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86

apply to institutions of higher education

only.

Grants are required to collaborate

with other research institutes, centers,

and studies and evaluations, supported

by the Department throughout the

course of the project.

Priority: Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3),

we consider only applications that meet

one of the following priorities:

Absolute Priority 1—Directed Research

Projects (84.324D)

This priority provides support for

projects that advance and improve the

knowledge base and improve the

practice of professionals, parents, and

others providing early intervention,

special education, and related services.

This includes professionals who work

with children with disabilities in

regular education environments and

natural environments. Under this

priority, projects must support

innovation, development, exchange of

information, and use of advancements

in knowledge and practice. If the project

maintains a web site, it must include

relevant information and documents in

an accessible form. Projects must (1) use

rigorous quantitative or qualitative

research and evaluation methods and (2)

communicate appropriately with target

audiences.

Focus 1—Inclusion of Students With

Disabilities in Large-Scale Assessment

and Accountability Programs

Recent laws and policies at Federal

and State levels require the

participation of students with

disabilities in large-scale assessment

and accountability programs to help

ensure that students with disabilities

achieve to high standards and have the

fullest possible range of educational

opportunities. Progress has been made

in solving the technical, logistical, and

policy obstacles to achieving this

participation. However, continued

progress is needed, particularly related

to young children and children with

low incidence disabilities taking regular

assessments with or without

accommodations.

Focus Area 1 supports projects that

pursue systematic programs of applied

research to either or both of the

following: (a) Determine how State and

local education agencies can best

achieve the meaningful participation of

students with disabilities in large-scale

assessment and accountability

programs; or (b) study the effects of

State and local efforts to achieve this

participation.

We intend to make approximately 3

awards in Focus Area 1 of which two of

these awards would focus on young

children through the age 9 in regular

assessments or students with lowincidence disabilities in regular

assessments, or both.

Low incidence disabilities include a

visual or hearing impairment or

simultaneous visual and hearing

impairments, a significant cognitive

impairment, or any impairment for

which a small number of personnel with

highly specialized skills and knowledge

are needed in order for children with

that impairment to receive a free

appropriate public education.

Focus 2—Instructional Interventions

and Results for Children With

Disabilities

The successful implementation of the

IDEA Amendments of 1997 requires a

strong emphasis on supports for

children with disabilities to help them

access the general education curricula.

Research is needed to describe, test, and

validate instructional practices that

have the potential for generating

positive results for children with

disabilities as they strive to meet State

and local standards and performance

goals set for all students. The research

must focus on children in preschool,

elementary, middle, or high school.

Projects supported under Focus 2

must investigate one or more issues

related to providing instruction in the

general education curriculum for

children with disabilities. These issues

may include, but are not limited to:

(a) The relationship of instructional

interventions to results in core subjects

such as, language arts, mathematics,

science, social studies, foreign language;

(b) Contextual variables that influence

access to the general education

curriculum for students with

disabilities. Contextual variables

include, for example, classroom design,

relative role of regular educators and

special educators, groupings, or

management strategies; curricular

design, delivery, or materials; and

family and staff interaction;

(c) Instructional and curricular

accommodations to ensure that students

with disabilities have access to the

general education curriculum; and

(d) The relationship of inclusive

preschool practices and child-family

transition practices to child

development, readiness skills, and

preparation for participation in the

primary grades.

We intend to fund a total of nine (9)

awards in Focus 2 and to fund:

• At least three (3) projects that

address innovative instructional

interventions and strategies in core

subjects required for high school

graduation (e.g., algebra or foreign

language); and,

• At least three (3) projects that

describe, test, and validate instructional

practices that enhance appropriate

access to and participation and progress

in the general education curriculum for

children with cognitive disabilities.

Focus 3—Gender and Special Education

The purpose of this focus area is to

explore the influences of gender on

special education referral, placement,

and service provision for students with

disabilities.

Males and females comprise equal

proportions of the school-aged

population; however, males account for

approximately two-thirds of all students

served in special education. In many

cases, it is not clear if females are

underidentified for special education, if

males are overidentified, or if real

differences exist in the prevalence of

disability between males and females.

The research to date has primarily

addressed commonalities of students

rather than differences based on gender.

Some additional facts regarding

gender and disabilities include:

(a) Females with disabilities have

more significant disabilities than their

male peers at the time of referral;

6834 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

(b) Females with disabilities have

lower IQ scores than their male

counterparts at the time of referral; and

(c) Post school outcomes for females

with disabilities are significantly worse

than their male peers with disabilities.

Little is known, however, about the

different characteristics, treatment and

experiences of males and females with

disabilities. These differences are likely

to be caused by a combination of factors.

Under this focus, a research project

must pursue a systematic program of

research that focuses on one or more

issues related to gender and special

education. The issues may include, but

are not limited to:

(a) The differences that may exist in

the prevalence of disabilities based on

gender, and, if so, why those differences

exist;

(b) The reasons for different outcomes

and opportunities, (e.g., employment,

parenting, vocational education

programs) for students with disabilities

based on gender; and

(c) The factors that contribute to

disproportionate representation of males

and females in special education

including (1) students’ environmental,

social, and learning experiences, and

cultural and linguistic characteristics;

(2) student or teacher behaviors and

interactions; (3) teacher expectations

and attitudes.

We intend to fund 3 awards in Focus

3.

Focus 4—Research To Improve Literacy

Results for Children Who Are

Unresponsive to Effective Classroom or

Schoolwide Programs in Grades K–3

Recent reading research has focused

on developing and validating strategies

and interventions to ensure that

children acquire literacy in regular

education classroom settings by using

effective classroom reading programs.

These programs may include explicit

and intensive instruction within or

outside the classroom in small groups

and, in the most difficult cases, with

individualized one-on-one tutoring. The

hope has been that all children would

succeed in these circumstances;

however, there are a small number of

children who do not benefit at all from

these interventions and who are at the

highest risk for academic and social

failure.

Effective learning and teaching

strategies must also be found for these

children. These strategies need to be

based on the learning characteristics

and needs of a child as well as

reasonable expectations for the child.

Projects supported under Focus 4

must—

(a) Identify the criteria used to decide

that a child is unresponsive to

interventions that are effective for most

students;

(b) Identify and describe

characteristics related to (1) the

environmental, social, cultural, and

English language learning factors each

child may have experienced, and (2) the

learning characteristics related to the

literacy of each child who is

unresponsive to reading programs to

which a majority of children respond.

Learning characteristics may include,

but are not limited to, specific deficits

in phonological awareness,

inattentiveness and distractibility,

motivation, language development,

developmental delay, and IQ;

(c) Design processes for making

decisions about how to target

instruction that will be effective given

the identified learning characteristics of

the child;

(d) Document the progress of

individual children toward meeting

intervention goals, the fidelity of

implementation of interventions, the

qualifications of persons who make

decisions and who implement

interventions, the length and intensity

of interventions, and the settings where

the interventions take place; and

(e) Evaluate the expectations that

were made for each child.

We intend to fund 3 awards in Focus

4.

Focus 5—Research To Improve Reading

Comprehension Results for Children

With Disabilities

In recent years, research has advanced

our understanding of how skilled

readers comprehend and how

instructional strategies support children

with learning disabilities to

comprehend text. Comprehension is not

merely a text-based process where

meaning resides in the text and the role

of the reader is to discover the meaning.

To develop successful comprehension

skills, many children with learning

disabilities need an explicit

instructional program that: (a) Teaches

them how to access prior knowledge

through strategies such as semantic

mapping, think aloud sheets, etc.; (b)

motivates and supports persistence on

task, including expressions of a

student’s own thoughts when reading

and writing, questioning the expert or

inquiring, or using technology or

grouping practices; and (c) teaches them

cognitive and metacognitive strategies

for reading with understanding,

including how to monitor one’s own

progress through self-regulation,

summarizing, generating questions,

mnemonics, or imagery.

Under Focus 5, a project must pursue

a systematic program of applied

research that focuses on one or more

issues related to improving reading

comprehension results of children with

learning disabilities related to reading.

These issues include, but are not limited

to:

(a) The types of effective

comprehension instruction for children

with learning disabilities in grades K–2,

3–5, and 6–8 inclusive;

(b) The components of particularly

effective programs for children with

learning disabilities, e.g., the basal

materials, supplemental or adapted

materials, instructional strategies used

by teachers, and how families may

support the instructional program;

(c) The types of effective questioning

strategies used by teachers, peers, and

parents to encourage and develop

comprehension skills; and

(d) The kinds of individualized

instruction, grouping practices,

instructional strategies, and curricula

that improve comprehension and

problem solving.

