283
‘‘(4) SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS.—In selecting
recipients under this subsection, the Secretary may
give preference to applications that propose to pre-
pare personnel in more than one low-incidence dis-
ability, such as deafness and blindness.
‘‘(5) PREPARATION IN USE OF BRAILLE.—The
Secretary shall ensure that all recipients of assist-
ance under this subsection who will use that assist-
ance to prepare personnel to provide services to vis-
ually impaired or blind children that can appro-
priately be provided in Braille will prepare those in-
dividuals to provide those services in Braille.
‘‘(c) LEADERSHIP PREPARATION; AUTHORIZED AC-
TIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall support leadership prepara-
tion activities that are consistent with the objectives
described in subsection (a).
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Activities that
may be carried out under this subsection include ac-
tivities such as the following:
‘‘(A) Preparing personnel at the advanced
graduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels of
training to administer, enhance, or provide
services for children with disabilities.
284
‘‘(B) Providing interdisciplinary training
for various types of leadership personnel, in-
cluding teacher preparation faculty, administra-
tors, researchers, supervisors, principals, and
other persons whose work affects early interven-
tion, educational, and transitional services for
children with disabilities.
‘‘(d) PROJECTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE; AU-
THORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall support activities, consistent
with the objectives described in subsection (a), that
are of national significance and have broad applica-
bility.
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Activities that
may be carried out under this subsection include ac-
tivities such as the following:
‘‘(A) Developing and demonstrating effec-
tive and efficient practices for preparing per-
sonnel to provide services to children with dis-
abilities, including practices that address any
needs identified in the State’s improvement
plan under part C;
‘‘(B) Demonstrating the application of sig-
nificant knowledge derived from research and
285
other sources in the development of programs
to prepare personnel to provide services to chil-
dren with disabilities.
‘‘(C) Demonstrating models for the prepa-
ration of, and interdisciplinary training of, early
intervention, special education, and general edu-
cation personnel, to enable the personnel—
‘‘(i) to acquire the collaboration skills
necessary to work within teams to assist
children with disabilities; and
‘‘(ii) to achieve results that meet chal-
lenging standards, particularly within the
general education curriculum.
‘‘(D) Demonstrating models that reduce
shortages of teachers, and personnel from other
relevant disciplines, who serve children with dis-
abilities, through reciprocity arrangements be-
tween States that are related to licensure and
certification.
‘‘(E) Developing, evaluating, and dissemi-
nating model teaching standards for persons
working with children with disabilities.
‘‘(F) Promoting the transferability, across
State and local jurisdictions, of licensure and
286
certification of teachers and administrators
working with such children.
‘‘(G) Developing and disseminating models
that prepare teachers with strategies, including
behavioral interventions, for addressing the con-
duct of children with disabilities that impedes
their learning and that of others in the class-
room.
‘‘(H) Institutes that provide professional
development that addresses the needs of chil-
dren with disabilities to teachers or teams of
teachers, and where appropriate, to school
board 
members, 
administrators, 
principals,
pupil-service personnel, and other staff from in-
dividual schools.
‘‘(I) Projects to improve the ability of gen-
eral education teachers, principals, and other
administrators to meet the needs of children
with disabilities.
‘‘(J) Developing, evaluating, and dissemi-
nating innovative models for the recruitment,
induction, retention, and assessment of new,
qualified teachers, especially from groups that
are underrepresented in the teaching profession,
including individuals with disabilities.
287
‘‘(K) Supporting institutions of higher edu-
cation with minority enrollments of at least 25
percent for the purpose of preparing personnel
to work with children with disabilities.
‘‘(e) HIGH-INCIDENCE DISABILITIES; AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall support activities, consistent
with the objectives described in subsection (a), to
benefit children with high-incidence disabilities, such
as children with specific learning disabilities, speech
or language impairment, or mental retardation.
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Activities that
may be carried out under this subsection include the
following:
‘‘(A) Activities undertaken by institutions
of higher education, local educational agencies,
and other local entities—
‘‘(i) to improve and reform their exist-
ing programs to prepare teachers and re-
lated services personnel—
‘‘(I) to meet the diverse needs of
children with disabilities for early
intervention, educational, and transi-
tional services; and
288
‘‘(II) to work collaboratively in
regular classroom settings; and
‘‘(ii) to incorporate best practices and
research-based knowledge about preparing
personnel so they will have the knowledge
and skills to improve educational results
for children with disabilities.
‘‘(B) Activities incorporating innovative
strategies to recruit and prepare teachers and
other personnel to meet the needs of areas in
which there are acute and persistent shortages
of personnel.
‘‘(C) Developing career opportunities for
paraprofessionals to receive training as special
education teachers, related services personnel,
and early intervention personnel, including
interdisciplinary training to enable them to im-
prove early intervention, educational, and tran-
sitional results for children with disabilities.
‘‘(f) APPLICATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Any eligible entity that
wishes to receive a grant, or enter into a contract or
cooperative agreement, under this section shall sub-
mit an application to the Secretary at such time, in
289
such manner, and containing such information as
the Secretary may require.
‘‘(2) IDENTIFIED STATE NEEDS.—
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT TO ADDRESS IDENTI-
FIED
NEEDS.—Any application under sub-
section (b), (c), or (e) shall include information
demonstrating to the satisfaction of the Sec-
retary that the activities described in the appli-
cation will address needs identified by the State
or States the applicant proposes to serve.
‘‘(B) COOPERATION
WITH
STATE
EDU-
CATIONAL
AGENCIES.—Any applicant that is
not a local educational agency or a State edu-
cational agency shall include information dem-
onstrating to the satisfaction of the Secretary
that the applicant and one or more State edu-
cational agencies have engaged in a cooperative
effort to plan the project to which the applica-
tion pertains, and will cooperate in carrying out
and monitoring the project.
