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signed to meet the needs of tar-
geted individuals and entities.
‘‘(bb) CONTENT.—The system
shall deliver information on as-
sistive technology devices, assistive
technology services (with specific
data regarding provider avail-
ability within the State), and the
availability of resources, includ-
ing funding through public and
private sources, to obtain assistive
technology devices and assistive
technology services. The system
shall also deliver information on
the benefits of assistive technology
devices and assistive technology
services with respect to enhancing
the capacity of individuals with
disabilities of all ages to perform
activities of daily living.
‘‘(iii) COORDINATION AND COLLABORA-
TION.—The State shall coordinate activities
described in paragraph (2) and this para-
graph, among public and private entities
that are responsible for policies, procedures,
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or funding for the provision of assistive
technology devices and assistive technology
services to individuals with disabilities,
service providers, and others to improve ac-
cess to assistive technology devices and as-
sistive technology services for individuals
with disabilities of all ages in the State.
‘‘(4) INDIRECT COSTS.—Not more than 10 per-
cent of the funds made available through a grant to
a State under this section may be used for indirect
costs.
‘‘(5) 
PROHIBITION.—Funds 
made 
available
through a grant to a State under this section shall
not be used for direct payment for an assistive tech-
nology device for an individual with a disability.
‘‘(6) STATE FLEXIBILITY.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (1)(A) and subject to subparagraph (B), a
State may use funds that the State receives
under a grant awarded under this section to
carry out any 2 or more of the activities de-
scribed in paragraph (2).
‘‘(B) 
SPECIAL
RULE.—Notwithstanding
paragraph (3)(A), any State that exercises its
authority under subparagraph (A)—
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‘‘(i) shall carry out each of the re-
quired activities described in paragraph
(3)(B); and
‘‘(ii) shall use not more than 30 per-
cent of the funds made available through the
grant to carry out the activities described in
paragraph (3)(B).
‘‘(f) ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORTS.—
‘‘(1) DATA
COLLECTION.—States shall partici-
pate in data collection as required by law, including
data collection required for preparation of the reports
described in paragraph (2).
‘‘(2) REPORTS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall pre-
pare and submit to the Secretary an annual
progress report on the activities funded under
this Act, at such time, and in such manner, as
the Secretary may require.
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—The report shall include
data collected pursuant to this section. The re-
port shall document, with respect to activities
carried out under this section in the State—
‘‘(i) the type of State financing activi-
ties described in subsection (e)(2)(A) used
by the State;
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‘‘(ii) the amount and type of assistance
given to consumers of the State financing
activities described in subsection (e)(2)(A)
(who shall be classified by type of assistive
technology device or assistive technology
service financed through the State financing
activities, and geographic distribution with-
in the State), including—
‘‘(I) the number of applications
for assistance received;
‘‘(II) the number of applications
approved and rejected;
‘‘(III) the default rate for the fi-
nancing activities;
‘‘(IV) the range and average inter-
est rate for the financing activities;
‘‘(V) the range and average in-
come of approved applicants for the fi-
nancing activities; and
‘‘(VI) 
the 
types 
and 
dollar
amounts of assistive technology fi-
nanced;
‘‘(iii) the number, type, and length of
time of loans of assistive technology devices
provided to individuals with disabilities,
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employers, public agencies, or public accom-
modations through the device loan program
described in subsection (e)(2)(C), and an
analysis of the individuals with disabilities
who have benefited from the device loan pro-
gram;
‘‘(iv) the number, type, estimated
value, and scope of assistive technology de-
vices exchanged, repaired, recycled, or reuti-
lized (including redistributed through device
sales, loans, rentals, or donations) through
the device reutilization program described
in subsection (e)(2)(B), and an analysis of
the individuals with disabilities that have
benefited from the device reutilization pro-
gram;
‘‘(v) the number and type of device
demonstrations 
and 
referrals 
provided
under subsection (e)(2)(D), and an analysis
of individuals with disabilities who have
benefited from the demonstrations and refer-
rals;
‘‘(vi)(I) the number and general char-
acteristics of individuals who participated
in training under subsection (e)(3)(B)(i)
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(such as individuals with disabilities, par-
ents, educators, employers, providers of em-
ployment services, health care workers,
counselors, other service providers, or ven-
dors) and the topics of such training; and
‘‘(II) to the extent practicable, the geo-
graphic distribution of individuals who
participated in the training;
‘‘(vii) the frequency of provision and
nature of technical assistance provided to
State and local agencies and other entities;
‘‘(viii) the number of individuals as-
sisted through the public-awareness activi-
ties and statewide information and referral
system described in subsection (e)(3)(B)(ii);
‘‘(ix) the outcomes of any improvement
initiatives carried out by the State as a re-
sult of activities funded under this section,
including a description of any written poli-
cies, practices, and procedures that the
State has developed and implemented re-
garding access to, provision of, and funding
for, assistive technology devices, and assist-
ive technology services, in the contexts of
education, health care, employment, commu-
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nity living, and information technology and
telecommunications, 
including 
e-govern-
ment;
‘‘(x) the source of leveraged funding or
other contributed resources, including re-
sources provided through subcontracts or
other collaborative resource-sharing agree-
ments, from and with public and private
entities to carry out State activities de-
scribed in subsection (e)(3)(B)(iii), the
number of individuals served with the con-
tributed resources for which information is
not reported under clauses (i) through (ix)
or clause (xi) or (xii), and other outcomes
accomplished as a result of such activities
carried out with the contributed resources;
and
‘‘(xi) the level of customer satisfaction
with the services provided.