We intend to make approximately 3

awards in Focus 5.

Focus 6—Alternative Schools and

Programs

Many school districts and States have

worked to establish or renew a focus on

alternative schools and programs for

children who are at-risk of suspension

and expulsion from school. While

specific definitions of alternative

schools and programs vary

considerably, they are typically

designed to address the needs of

students who are at risk of educational

failure related to poor academic

performance, inconsistent teacher

training, truancy, disruptive behavior,

suspension, expulsion, or other similar

risk factors, and whose needs cannot be

well met in a regular or traditional

school setting. OSEP is supporting a

new fast response survey through the

National Center for Educational

Statistics that by summer 2001 will

provide information from districts on

alternative schools and programs.

However, research on the universe of

alternative schools and programs in

operation is much needed. Further,

while a number of U.S. Department of

Education demonstration projects are

developing effective alternative

programs to reduce school suspensions

and expulsions (see, http://

www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS/

altstl200.html), research on the

delivery of specific services to, and

outcomes for, students with disabilities

in alternative schools and programs has

been limited.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6835

Projects supported under Focus 6

must investigate one or more of the

following issues relating to alternative

schools and programs serving students

with disabilities:

(a) The variety among alternative

schools and programs in terms of

definition, type, number of students

with and without disabilities served,

organizational or governance structures

used, and other demographic

characteristics.

(b) The referral and identification

process and procedures used to place

students with disabilities in alternative

schools and programs.

(c) Exit procedures, timelimits, and

procedures for transition and return to

previous school or other settings.

(d) Special education services

available and delivered, and outcomes

achieved.

(e) The extent to which alternative

schools and programs are used as IDEArequired interim alternative educational

settings and the distinguishing

characteristics of those settings.

(f) Coordination of special services in

alternative schools and programs.

Projects must involve a directed indepth examination of a few selected

alternative schools or programs or

larger-scale broader surveys of many

schools or programs.

We intend to make approximately 3

awards in Focus 6.

Focus 7—Research on Early Childhood

Mental Health

The elements of early intervention

practice that support the social and

emotional development of young

children with or at risk of disabilities,

are as important as those that support

linguistic and cognitive development.

An expanding knowledge base in early

childhood mental health documents the

contribution of emotional, regulatory,

and social development, environmental

factors, and early relationships to later

school success and to the prevention of

emotional disturbance. Additional

research is needed to document

effective practices for identifying and

addressing the affective and behavioral

problems of young children with or at

risk of disabilities. Research may

include family support practices that

foster social-emotional development

and resilience. Applications under this

focus area must target the mental health

of infants and toddlers (0–2 years old),

or preschoolers (3–5 years old) or both

(0–5 years old) who are receiving

services under either the Part C or Part

B programs of IDEA.

All applications submitted under this

focus area must describe steps they will

take to assure that findings from their

research are disseminated to research

and training centers (RTC’s) funded by

the Office of Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services, including the

two children’s mental health RTC’s

funded by the National Institute on

Disability and Rehabilitation Research

(NIDRR) and the RTC on the

Development of Infants, Toddlers, and

Preschoolers with or at Risk of

Disabilities.

We intend to make approximately 3

awards in Focus 7. At least one award

will be made to a project that addresses

the social and emotional development

of young children with cognitive

disabilities.

Competitive Preference

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period for all Focus Areas: Up

to 36 months for all focus areas.

Maximum Award for all Focus Areas:

The maximum award amount is

$180,000 per year. Consistent with

EDGAR 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject

any application that proposes a project

funding level for any year that exceeds

the stated maximum award amount for

that year. This maximum award applies

to any application for any Focus area.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits for all Focus Areas: The

maximum page limit for this priority is

50 double-spaced pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 2—Research and

Training Center on the Development of

Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool

Children With or at Risk of Disabilities

(84.324K)

If developmental delays are not

addressed by appropriately trained

personnel during the early years, a range

of learning and behavioral problems

may be more likely to occur later in

school. Alternatively, early

identification and effective

interventions—in social, emotional,

behavioral, communication, and

preliteracy domains—can prevent or

reduce the impact of specific

disabilities. This priority would

establish a research and training center

(RTC) to translate the knowledge base

on young children’s early relationships,

emotional, self regulatory, and social

development, and environmental factors

into effective strategies that establish a

foundation for school success. The RTC

will demonstrate and evaluate these

strategies and implement effective

training and dissemination efforts

targeted on improving early childhood

services and strengthening the capacity

of families to support the healthy

development of their children.

The RTC will serve as a center of

national excellence for service

providers, young children with or at risk

of disabilities, family members, and

other caregivers. The RTC supported

under this priority must:

(1) Conduct coordinated and

advanced programs of applied research

to produce and disseminate knowledge

to improve interventions and service

delivery systems associated with the

healthy mental development of infants,

toddlers, and preschool children with or

at risk of developmental disabilities,

including research on the use of and

state of practice in inclusive settings.

These children should include those

who are from communities representing

rural, low income, urban, limited

English proficiency, immigrant, and

migrant populations.

(2) Provide training, including

graduate, preservice, and inservice

training, to help improve the skills of

personnel serving young children with

or at risk of disabilities and their

families and caregivers.

(3) Disseminate information through

conferences, workshops, public

education programs, inservice training

programs, and other activities;

(4) Collaborate with other RTC’s

supported by the Department, including

the RTC’s on children’s mental health

supported by the National Institute on

Disability and Rehabilitation Research

(NIDRR); and

6836 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

(5) Utilize modern communication

technologies, including the Internet, to

expand the impact of its dissemination

approaches.

In deciding whether to continue this

project for the fourth and fifth years, we

will consider the requirements of 34

CFR 75.253(a), and in addition—

(a) The recommendation of a review

team consisting of experts selected by

the Secretary, which review will be

conducted during the last half of the

project’s second year in Washington,

D.C. Projects must budget for the travel

associated with this review;

(b) The timeliness and effectiveness

with which all requirements of the

negotiated cooperative agreement have

been or are being met by the project; and

(c) The degree to which the project’s

design and methodology demonstrate

the potential for advancing significant

new knowledge.

Competitive Preference: Within this

absolute priority, we will give the

following competitive preference under

section 606 of IDEA and 34 CFR

75.105(c)(2)(i), to applications that are

otherwise eligible for funding under this

priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $500,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 70 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 3—Research Institute

on Early Literacy for Infants, Toddlers,

and Young Children With Visual

Impairments (84.324Q)

Current research documents the link

between the development of preliteracy

and early literacy skills for infants,

toddlers, and young children and

subsequent reading and academic

success. The development of preliteracy

and early literacy skills for infants,

toddlers, and young children with

visual impairments including blindness

poses additional challenges for families

and professionals. Many of the current

practices and intervention strategies

which promote the development of

preliteracy and early literacy skills,

including braille literacy, have not been

empirically validated with this

population, but were developed for use

with infants, toddlers, and young

children without visual impairments.

Priority: This priority supports a

research institute to identify, validate,

and disseminate the best and most

promising practices for developing

preliteracy and early literacy skills for

infants, toddlers, and young children,

birth through to entry into first grade,

who have visual impairments, including

blindness.

A project funded under this priority

must—

(a) Review and synthesize the

research base and examine the current

and most promising practice paradigms

in the following areas:

(1) Assessment of the needs of infants,

toddlers, and young children with

visual impairments, including

blindness, as those needs relate to the

development of preliteracy and early

literacy skills;

(2) Determination of how new or

innovative intervention strategies to

promote preliteracy and early literacy

skills used for other infants, toddlers,

and young children, could be applied

for use with infants, toddlers, and young

children who have visual impairments,

including blindness;

(3) Integration of intervention

strategies in communication and other

developmental domains with preliteracy

and early literacy intervention methods

for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers

with visual impairments, including

blindness;

(4) Access to and use of new and

developing technologies for use with

infants, toddlers, and young children

with visual impairments, including

blindness, for the development of

preliteracy and early literacy skills.

(b) In consultation with the Office of

Special Education Programs (OSEP),

design and conduct a strategic program

of research that addresses knowledge

gaps by:

(1) Designing a rigorous research

program whose conceptual framework

builds upon recent and current research,

identifies the gaps in knowledge, and

provides a basis for the strategies and

procedures to be studied;

(2) Collecting, analyzing, and

reporting a variety of data, such as (i)

information on the service settings, the

service providers, and the infants,

toddlers, and young children with

visual impairments, including blindness

and their families; (ii) outcome

measures for the infants, toddlers, and

young children and their families who

are the focus of the intervention

strategies and procedures; and (iii)

implementation data from the service

providers, administrators, agencies,

families, and others involved in the

research;

(3) Conducting the research using a

variety of methodologies designed to

comprehensively examine the impact of

the interventions on preliteracy and

early literacy skill development in the

target population;

(4) Conducting the program of

research in settings that ensure that the

research findings and products impact

preliteracy and early literacy

development for all infants, toddlers,

and young children with visual

impairments, including children with

blindness, and those children with

visual impairments and secondary

disabilities, and including those who

are from communities representing

rural, low income, urban, limited

English proficiency, immigrant, and

migrant populations; and

(5) Collaborating with other research

institutes, centers, and studies and

evaluations supported by the

Department.

(c) Design, implement, and evaluate a

dissemination approach that links

research to practice and promotes the

use of current knowledge and ongoing

research findings. This approach must:

(1) Develop linkages with OSEP

technical assistance providers to

communicate research findings and

distribute products; and

(2) Prepare the research findings and

products from the project in formats that

are useful for specific audiences,

including early intervention researchers;

general and special education

researchers; local, State, and national

policymakers; education practitioners

and early interventionists; and families

of infants, toddlers, and young children

with visual impairments, including

blindness.

(d) Provide training and research

opportunities for a limited number of

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6837

graduate students whose graduate

studies are in the area of education for

infants, toddlers, and young children

with visual impairments, including

blindness.

(e) Meet with the OSEP project officer

in the first three months of the project

to review the program of research,

implementation, and dissemination

approaches.

(f) In addition to the annual two-day

Project Directors’ meeting in

Washington, D.C. listed in the ‘‘General

Requirements’’ section of this notice,

budget for another annual two-day trip

to Washington, D.C. to collaborate with

the OSEP project officer by sharing

information and discussing design,

implementation, and dissemination

issues.

In deciding whether to continue this

project for the fourth and fifth years, we

will consider the requirements of 34

CFR 75.253(a), and in addition—

(a) The recommendation of a review

team consisting of experts selected by

the Secretary, which review will be

conducted during the last half of the

project’s second year in Washington,

D.C. Projects must budget for the travel

associated with this review;

(b) The timeliness and effectiveness

with which all requirements of the

negotiated cooperative agreement have

been or are being met by the project; and

(c) The degree to which the project’s

design and methodology demonstrate

the potential for advancing significant

new knowledge.

Competitive Preference

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, within this competitive

preference, applicants can be awarded

up to a total of 10 points in addition to

those awarded under the published

selection criteria for this priority. That

is, an applicant meeting this

competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $500,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 70 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 4—Model

Demonstration Projects for Children

With Disabilities (84.324T)

This priority supports model

demonstration projects that develop,

implement, evaluate, and disseminate

new or improved approaches for

providing early intervention, special

education and related services to

infants, toddlers, and children with

disabilities, ages birth through 21.

Projects supported under this priority

are expected to be major contributors of

models or components of models for

service providers and for outreach

projects funded under IDEA.

Requirements for All Demonstration

Projects

A model demonstration project

must—

(a) Use rigorous quantitative or

qualitative evaluation methods and

data;

(b) Evaluate the model by using

multiple measures of results to

determine the effectiveness of the model

and its components or strategies;

(c) Produce detailed procedures and

materials that would enable others to

replicate the model; and

(d) Communicate with appropriate

audiences through means such as

special education technical assistance

providers and disseminators, refereed

journal publications and other

publications, conference presentations,

or a web site.

If the project maintains a web site, it

must include relevant information and

documents in an accessible form.

Federal financial participation for a

project funded under this priority will

not exceed 90 percent of the total

annual costs of the project (see section

661(f)(2)(A) of IDEA).

In addition to the annual two-day

Project Directors’ meeting in

Washington, D.C. mentioned in the

General Requirements section of this

notice, projects must budget for another

annual meeting in Washington, D.C. to

collaborate with the Federal project

officer and the other projects funded

under this priority, to share information

and discuss model development,

evaluation, and project implementation

issues.

Under this absolute priority, we will

fund projects only in the focus areas

listed below.

Focus 1—Model Demonstration Projects

To Support Whole-School Reforms of

Services for Children With Disabilities

The reauthorization of IDEA in 1997

(Public Law 105–17) encouraged

‘‘incentives for whole-school

approaches and pre-referral intervention

to reduce the need to label children as

disabled in order to address their

learning needs’’ (section 601(c)(5)(F))

and authorized: (a) IDEA support for

schoolwide programs under Title I of

the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act of 1965 (section

613(a)(2)(D)); (b) Services and aids that

also benefit nondisabled children

(section 613(a)(4)(A)); (c) Integrated and

coordinated service systems (section

613(a)(4)(B) and 613(f)); and (d) Schoolbased improvement plans (section

613(g)).

This focus supports model projects

that demonstrate how promising and

proven research-based practices and

strategies can be used to develop wholeschool approaches that benefit all

students, including all students with

disabilities, and fully implement all

other requirements of the law.

Applicants must demonstrate how they

will improve results for both students

with disabilities and other students.

Specifically, applicants must describe

activities to ensure that all students

with disabilities have access to and

succeed in the general curriculum; can

participate in extracurricular activities,

if available at the school; receive

positive behavioral interventions,

supports, and services when

appropriate; and are included in State

and local assessments.

Flexibility and innovation are

encouraged in the design of the models,

but every model must involve regular

and special education staff in early

identification, intervention, and

prevention services; provide for parent

participation; and make available a

continuum of services, aids, and

supports to meet the needs of students

with disabilities in the least restrictive

environment. It is expected that models

funded under this priority will build

upon other models, strategies, and

practices including those supported

under IDEA national activities.

Eligible applicants are invited to

apply for these grants to foster wholeschool projects at (a) Primary and

6838 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

elementary school, (b) middle and

junior high school, or (c) high school

levels. Regardless of who the project

applicant is, a partnership between the

LEA and an IHE or a private nonprofit

organization must be demonstrated and

maintained throughout the duration of

the project. Applicants are required to

collaborate with existing OSEP

technical assistance centers and

evaluation efforts throughout the course

of the project.

Applicants must specify at least one

school building, at each grade range

addressed in the project, that will

participate in the model demonstration

project throughout the duration of the

grant. Further, the LEA or consortium of

an LEA and an IHE or a private

nonprofit organization must agree to

share evaluation data (with protections

for anonymity of subjects) on student

achievement and project effectiveness

with OSEP-sponsored activities, which

will synthesize research and evaluation

information across the grantees. In

addition projects must ensure and

demonstrate how they will monitor and

document challenges and progress

throughout the project.

Projects funded under this priority

must schedule one trip, annually to

Washington, D.C. (as specified in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice), one trip, annually to

Washington, D.C. (as specified in the

‘‘Requirements for All Demonstration

Projects’’ section of this notice), and an

additional meeting to take place by the

end of the first month of the project.

We intend to make approximately 15

awards under this priority. Each of the

three grade ranges will be represented in

the awards with at least three awards at

each level.

Maximum Award: Projects will be

funded for up to 48 months. The

maximum award amount is $150,000

(exclusive of any matching funds)

during each of the first two 12-month

funding periods, and $75,000 (exclusive

of any matching funds) during each of

the two remaining 12-month funding

periods. Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this focus area is 50 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Focus 2—Strengthening Childcare

Infrastructures for Infants, Toddlers, and

Preschoolers With Disabilities From

Underserved Families and Communities

This focus supports model projects

that demonstrate new or innovative

childcare models that address the

developmental needs of infants,

toddlers, and preschoolers with

disabilities. In addition to identifying

and supporting underserved children

with disabilities and their families,

projects must address the special and

individualized intervention needs of

young children without resulting in the

removal of children from inclusive

settings and typical experiences. To

maximize sustainability of change,

projects must incorporate multiple

formal and informal service delivery

systems that have evolved in a

community over the years, when

identifying and addressing challenges

that contribute to uneven service

provision.