‘‘SEC. 5. STATE GRANTS FOR PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY
SERVICES RELATED TO ASSISTIVE TECH-
NOLOGY.
‘‘(a) GRANTS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make
grants under subsection (b) to protection and advo-
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cacy systems in each State for the purpose of enabling
such systems to assist in the acquisition, utilization,
or maintenance of assistive technology devices or as-
sistive technology services for individuals with dis-
abilities.
‘‘(2) GENERAL
AUTHORITIES.—In providing
such assistance, protection and advocacy systems shall
have the same general authorities as the systems are
afforded under subtitle C of title I of the Develop-
mental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15041 et seq.), as determined by
the Secretary.
‘‘(b) GRANTS.—
‘‘(1) RESERVATION.—For each fiscal year, the
Secretary shall reserve such sums as may be necessary
to carry out paragraph (4).
‘‘(2) POPULATION BASIS.—From the funds ap-
propriated under section 8(b) for a fiscal year and re-
maining after the reservation required by paragraph
(1) has been made, the Secretary shall make a grant
to a protection and advocacy system within each
State in an amount bearing the same ratio to the re-
maining funds as the population of the State bears to
the population of all States.
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‘‘(3) MINIMUMS.—Subject to the availability of
appropriations, the amount of a grant to a protection
and advocacy system under paragraph (2) for a fiscal
year shall—
‘‘(A) in the case of a protection and advo-
cacy system located in American Samoa, Guam,
the United States Virgin Islands, or the Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, not
be less than $30,000; and
‘‘(B) in the case of a protection and advo-
cacy system located in a State not described in
subparagraph (A), not be less than $50,000.
‘‘(4) PAYMENT TO THE SYSTEM SERVING THE
AMERICAN INDIAN CONSORTIUM.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall
make grants to the protection and advocacy sys-
tem serving the American Indian Consortium to
provide services in accordance with this section.
‘‘(B) AMOUNT OF GRANTS.—The amount of
such grants shall be the same as the amount pro-
vided under paragraph (3)(A).
‘‘(c) DIRECT PAYMENT.—Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Secretary shall pay directly to any
protection and advocacy system that complies with this sec-
tion, the total amount of the grant made for such system
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under this section, unless the system provides otherwise for
payment of the grant amount.
‘‘(d) CERTAIN STATES.—
‘‘(1) GRANT TO LEAD AGENCY.—Notwithstanding
any other provision of this section, with respect to a
State that, on November 12, 1998, was described in
section 102(f)(1) of the Technology-Related Assistance
for Individuals With Disabilities Act of 1988, the Sec-
retary shall pay the amount of the grant described in
subsection (a), and made under subsection (b), to the
lead agency designated under section 4(c)(1) for the
State.
‘‘(2) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—A lead agency
to which a grant amount is paid under paragraph
(1) shall determine the manner in which funds made
available through the grant will be allocated among
the entities that were providing protection and advo-
cacy services in that State on the date described in
such paragraph, and shall distribute funds to such en-
tities. In distributing such funds, the lead agency
shall not establish any additional eligibility or proce-
dural requirements for an entity in the State that
supports protection and advocacy services through a
protection and advocacy system. Such an entity shall
comply with the same requirements (including report-
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ing and enforcement requirements) as any other enti-
ty that receives funding under this section.
‘‘(3) APPLICATION OF PROVISIONS.—Except as
provided in this subsection, the provisions of this sec-
tion shall apply to the grant in the same manner,
and to the same extent, as the provisions apply to a
grant to a system.
‘‘(e) CARRYOVER.—Any amount paid to an eligible
system for a fiscal year under this section that remains un-
obligated at the end of such fiscal year shall remain avail-
able to such system for obligation during the subsequent fis-
cal year. Program income generated from such amount
shall remain available for 2 additional fiscal years after
the year in which such amount was paid to an eligible sys-
tem and may only be used to improve the awareness of indi-
viduals with disabilities about the accessibility of assistive
technology and assist such individuals in the acquisition,
utilization, or maintenance of assistive technology devices
or assistive technology services.