Challenges addressed under this focus

area may include, but are not limited to,

one or more of the following:

(a) The lack of available mental health

services for children under age 6;

(b) Adverse environmental home or

community conditions;

(c) Cultural differences between

service providers and families;

(d) Differences between what child

care programs offer and what families of

young children with disabilities or atrisk for disabilities need or want;

(e) Children living with mentally ill

family members;

(f) Children with complex medical

concerns; and

(g) Children in families dealing with

the stresses of poverty, substance abuse,

or violence.

Measurements of model effectiveness

should assess multiple influences

longitudinally when reporting impact of

community, family, and individual

intervention variables on child

development. Child competence

measures should include observational

measures of a child’s underlying

processing and executive functioning

over time vis-a-vis the interventions

received. In addition to measuring

multi-level impact, models should

examine whether the interventions can

be implemented as planned, whether

the participants for whom the program

is designed actually participated, and

how much the program costs.

Projects funded under this focus must

schedule one trip, annually to

Washington, D.C. (as specified in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice), one trip, annually to

Washington, D.C. (as specified in the

‘‘Requirements for All Demonstration

Projects’’ section of this notice), and an

additional meeting to take place at the

beginning of year one, to identify

collaborations across sites that can

result in increased sample sizes, and

planned variations of critical variables,

interventions, and outcomes.

We intend to make approximately 3

awards under this focus area.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $180,000 (exclusive of

any matching funds) per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this focus is 50 double-spaced pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Focus 3—Agency Participation in

Transition

This focus area supports model

projects that demonstrate new or

improved approaches to participation

and successful interagency collaboration

in transition planning.

Projects must:

(a) Involve collaboration between

multiple systems, such as education,

vocational rehabilitation, workforce

development, employer organizations,

community networks, health, youth and

adult service agencies, and other

relevant agencies.

(b) Improve transitions between

systems and eliminate service

disruptions, including waiting lists for

students exiting school; and

(c) Demonstrate that student

Individualized Education Programs

(IEP’s) are based on students’ interests,

preferences, and needs and include, as

appropriate, a statement of interagency

responsibilities and any needed

linkages. The linkages must include, as

appropriate, postschool environments

such as postsecondary schools,

employment, adult service programs,

and local One-Stop Career Centers

created under the Workforce Investment

Act.

Projects funded under this focus must

schedule one trip, annually to

Washington, D.C. (as specified in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice), one trip, annually to

Washington, D.C. (as specified in the

‘‘Requirements for All Demonstration

Projects’’ section of this notice), and an

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6839

additional meeting to take place by the

end of the first month of the project.

We intend to make approximately 3

awards under this focus area.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $180,000 (exclusive of

any matching funds) per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this focus is 50 double-spaced pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Competitive Preference for All Focus

Areas

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period for All Focus Areas: Up

to 48 months.

Absolute Priority 5—Improving

Postschool Outcomes: Identifying and

Promoting What Works (84.324W)

With the passage of the Education of

the Handicapped Act Amendments of

1983, a Federal initiative was begun to

assist high school youth with

disabilities in achieving their goals for

adult life, including postsecondary

education, continuing education,

competitive employment, and

independent living. This process,

known as secondary transition, has

continued to be defined and developed

in legislation, research, and practice. To

a large extent, it has been the impetus

for the shift in special education from

an emphasis on process to one of

achieving better results for children

with disabilities. The Office of Special

Education Programs (OSEP) has funded

approximately 500 secondary transition

projects since 1984 to develop, refine

and validate effective practices and

programs.

Priority: The purpose of this priority

is to improve results for secondary-aged

youth with disabilities by at a

minimum, synthesizing, analyzing, and

disseminating information in each of

three areas:

—Improving academic results;

—Secondary transition practice; and

—Dropout prevention and intervention,

including factors associated with

early school exit for students with

disabilities.

The project must—

(a) Synthesize the professional

literature on each area. In conducting its

syntheses, the project must:

(1) Develop a conceptual framework

around which research questions will be

posed and the synthesis conducted.

Develop these research questions with

input from potential consumers of the

synthesis to enhance the usability and

validity of the findings. Consumers

include technical assistance providers,

policymakers, educators, other relevant

practitioners, individuals with

disabilities, and parents;

(2) Identify and implement rigorous

social science methods for synthesizing

the professional knowledge base

(including but not limited to, integrative

reviews (Cooper, 1982), best-evidence

synthesis (Slavin, 1989), meta-analysis

(Glass, 1977), multi-vocal approach

(Ogawa & Malen, 1991), and National

Institute of Mental Health consensus

development program (Huberman,

1977);

(3) Implement procedures for locating

and organizing the extant literature and

ensure that these procedures address

and guard against potential threats to

the integrity of each synthesis,

including the generalization of findings;

(4) Establish criteria and procedures

for judging the appropriateness of each

synthesis;

(5) Meet with OSEP to review the

project’s methodological approach for

conducting the synthesis prior to

initiating the synthesis;

(6) Analyze and interpret the

professional knowledge base, including

identification of general trends in the

literature, points of consensus and

conflicts among findings, and areas of

evidence where the literature base is

lacking. The interpretation of the

literature base must address the

contributions of the findings for

improving policy, academic supports,

transition practices, and dropout

prevention and intervention;

(7) Submit a draft report of the

synthesis in each of the three focus

areas, and based on review by OSEP

staff, potential consumers, revise and

submit a final report to OSEP and the

Secondary Education and Transition

Technical Assistance Center (SETAC)

for dissemination to the field.

(b) Conduct an analysis of each of the

three areas to identify effective

approaches and practices derived from

model demonstration projects

(including, but not limited to, projects

funded by OSEP, the Rehabilitation

Services Administration (RSA), the

National Institute on Disability and

Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), the

Office of Postsecondary Education

(OPE), the Office of Education Research

and Improvement (OERI), and the Office

of Vocational and Adult Education

(OVAE).

In conducting its analyses, the project

must:

(1) Identify the relevant projects for

each analysis. Describe and implement

procedures for locating and organizing

relevant information on the individual

projects, including sampling techniques,

if appropriate;

(2) Articulate a research-based

conceptual framework to guide the

selection of variables to be examined

within and across projects, including

demographics, target population,

purpose, activities, outcomes, and

barriers. Pose research questions around

which the analysis will be conducted.

Develop these questions with input

from potential consumers of the

information to enhance the usability

and validity of the research findings.

Consumers include technical assistance

providers, policymakers, researchers,

educators, other relevant practitioners,

individuals with disabilities, and

parents;

(3) Meet with OSEP and the OSERS

transition work group to review the

project’s research questions and

methodological approach for conducting

the analysis prior to initiation;

(4) Analyze and interpret the findings

of the analysis, including similarities

and differences among project goals,

activities, staffing and costs; points of

consensus and conflict among the

findings or outcomes of the

demonstrations; and the characteristics

of model programs that hold significant

promise for the field based on outcome

data. In addition, the analysis must link

to the synthesis on this topic and

provide for the future policy

formulation, practice implementation,

and research priorities; and

6840 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

(5) Submit a draft report of the

analysis in each of the focus areas, and

based on reviews by OSEP staff and

potential consumers, revise, and submit

a final report to OSEP and SETAC for

dissemination and publication to inform

policy and practice.

(c) Disseminate results of the project

by collaborating with SETAC.

In addition to the annual two-day

Project Directors’ meeting in

Washington, D.C. listed in the ‘‘General

Requirements’’ section of this notice,

projects must budget for another

meeting each year in Washington, D.C.

with OSEP to share information and

discuss project implementation issues.

Competitive Preferences

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $600,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limit: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 70 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Special Education—Technical

Assistance and Dissemination To

Improve Services and Results for

Children With Disabilities [CFDA

84.326]

Purpose of Program: The purpose of

this program is to provide technical

assistance and information, through

such mechanisms as institutes, Regional

Resource Centers, clearinghouses, and

programs that support States and local

entities in building capacity, to improve

early intervention, educational, and

transitional services and results for

children with disabilities and their

families, and address systemic-change

goals and priorities.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The

Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in

34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82,

85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection

criteria for the priorities under this

program are drawn from the EDGAR

general selection criteria menu. The

specific selection criteria for each

priority are included in the funding

application packet for the applicable

competition.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86

apply to institutions of higher education

only.

Eligible Applicants: State and local

educational agencies, institutions of

higher education, other public agencies,

private nonprofit organizations, outlying

areas, freely associated States, Indian

tribes or tribal organizations, and forprofit organizations.

Priority: Under section 685 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) we consider

only applications that meet the

following priorities:

Absolute Priority 1—National

Clearinghouse on Postsecondary

Education (84.326H)

Priority: This priority will support a

National Clearinghouse on

Postsecondary Education for Individuals

with Disabilities. The Clearinghouse

must—

(a) Collect and disseminate

information on the following:

(1) Legislation affecting individuals

with disabilities entering and

participating in education and training

programs after high school;

(2) Policies, procedures, support

services (including assistive technology

and adaptations), and other resources

available or recommended to facilitate

the postsecondary education of

individuals with disabilities;

(3) Available resources and support

services in postsecondary settings that

include, or can be adapted to include

individuals with disabilities; and

(4) Sources of financial aid for the

postsecondary education and training of

individuals with disabilities.

(b) Develop and disseminate a set of

materials designed specifically to help

prepare students with disabilities for

transition to postsecondary education.

Audiences for these materials should

include vocational rehabilitation

counselors, secondary guidance

counselors, transition specialists,

general and special education teachers,

secondary career center and school-towork staff, staff from Federally funded

transition and postsecondary projects,

such as, GEAR-UP, 21st Century

Schools and TRIO, and students with

disabilities and their families.

(c) Identify areas, in addition to those

specified in paragraphs (a) and (b), in

which information is needed and

provide information in those areas;

(d) Develop a coordinated network of

professionals, appropriate organizations,

secondary and postsecondary education

associations, institutions of higher

education, mass media, other

clearinghouses, and governmental

agencies at the Federal, State, and local

levels for purposes of disseminating

information, promoting awareness of

issues related to the postsecondary

education of individuals with

disabilities, and referring individuals

who request information to appropriate

resources;

(e) Respond to requests for

information from individuals with

disabilities, their parents, and

professionals in secondary and

postsecondary settings, education,

vocational rehabilitation, and others

who work with such individuals, so that

persons may make informed decisions

about postsecondary education and

training. All information requests

should be solicited and responses

disseminated through multiple vehicles,

accessible to individuals with

disabilities. Such vehicles must include

a toll free telephone number, a World

Wide Web site, and electronic and

regular mail. Technologies, such as CD–

ROM and listservs should also be

considered for information

dissemination. Word Wide Web-based

delivery of information must be

maintained and updated on a regular

basis.

(f) Link with other Federally

supported technical assistance projects

concerned with the transition of

students with disabilities from

secondary to postsecondary settings, in

collecting, developing, and

disseminating information. These

should include projects funded by the

U.S. Department of Education, Office of

Special Education and Rehabilitative

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6841

Services such as the Parent Training and

Information Centers (PTIs); the Centers

for Independent Living (CILs); the

Regional Resource Centers (RRCs); the

National Center on Educational

Outcomes; the IDEA Partnership

Projects; the National Center for

Secondary Education and Transition

Technical Assistance Center (NCSET);

the National Center on the Study of

Postsecondary Education Supports

(NCSPES); all of the Demonstration

Projects to Ensure Students With

Disabilities Receive a Quality Higher

Education, funded through the U.S.

Department of Education’s Office of

Postsecondary Education; Historically

Black Colleges and Universities

(HBCUs); and other minority

institutions.

(g) Make information products

available in accessible formats, and as

appropriate, foreign languages.

(h) Work with the American Council

on Education (ACE) to ensure the

successful transition of materials and

resources from the HEATH Resource

Center to the newly funded

postsecondary clearinghouse.

In deciding whether to continue this

project for the fourth and fifth years, we

will consider the requirements of 34

CFR 75.253(a), and in addition—

(a) The recommendation of a review

team consisting of experts selected by

the Secretary, which review will be

conducted during the last half of the

project’s second year in Washington,

D.C. Projects must budget for the travel

associated with this review;

(b) The timeliness and effectiveness

with which all requirements of the

negotiated cooperative agreement have

been or are being met by the project; and

(c) The degree to which the project’s

design and methodology demonstrate

the potential for advancing significant

new knowledge.

Competitive Preference

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $500,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 70 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 2—National Technical

Assistance Project for Infants, Toddlers,

and Children Who Are Deaf-Blind

(84.326T)

Background

IDEA includes provisions designed to

help ensure that each child with a

disability is provided a high-quality

individual program of services to meet

their developmental and educational

needs. For children who are deaf and

blind to receive such services, intensive

technical assistance must be afforded

State and local educational agencies to

appropriately address the special needs

of these children. In addition, given the

low-incidence nature of this population,

many early intervention programs or

educational agencies lack personnel

with the training or experience to serve

children who are deaf-blind. For these

reasons, the following priority supports

a project of national scope that provides

specialized technical assistance

regarding the provision of early

intervention, special education, related

services, and transitional services to

children who are deaf-blind and their

families.

Priority: This priority supports one

national project that provides technical

assistance, training, and information to

State deaf-blind projects, families,

model demonstration projects, and other

agencies and organizations that are

responsible for the provision of early

intervention, special education, related

services, and transitional services for

infants, toddlers, and children who are

deaf-blind.

The project must:

(a) Identify specific project goals,

objectives, and activities in providing an

array of services to State projects,

families, model demonstration projects,

other agencies and organizations that

are responsible for providing services to

children who are deaf-blind.

(b) Assist State projects and agencies

to facilitate local, regional, or State

systemic change initiatives that include

children who are deaf-blind.

(c) Assist State projects and agencies

to increase the States’ capacities to

improve early intervention, special

education, related services, and

transitional services to improve

outcomes for children who are deafblind and their families.

(d) Provide technical assistance,

training, and information that focus on

the implementation of research-based,

effective practices that will result in

improved capacity of States and LEAs in

providing appropriate assessment,

planning, placement, and services.

(e) Provide technical assistance,

training, and information that focus on

the implementation of IDEA specific to

children who are deaf-blind and their

families.

(f) Implement and maintain an

assessment of the needs of individual

States and the overall needs of States to

determine the array, type, and intensity

of technical assistance to be provided.

(g) Facilitate activities and enhance

relationships that build the capacity of

deaf-blind children and their families

for advocacy, empowerment, and

increased knowledge.

(h) Evaluate project goals, objectives,

and activities to determine the

effectiveness of project strategies and

the overall impact of technical

assistance.

(i) Collaborate with other Federal

technical assistance projects and State

agencies that provide early intervention,

special education, related services, and

transitional services through programs

such as Developmental Disabilities,

Vocational Rehabilitation, Centers for

Independent Living, and Parent

Training and Information Centers in the

provision of technical assistance,

training, and information sharing.

(j) Develop and disseminate materials

and products to supplement technical

assistance and training. These materials

and products must be made available

through an accessible Internet web site.

(k) Assist personnel training programs

to work collaboratively to impact a

greater number of teachers and

paraprofessionals so that they can more

effectively provide services to children

who are deaf-blind.

(l) Gather, maintain, and analyze

demographic information on children

who are deaf-blind for the purpose of

developing project priorities based on

6842 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

data documenting the needs of these

children.

(m) Assist OSEP in conducting the

annual Project Directors’ Meeting and

other Federal initiatives.

(n) Develop and implement strategies

to promote coordination among State

and local agencies and organizations

and children who are deaf-blind and

their families specific to, but not limited

to, the following:

(1) Early identification, assessment,

placement and service provision;

(2) Alternate assessment as well as

appropriate modifications and

accommodations;

(3) Participation in the general

curriculum and inclusion in natural

environments;

(4) Access to appropriate and

necessary assistive technology,

including augmentative and alternative

communication systems;

(5) Family-educator partnerships;

(6) Transition services including

appropriate and timely assessment,

planning, vocational training,

interagency collaboration, and job

placement and support;

(7) Consumer self-determination and

self-advocacy; and

(8) Designing appropriate evaluation

strategies for children who are deafblind.

(o) Establish and maintain an advisory

committee to assist in promoting project

activities. The committee must include

at least one individual with deafblindness, one parent of a child with

deaf-blindness, one representative of a

State educational agency, and at least

three professionals with training and

experience in serving children with

deaf-blindness, and other individuals

representing appropriate agencies.