‘‘(f) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—An entity that receives
a grant under this section shall annually prepare and sub-
mit to the Secretary a report that contains such informa-
tion as the Secretary may require, including documentation
of the progress of the entity in—
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‘‘(1) conducting consumer-responsive activities,
including activities that will lead to increased access,
for individuals with disabilities, to funding for assist-
ive technology devices and assistive technology serv-
ices;
‘‘(2) engaging in informal advocacy to assist in
securing assistive technology devices and assistive
technology services for individuals with disabilities;
‘‘(3) engaging in formal representation for indi-
viduals with disabilities to secure systems change, and
in advocacy activities to secure assistive technology
devices and assistive technology services for individ-
uals with disabilities;
‘‘(4) developing and implementing strategies to
enhance the long-term abilities of individuals with
disabilities and their family members, guardians, ad-
vocates, and authorized representatives to advocate the
provision of assistive technology devices and assistive
technology services to which the individuals with dis-
abilities are entitled under law other than this Act;
‘‘(5) coordinating activities with protection and
advocacy services funded through sources other than
this Act, and coordinating activities with the capac-
ity building and advocacy activities carried out by
the lead agency; and
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‘‘(6) effectively allocating funds made available
under this section to improve the awareness of indi-
viduals with disabilities about the accessibility of as-
sistive technology and assist such individuals in the
acquisition, utilization, or maintenance of assistive
technology devices or assistive technology services.
‘‘(g) REPORTS AND UPDATES TO STATE AGENCIES.—
An entity that receives a grant under this section shall pre-
pare and submit to the lead agency of the State designated
under section 4(c)(1) the report described in subsection (f)
and quarterly updates concerning the activities described
in subsection (f).
‘‘(h) COORDINATION.—On making a grant under this
section to an entity in a State, the Secretary shall solicit
and consider the opinions of the lead agency of the State
with respect to efforts at coordination of activities, collabo-
ration, and promoting outcomes between the lead agency
and the entity that receives the grant under this section.
‘‘SEC. 6. NATIONAL ACTIVITIES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In order to support activities de-
signed to improve the administration of this Act, the Sec-
retary, under subsection (b)—
‘‘(1) may award, on a competitive basis, grants,
contracts, and cooperative agreements to entities to
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support activities described in paragraphs (1) and (2)
of subsection (b); and
‘‘(2) shall award, on a competitive basis, grants,
contracts, and cooperative agreements to entities to
support activities described in paragraphs (3), (4),
and (5) of subsection (b).
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) NATIONAL PUBLIC-AWARENESS TOOLKIT.—
‘‘(A) NATIONAL PUBLIC-AWARENESS TOOL-
KIT.—The Secretary may award a 1-time grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement to an eligible
entity to support a training and technical assist-
ance program that—
‘‘(i) expands public-awareness efforts to
reach targeted individuals and entities;
‘‘(ii) contains appropriate accessible
multimedia materials to reach targeted in-
dividuals and entities, for dissemination to
State assistive technology programs; and
‘‘(iii) in coordination with State as-
sistive technology programs, provides mean-
ingful and up-to-date information to tar-
geted individuals and entities about the
availability of assistive technology devices
and assistive technology services.
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‘‘(B) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—To be eligible to
receive the grant, contract, or cooperative agree-
ment, an entity shall develop a partnership
that—
‘‘(i) shall consist of—
‘‘(I) a lead agency or imple-
menting entity for a State assistive
technology program or an organization
or association that represents imple-
menting entities for State assistive
technology programs;
‘‘(II) a private or public entity
from the media industry;
‘‘(III) a private entity from the
assistive technology industry; and
‘‘(IV) a private employer or an
organization or association that rep-
resents private employers;
‘‘(ii) may include other entities deter-
mined by the Secretary to be necessary; and
‘‘(iii) may include other entities deter-
mined by the applicant to be appropriate.
‘‘(2) RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.—
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may
award grants, contracts, or cooperative agree-
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ments to eligible entities to carry out research
and development of assistive technology that con-
sists of—
‘‘(i) developing standards for reli-
ability and accessibility of assistive tech-
nology, and standards for interoperability
(including open standards) of assistive tech-
nology with information technology, tele-
communications products, and other assist-
ive technology; or
‘‘(ii) developing assistive technology
that benefits individuals with disabilities or
developing technologies or practices that re-
sult in the adaptation, maintenance, serv-
icing, or improvement of assistive tech-
nology devices.