In deciding whether to continue this

project for the fourth and fifth years, we

will consider the requirements of 34

CFR 75.253(a), and in addition —

(a) The recommendation of a review

team consisting of experts selected by

the Secretary, which review will be

conducted during the last half of the

project’s second year in Washington, DC

Projects must budget for the travel

associated with this review;

(b) The timeliness and effectiveness

with which all requirements of the

negotiated cooperative agreement have

been or are being met by the project; and

(c) The degree to which the project

promotes best practices designed to

demonstrate the potential for advancing

significant new knowledge in the area of

services to children who are deaf-blind.

Competitive Preference:

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $1,700,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 70 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Technology and Media Services for

Individuals With Disabilities (CFDA

84.327)

Purpose of Program: The purpose of

this program is to promote the

development, demonstration, and

utilization of technology and to support

educational media activities designed to

be of educational value to children with

disabilities. This program also provides

support for some captioning, video

description, and cultural activities.

Applicable Regulations: (a) The

Education Department General

Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in

34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82,

85, 86, 97, 98, and 99; (b) The selection

criteria for the priorities under this

program are drawn from the EDGAR

general selection criteria menu. The

specific selection criteria for each

priority are included in the funding

application packet for the applicable

competition.

Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86

apply to institutions of higher education

only.

Eligible Applicants: State and local

educational agencies; institutions of

higher education; other public agencies;

private nonprofit organizations; outlying

areas; freely associated States; Indian

tribes or tribal organizations; and forprofit organizations.

Priority: Under section 687 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3), we consider

only applications that meet the

following priority:

Absolute Priority 1—Video Description

(84.327C)

Background

This priority supports cooperative

agreements to provide video description

for national broadcast, satellite, and

cable television programs. The purpose

of this activity will be to describe

television programs and videos in order

to make television programming and

videos accessible to children and adults

who are blind or have low vision. The

intent of this priority is to allow

children who are blind or have low

vision to engage in age appropriate

activities that include the watching of

television. Only educational, news, and

informational television and videos may

be described after September 30, 2001.

Priority: To be considered for funding

under this priority, a project must —

(a) Include criteria that take into

account the preference of consumers for

particular topics of interest, the

diversity of programs or videos

available, and the contribution of these

programs or videos to the general

educational, social, and cultural

experiences of individuals with visual

disabilities;

(b) Identify and support a diverse

consumer advisory group including

parents and educators, that would meet

at least annually;

(c) Identify the total number of hours

and cost for each program to be

described;

(d) Identify for each program or video

to be described, the source and amount

of any private or other public support,

if any;

(e) Demonstrate the willingness of

program providers to permit video

description and distribution of their

program or video; and

(f) Evaluate the effectiveness of the

methods and technologies used in

providing this service and the impact on

intended populations.

Video descriptions produced under

these awards must be provided on

request to owners or rights holders of

programming, and may be reformatted

or otherwise adapted by them for future

airings or other distributions.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6843

Competitive Preference:

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $350,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 50 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 2—Accessible

Educational TV (84.327E)

Background

This priority supports cooperative

agreements to provide for the

description and captioning of widely

available, noncommercial, educational,

and instructional programming that is

suitable for use in the classroom and

shown on broadcast, satellite, or basic

cable television networks. Captioning

provides a visual representation of the

audio portion of the programming while

video description provides a narrative of

what takes place visually on the screen.

This will allow children with

disabilities in the areas of vision or

hearing to engage in age appropriate

activities that includes the watching of

television. Only educational, news, and

informational television and videos may

be captioned or described after

September 30, 2001.

Priority: To be considered for funding

under this competition, a project must

—

(a) Include criteria that takes into

account the preference of educators,

students, and parents for particular

educational and instructional programs,

the diversity of this type of

programming available, and the

contribution of this type of

programming to the general educational

experience of students who have

disabilities in the areas of vision or

hearing;

(b) Identify and support a diverse

consumer advisory group, including

parents and educators, that would meet

at least annually;

(c) Identify the extent to which the

programming is widely available;

(d) Identify the extent to which this

commercial-free programming may be

taped for later classroom use;

(e) Identify the total number of

program hours to be made accessible

and the cost per hour for captioning and

description;

(f) Identify for each program to be

made accessible, the source of any

private or other public support, and the

projected dollar amount of that support,

if any;

(g) Demonstrate the willingness of

program providers or owners of

programs to permit and facilitate the

quality captioning and description of

their programs;

(h) Provide assurances from program

providers or owners of programs stating

the extent to which programs made

accessible under this project will air,

and will continue to air, without the

need for reformatting or additional

description;

(i) Evaluate the effectiveness of the

methods and technologies used in

providing this service and the impact on

intended populations; and

(j) Conduct nationwide outreach

activities that target the potential

audience for this type of programming.

To accomplish this objective, the

applicant must employ multiple

dissemination mechanisms and

approaches, such as a user-friendly web

site that incorporates hotlinks to other

web sites such as the National

Clearinghouse in order to further

promote and inform the target audiences

about the service. This web site must be

fully accessible and customized to

attract individuals from culturally and

economically diverse backgrounds and

individuals with disabilities, across

varying age levels and professional

experiences.

Captions and video descriptions

produced under these awards must be

provided on request to owners or rights

holders of programming, and may be

reformatted or otherwise adapted by

them for future airings or other

distributions.

Competitive Preferences

Within this absolute priority, we will

award the following competitive

preference, under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(2)(i): An additional 10 points

to an applicant that proposes to include

in the range of programs to be described

and captioned at least 52 hours a year

of programming originally broadcast in

Spanish.

In addition, we will give the following

competitive preference under section

606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i),

to applications that are otherwise

eligible for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 20 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 120 points.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $225,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 50 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 3—Open-Captioned

Educational Media: Video Selection,

Captioning, and Distribution (84.327N)

Background

This priority supports one cooperative

agreement for the selection, acquisition,

open-captioning, and distribution of

media on a nonprofit free loan-basis, for

use by students who are deaf or hard of

hearing, parents of deaf or hard of

6844 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

hearing persons, individuals directly

involved in activities promoting the

advancement of individuals who are

deaf or hard of hearing, and other

individuals with disabilities in the

United States. This priority would

ensure that students and other

individuals who are deaf or hard of

hearing, as well as other individuals

with disabilities, might benefit from the

same media used to enrich the

educational experiences of students and

other individuals who do not have

disabilities.

Priority: To be considered for funding

under this priority, the project must:

(a) Develop strategies and procedures

to be used in determining curricular

needs of students who are deaf or hard

of hearing in all types of school settings

for captioned media;

(b) Obtain media from producers and

distributors for screening, evaluation,

and captioning. Select from titles

submitted by evaluators those that

closely match the curricular needs

identified under paragraph (a) of this

priority, taking into account the media

most commonly used in school districts

across the nation for students.

(c) Make arrangements with

respective producers and distributors to

purchase, caption, and distribute

selected media, including distribution

in alternate formats. Captioned masters

must be made available to producers

and distributors in an effort to promote

the use of captioned media.

(d) For selected media purchased,

have captions prepared by captioning

agencies that meet guidelines for

captioned media take into account the

age and reading levels of the likely

target audience.

(e) Establish guidelines to ensure even

and maximum participation of

captioning service providers in

providing captions.

(f) Develop and implement quality

control guidelines and procedures for

checking media after it has been

captioned, and procedures for training

captioning agencies that express the

desire to caption for the program.

(g) Prepare up to 300 copies of each

title purchased for distribution through

the distribution system. Twenty five

percent of the annual acquisition also

must be captioned in Spanish so those

Latino students who are deaf or hard of

hearing can have access to media.

(h) For selected videos to be used in

classrooms, select and train writers to

prepare lesson guides.

(i) Develop strategies and procedures

to be implemented in operating a

distribution system, consisting of local

and regional depositories for

distribution of captioned educational

media, and one central general interest

and one central educational distribution

center. Local and regional depositories

may include State schools, public or

private school systems, public libraries,

colleges or universities, or other

distribution points. The system must be

computerized and allow electronic

ordering, booking, and shipping of

materials, including interdepository

circulation of free loan captioned media.

Explore and utilize alternate delivery

methods (i.e., via CD Rom, Internet, or

Satellite) of captioned media.

(j) Describe and establish

computerized registration procedures,

accessible via the Internet, that will be

used to register eligible users, schedule

captioned media retrieval, and track and

record consumer feedback and usage

information.