‘‘(B) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Entities eligible
to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agree-
ment under this paragraph shall include—
‘‘(i) providers of assistive technology
services and assistive technology devices;
‘‘(ii) institutions of higher education,
including University Centers for Excellence
in Developmental Disabilities Education,
Research, and Service authorized under sub-
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title D of title I of the Developmental Dis-
abilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act
of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15061 et seq.), or such
institutions offering rehabilitation engineer-
ing programs, computer science programs,
or information technology programs;
‘‘(iii) manufacturers of assistive tech-
nology devices; and
‘‘(iv) professionals, individuals, orga-
nizations, and agencies providing services
or employment to individuals with disabil-
ities.
‘‘(C) COLLABORATION.—An entity that re-
ceives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement
under this paragraph shall, in developing and
implementing the project carried out through the
grant, contract, or cooperative agreement coordi-
nate activities with the lead agency for the State
assistive technology program (or a national or-
ganization that represents such programs) and
the State advisory council described in section
4(c)(2) (or a national organization that rep-
resents such councils).
‘‘(3) STATE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSIST-
ANCE.—
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‘‘(A) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
EFFORTS.—The Secretary shall award a grant,
contract, or cooperative agreement to an entity
to support a training and technical assistance
program that—
‘‘(i) addresses State-specific informa-
tion requests concerning assistive technology
from entities funded under this Act and
public entities not funded under this Act,
including—
‘‘(I) requests for information on
effective approaches to Federal-State
coordination of programs for individ-
uals with disabilities, related to im-
proving funding for or access to assist-
ive technology devices and assistive
technology services for individuals with
disabilities of all ages;
‘‘(II) requests for state-of-the-art,
or model, Federal, State, and local
laws, regulations, policies, practices,
procedures, and organizational struc-
tures, that facilitate, and overcome
barriers to, funding for, and access to,
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assistive technology devices and assist-
ive technology services;
‘‘(III) requests for information on
effective approaches to developing, im-
plementing, evaluating, and sustaining
activities described in sections 4 and 5
and related to improving funding for
or access to assistive technology devices
and assistive technology services for in-
dividuals with disabilities of all ages,
and requests for assistance in devel-
oping corrective action plans;
‘‘(IV) requests for examples of
policies, practices, procedures, regula-
tions, or judicial decisions that have
enhanced or may enhance access to
funding for assistive technology devices
and assistive technology services for in-
dividuals with disabilities;
‘‘(V) requests for information on
effective approaches to the development
of consumer-controlled systems that in-
crease access to, funding for, and
awareness of, assistive technology de-
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vices and assistive technology services;
and
‘‘(VI) other requests for training
and technical assistance from entities
funded under this Act and public and
private entities not funded under this
Act;
‘‘(ii) assists targeted individuals and
entities 
by 
disseminating 
information
about—
‘‘(I) Federal, State, and local
laws, regulations, policies, practices,
procedures, and organizational struc-
tures, that facilitate, and overcome
barriers to, funding for, and access to,
assistive technology devices and assist-
ive technology services, to promote
fuller independence, productivity, and
inclusion in society for individuals
with disabilities of all ages; and
‘‘(II) technical assistance activi-
ties undertaken under clause (i);
‘‘(iii) provides State-specific, regional,
and national training and technical assist-
ance concerning assistive technology to enti-
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ties funded under this Act, other entities
funded under this Act, and public and pri-
vate entities not funded under this Act,
including—
‘‘(I) annually providing a forum
for exchanging information concerning,
and promoting program and policy
improvements in, required activities of
the State assistive technology pro-
grams;
‘‘(II) facilitating onsite and elec-
tronic information sharing using state-
of-the-art Internet technologies such as
real-time 
online 
discussions,
multipoint video conferencing, and
web-based audio/video broadcasts, on
emerging topics that affect State assist-
ive technology programs;
‘‘(III) convening experts from
State assistive technology programs to
discuss and make recommendations
with regard to national emerging
issues of importance to individuals
with assistive technology needs;
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‘‘(IV) sharing best practice and
evidence-based practices among State
assistive technology programs;
‘‘(V) maintaining an accessible
website that includes a link to State
assistive technology programs, appro-
priate Federal departments and agen-
cies, and private associations and de-
veloping a national toll-free number
that links callers from a State with the
State assistive technology program in
their State;
‘‘(VI) developing or utilizing ex-
isting (as of the date of the award in-
volved) model cooperative volume-pur-
chasing mechanisms designed to reduce
the financial costs of purchasing assist-
ive technology for required and discre-
tionary activities identified in section
4, and reducing duplication of activi-
ties among State assistive technology
programs; and
‘‘(VII) providing access to experts
in the areas of banking, microlending,
and finance, for entities funded under