(k) Prepare, update, and distribute

copies of a catalog listing all captioned

media available under this project,

including copies of lesson guides, as

they become available. Both lesson

guides and catalogs must be made

available online.

(l) In years 2 and 4 of the award,

convene a meeting of local and regional

depository managers, librarians, and

audiovisual and other personnel from

State educational agencies for the

purpose of training and planning. The

year two meeting will be held at the

project site and the year four meeting

will be held in the Washington, D.C.

Metropolitan area. Regional meetings of

depository managers shall be held in

years 1 and 3 of the project and shall

coincide with meetings scheduled

under paragraph (m). All dates should

be coordinated with the Project Officer.

(m) Establish an advisory group of 7

members, which shall meet annually,

consisting of video producers and

distributors, captioning service

providers, consumers of captioned

media, parents of students with hearing

impairments, public and private school

administrators and educational

personnel, and members from minority

communities. This advisory group shall

develop an evaluation program for

incorporating the reactions and

suggestions of users into the selection

and captioning process, provide input

regarding the impact on program

activities and services, review

effectiveness of the system and make

recommendations to ensure maximum

effectiveness. The Project Officer must

approve committee membership.

Format, agenda and dates of advisory

group meetings shall require prior

approval by the Project Officer. A set of

recommendations for program

enhancements recommended by the

advisory group shall be forwarded to the

Department annually.

(n) Develop and maintain a

comprehensive database containing

information related to the availability of

open and closed captioned media,

information regarding the captioned

media loan service, and captioning

service providers and procedures for

applying for free loan services. In

addition, the project shall maintain a

clearinghouse of information on the

subject of captioning for use by

consumers, agencies, corporations,

businesses, and schools. All information

should be accessible via the Internet.

In deciding whether to continue this

project for the fourth and fifth years, we

will consider the requirements of 34

CFR 75.253(a), and in addition—

(a) The recommendation of a review

team consisting of experts selected by

the Secretary, which review will be

conducted during the last half of the

project’s second year in Washington,

D.C. Projects must budget for the travel

associated with this review; and

(b) The timeliness and effectiveness

with which all requirements of the

negotiated cooperative agreement have

been or are being met by the project; and

Competitive Preference

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $3,350,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6845

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 80 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 4—Closed Captioned

Daytime Television Programs (84.327S)

This priority supports cooperative

agreements to continue and expand the

variety of daytime television

programming available nationally to

individuals who are deaf or hard of

hearing through captioning. Captioning

provides a visual representation of the

audio portion of television programming

and enables children, young adults, and

adults who are deaf or hard of hearing

to engage in age-appropriate behavior

with their nondisabled peers by

participating in shared educational,

social, and cultural experiences which

include the watching of television.

Federal funds may not be used to fund

more than 65 percent of captioning costs

in Year One of the project, no more than

60 percent of the captioning costs in

year two, and no more than 55 percent

in year three. For the purpose of this

activity, program hours, or the costs of

captioning associated with those

programs, that are funded by

promotional billboards shall not be

considered as an in-kind cost, or a

private sector match, for those Federal

funds. Only educational, news, and

informational television and videos may

be captioned after September 30, 2001.

Priority: To be considered for funding

under this priority, a project must—

(a) Include procedures and criteria for

selecting programs for captioning that

take into account the preference of

consumers from diverse communities

for particular daytime programs;

(b) Provide a backup system that will

ensure quality captioning service;

(c) Identify and support a consumer

advisory group, which would meet at

least annually;

(d) Identify the total number of hours

and the captioning cost per program

hour for each of the programs captioned;

(e) Identify for each program to be

captioned, the source, and amount of

any private or other public support;

(f) Demonstrate the willingness of

major national commercial broadcast or

basic cable networks to permit and

facilitate the quality captioning of their

programs; and

(g) Implement procedures for

monitoring the extent to which full and

accurate captioning is provided and use

this information to make refinements in

captioning operations.

Captions produced under these

awards must be provided on request to

owners or rights holders of

programming, including networks or

syndicators and may be reformatted or

otherwise adapted by them for future

airings or other distributions.

Competitive Preferences

Within this absolute priority, we will

award the following competitive

preference, under 34 CFR

75.105(c)(2)(i): An additional 10 points

to an applicant that proposes to include

in the range of programs to be described

and captioned at least 52 hours a year

of programming originally broadcast in

Spanish.

In addition, we will give the following

competitive preference under section

606 of IDEA and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i),

to applications that are otherwise

eligible for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 20 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 120 points.

Project Period: Up to 36 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $200,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 50 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

Absolute Priority 5—Research Institute

on the Use of Technology In Early

Intervention (84.327X)

Background

Technology has shown great potential

in supporting the growth and

development of children. This is

particularly true with infants and

toddlers with disabilities. The years

from birth to three represent a pivotal

stage in a child’s life. During this

period, young children make important

gains in mobility, communication,

social awareness, and cognitive

understanding. It is also a period of time

in which children’s development is

intrinsically tied to interaction with

those who care for them. Technology

has the potential to empower families

and caregivers to provide the type of

environment in which infants and

toddlers with disabilities can reach their

maximum potential for growth and

learning.

The IDEA lists assistive technology

devices and services as early

intervention services that could be

provided to meet the developmental

needs of each child and the needs of

their families relating to enhancing the

child’s development. These services are

selected in collaboration with the

parents and provided in conformity

with an individualized family service

plan (IFSP) (34 CFR 303.12(a)).

Section 602(1) of IDEA defines an

assistive technology (AT) device as ‘‘any

item, piece of equipment, or product

system, whether acquired commercially

off the shelf, modified, or customized,

that is used to increase, maintain, or

improve functional capabilities of a

child with a disability.’’ According to

Section 602(2), an assistive technology

service means, ‘‘any service that directly

assists a child with a disability in the

selection, acquisition, or use of an

assistive technology device * * *’’ The

law lists such services as evaluation,

purchasing, selection, coordination with

other interventions, and training for the

child and family, as well as training or

technical assistance for professionals.

Even though technology appears to

hold great benefits for infants and

toddlers with disabilities, the

knowledge base on this topic is limited.

Evidence of the use and effectiveness of

assistive technology for this population

is for the most part anecdotal and

practitioner-oriented. Comprehensive

research on the subject is scarce.

There is little argument that

technology devices can help infants and

toddlers with disabilities interact with

their environment. Some useful AT

devices could be off-the-shelf

commercial items or materials that have

been modified or adapted according to

the specific needs of the child.

Examples include head pointers, picture

boards with symbols or pictures, and

pull toys. More complex technologies

may involve computers or electronics

that often are specially ordered and

fitted. Examples are electronic scooters,

6846 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

drawing software, or a musical mat.

Whatever device or application is

chosen, it is important, that when

considering the use of technology with

young children, the professional

involved goes beyond merely matching

tools to the child’s abilities and

disabilities. The decision also should

reflect the family’s goals and be another

tool in helping young children to grow

and develop within the context of the

family.

Priority: This priority is for a research

institute to study the use of technology

to enhance the development of infants

and toddlers with disabilities ages birth

to three years.

The Institute must:

(a) Select a range of settings within

States reflecting diverse demographics;

(b) Use methodologies such as

interviews, case studies, focus groups,

reviews of records, observations, and

policy analyses;

(c) Consider what factors enhance or

impede decisionmaking, planning,

acquisition, maintenance, and training

in the use of technology;

(d) Answer, at a minimum, the

following research questions:

(1) Prevalence: What percentage of

infants and toddlers with disabilities

use technology as part of their IFSP?

What functions are these devices and

services intended to perform for the

individual child?

(2) Policy and Resources: What

policies or guidelines and processes are

in place to help the IFSP team make

decisions about the use of technology?

What resources are in place to finance

the provision of technology? What

mechanisms are in place to ensure

leveraging of resources among

appropriate agencies? How do early

intervention programs acquire

technology? How is the technology

managed and maintained?

(3) Individualized decisionmaking:

How are the child’s needs for the

technology evaluated? How does the

IFSP team determine when a technology

device or service is appropriate? How is

the appropriate technology selected,

designed, or adapted to the individual

child?

(4) Training and Support: What

training and technical assistance is

available for service providers,

caregivers, families, and other

appropriate individuals regarding

technology? Are structures in place to

promote collaboration among

appropriate agencies and service

providers?

(e) Design and implement a

dissemination approach that promotes

the use of current knowledge and

ongoing research findings. In support of

this approach, the Institute must:

(1) Develop links with appropriate

Department of Education technical

assistance providers to communicate

research findings and distribute

products;

(2) Develop a web site to link

participating early intervention

programs and to provide up-to-date

information on findings;

(3) Prepare the research findings in

formats that are useful for specific

audiences, such as families, service

providers, administrators, and policy

makers;

(4) Meet with the OSEP project officer

and appropriate OSEP staff within the

first three months of the project to

review the strategic work plan and the

approach to dissemination;

(f) Fund at least three graduate

students per year as research assistants

who have concentrations in early

childhood development, early

intervention issues, and technology; and

(g) Budget for trips to Washington, DC

(one trip during the first year of the

project to meet and collaborate with

U.S. Department of Education officials;

one trip annually, as specified in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice, to attend the two-day OSEP

Research Project Directors’ Conference;

and one trip annually to attend the

three-day Early Childhood Combined

Conference).

In deciding whether to continue this

project for the fourth and fifth years, we

will consider the requirements of 34

CFR 75.253(a), and in addition—

(a) The recommendation of a review

team consisting of experts selected by

the Secretary, which review will be

conducted during the last half of the

project’s second year in Washington,

DC. Projects must budget for the travel

associated with this review;

(b) The timeliness and effectiveness

with which all requirements of the

negotiated cooperative agreement have

been or are being met by the project; and

(c) The degree to which the project’s

design and methodology demonstrate

the potential for advancing significant

new knowledge.

Competitive Preference

Within this absolute priority, we will

give the following competitive

preference under section 606 of IDEA

and 34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i), to

applications that are otherwise eligible

for funding under this priority:

Up to ten (10) points based on the

effectiveness of the applicant’s strategies

for employing and advancing in

employment qualified individuals with

disabilities in project activities as

required under paragraph (a) of the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice. In determining the effectiveness

of those strategies, we may consider the

applicant’s past success in pursuit of

this goal.

Therefore, for purposes of this

competitive preference, applicants can

be awarded up to a total of 10 points in

addition to those awarded under the

published selection criteria for this

priority. That is, an applicant meeting

this competitive preference could earn a

maximum total of 110 points.

Project Period: Up to 60 months.

Maximum Award: The maximum

award amount is $500,000 per year.

Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR

75.104(b), we will reject any application

that proposes a project funding level for

any year that exceeds the stated

maximum award amount for that year.

Requests for funding reasonable

accommodations are not included in

this limitation.

Page Limits: The maximum page limit

for this priority is 70 double-spaced

pages.

Note: Applications must meet the required

page limit standards that are described in the

‘‘General Requirements’’ section of this

notice.

For Applications Contact: Education

Publications Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box

1398, Jessup, Maryland 20794–1398.

Telephone (toll free): 1–877–4ED–Pubs

(1–877–433–7827). FAX: 301–470–1244.

Individuals who use a

telecommunications device for the deaf

(TDD) may call (toll free) 1–877–576–

7734.

You may also contact Ed Pubs via its

Web site (http://www.ed.gov/pubs/

edpubs.html) or its E-mail address

(edpubs@inet.ed.gov).

For Further Information Contact:

Grants and Contracts Services Team,

U.S. Department of Education, 400

Maryland Avenue, SW., room 3317,

Switzer Building, Washington, DC

20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 260–

9182.

If you use a TDD you may call the

Federal Information Relay Service

(FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain this document in an alternative

format (e.g., Braille, large print,

audiotape, or computer diskette) on

request to the contact persons listed in

the preceding paragraph.

Individuals with disabilities may

obtain a copy of the application package

in an alternative format by contacting

the Department as listed above.

However, the Department is not able to

reproduce in an alternative format the

standard forms included in the

application package.

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices 6847

Intergovernmental Review

All programs in this notice (except for

the Research and Innovation to Improve

Services and Results for Children with

Disabilities Program) are subject to the

requirements of Executive Order 12372

and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79.

The objective of the Executive Order is

to foster an intergovernmental

partnership and a strengthened

federalism by relying on processes

developed by State and local

governments for coordination and

review of proposed Federal financial

assistance.

In accordance with the order, we

intend this document to provide early

notification of the Department’s specific

plans and actions for those programs.

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT APPLICATION NOTICE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001

CFDA No. and name Applications

available

Application

deadline

date

Deadline for

intergovernmental

review

Maximum

award (per

year) *

Project period Page limit **

Estimated

number of

awards

84.324D Directed Research

Projects.

01/19/01 03/02/01 .................... $180,000 Up to 36 mos ......... 50 27

84.324K Research and Training

Center on the Development of

Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool Children with or At Risk

of Disabilities.

01/19/01 03/09/01 .................... 500,000 Up to 60 mos ......... 70 1

84.324Q Research Institute on

Early Literacy for Infants, Toddlers, and Young Children with

Visual Impairments.

01/19/01 03/09/01 .................... 500,000 Up to 60 mos ......... 70 1

84.324T Model Demonstration

Projects for Children with Disabilities.

01/19/01 03/16/01 .................... .................... Up to 48 mos ......... 50 21

Focus Area 1: First two 12-

month funding periods.

.................... .................... .................... 150,000 ................................ .................... ....................

Focus Area 1: Final two 12-

month funding periods.

.................... .................... .................... 75,000 ................................ .................... ....................

Focus Areas 2 and 3 ............ .................... .................... .................... 180,000 ................................ .................... ....................

84.324W Improving Post School

Outcomes: Identifying and Promoting What Works.

01/19/01 03/09/01 .................... 600,000 Up to 36 mos ......... 70 1

84.326H National Clearinghouse on Postsecondary Education.01/19/01 03/09/01 05/08/01 500,000 Up to 60 mos ......... 70 1

84.326T National Technical Assistance Project for Infants,

Toddlers, and Children Who

Are Deaf-Blind.

01/19/01 03/09/01 05/08/01 1,700,000 Up to 60 mos ......... 70 1

84.327C Video Description ....... 01/19/01 03/09/01 05/08/01 350,000 Up to 36 mos ......... 50 2

84.327E Accessible Education

TV.

01/19/01 03/16/01 05/15/01 225,000 Up to 36 mos ......... 50 5

84.327N Open-Captioned Educational Media: Selection, Captioning and Distribution.01/19/01 03/09/01 05/08/01 3,350,000 Up to 60 mos ......... 80 1

84.327S Closed Captioned

Daytime Television Programs.

01/19/01 3/23/01 05/23/01 200,000 Up to 36 mos ......... 50 5

84.327X Research Institute on

Technology for Early Intervention.

01/19/01 03/30/01 05/30/01 500,000 Up to 60 mos ......... 70 1

* Consistent with EDGAR 34 CFR 75.104(b), we will reject any application that proposes a project funding level for any year that exceeds the

stated maximum award amount for that year. We will consider, and may fund, requests for additional funding as an addendum to an application

to reflect the costs of reasonable accommodations necessary to allow individuals with disabilities to be employed on the project as personnel on

project activities.

** Applicants must limit the Application Narrative, Part III of the Application, to the page limits noted above. Please refer to the ‘‘Page Limit’’ requirements included under each priority description and the page limit standards described in the ‘‘General Requirements’’ section. We will reject

and will not consider an application that does not adhere to this requirement.

6848 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 14 / Monday, January 22, 2001 / Notices

Electronic Access to This Document

You may view this document, as well

as all other Department of Education

documents published in the Federal

Register, in text or portable document

format (PDF) on the internet at either of

the following sites:

http://ocfo.ed.gov/fedreg.htm

http://www.ed.gov/news.html

To use PDF you must have Adobe

Acrobat Reader, which is available free

at either of the previous sites. If you

have questions about using PDF, call the

U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO),

toll free, at 1–888–293–6498; or in the

Washington, DC, area at (202) 512–1530.

Note: The official version of this document

is the document published in the Federal

Register. Free Internet access to the official

edition of the Federal Register and the Code

of Federal Regulations is available on GPO

Access at: http://www.access.gpo/nara/

index.html

Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1405, 1461,

1472, 1474, and 1487.

Dated: January 10, 2001.

Judith E. Heumann,

Assistant Secretary for Special Education and

Rehabilitative Services.

[FR Doc. 01–1241 Filed 1–19–01; 8:45 am]

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