‘‘(3) ACCEPTANCE BY STATES OF PERSONNEL
PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary may
require applicants to provide letters from one or
more States stating that the States—
290
‘‘(A) intend to accept successful completion
of the proposed personnel preparation program
as meeting State personnel standards for serv-
ing children with disabilities or serving infants
and toddlers with disabilities; and
‘‘(B) need personnel in the area or areas
in which the applicant proposes to provide prep-
aration, as identified in the States’ comprehen-
sive systems of personnel development under
parts B and C.
‘‘(g) SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS.—
‘‘(1) IMPACT OF PROJECT.—In selecting recipi-
ents under this section, the Secretary may consider
the impact of the project proposed in the application
in meeting the need for personnel identified by the
States.
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENT ON APPLICANTS TO MEET
STATE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS.—The Sec-
retary shall make grants under this section only to
eligible applicants that meet State and profes-
sionally-recognized standards for the preparation of
special education and related services personnel, if
the purpose of the project is to assist personnel in
obtaining degrees.
291
‘‘(3) PREFERENCES.—In selecting recipients
under this section, the Secretary may—
‘‘(A) give preference to institutions of
higher education that are educating regular
education personnel to meet the needs of chil-
dren with disabilities in integrated settings and
educating special education personnel to work
in collaboration with regular educators in inte-
grated settings; and
‘‘(B) give preference to institutions of
higher education that are successfully recruiting
and preparing individuals with disabilities and
individuals from groups that are underrep-
resented in the profession for which they are
preparing individuals.
‘‘(h) SERVICE OBLIGATION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each application for funds
under subsections (b) and (e), and to the extent ap-
propriate subsection (d), shall include an assurance
that the applicant will ensure that individuals who
receive a scholarship under the proposed project will
subsequently provide special education and related
services to children with disabilities for a period of
2 years for every year for which assistance was re-
ceived or repay all or part of the cost of that assist-
292
ance, in accordance with regulations issued by the
Secretary.
‘‘(2) LEADERSHIP PREPARATION.—Each appli-
cation for funds under subsection (c) shall include
an assurance that the applicant will ensure that in-
dividuals who receive a scholarship under the pro-
posed project will subsequently perform work related
to their preparation for a period of 2 years for every
year for which assistance was received or repay all
or part of such costs, in accordance with regulations
issued by the Secretary.
‘‘(i) SCHOLARSHIPS.—The Secretary may include
funds for scholarships, with necessary stipends and allow-
ances, in awards under subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e).
‘‘(j) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years
1998 through 2002.
‘‘SEC. 674. STUDIES AND EVALUATIONS.
‘‘(a) STUDIES AND EVALUATIONS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, di-
rectly or through grants, contracts, or cooperative
agreements, assess the progress in the implementa-
tion of this Act, including the effectiveness of State
and local efforts to provide—
293
‘‘(A) a free appropriate public education to
children with disabilities; and
‘‘(B) early intervention services to infants
and toddlers with disabilities and infants and
toddlers who would be at risk of having sub-
stantial developmental delays if early interven-
tion services were not provided to them.
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—In carrying
out this subsection, the Secretary may support stud-
ies, evaluations, and assessments, including studies
that—
‘‘(A) analyze measurable impact, outcomes,
and results achieved by State educational agen-
cies and local educational agencies through
their activities to reform policies, procedures,
and practices designed to improve educational
and transitional services and results for chil-
dren with disabilities;
‘‘(B) analyze State and local needs for pro-
fessional development, parent training, and
other appropriate activities that can reduce the
need for disciplinary actions involving children
with disabilities;
294
‘‘(C) assess educational and transitional
services and results for children with disabilities
from minority backgrounds, including—
‘‘(i) data on—
‘‘(I) the number of minority chil-
dren who are referred for special edu-
cation evaluation;
‘‘(II) the number of minority
children who are receiving special edu-
cation and related services and their
educational or other service place-
ment; and
‘‘(III) the number of minority
children who graduated from second-
ary and postsecondary education pro-
grams; and
‘‘(ii) the performance of children with
disabilities from minority backgrounds on
State assessments and other performance
indicators established for all students;
‘‘(D) measure educational and transitional
services and results of children with disabilities
under this Act, including longitudinal studies
that—
295
‘‘(i) examine educational and transi-
tional services and results for children with
disabilities who are 3 through 17 years of
age and are receiving special education and
related services under this Act, using a na-
tional, representative sample of distinct
age cohorts and disability categories; and
‘‘(ii) 
examine 
educational 
results,
postsecondary placement, and employment
status of individuals with disabilities, 18
through 21 years of age, who are receiving
or have received special education and re-
lated services under this Act; and
‘‘(E) identify and report on the placement
of children with disabilities by disability cat-
egory.
‘‘(b) NATIONAL ASSESSMENT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry
out a national assessment of activities carried out
with Federal funds under this Act in order—
‘‘(A) to determine the effectiveness of this
Act in achieving its purposes;
‘‘(B) to provide information to the Presi-
dent, the Congress, the States, local educational
296
agencies, and the public on how to implement
the Act more effectively; and
‘‘(C) to provide the President and the Con-
gress with information that will be useful in de-
veloping legislation to achieve the purposes of
this Act more effectively.
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall
plan, review, and conduct the national assessment
under this subsection in consultation with research-
ers, State practitioners, local practitioners, parents
of children with disabilities, individuals with disabil-
ities, and other appropriate individuals.
‘‘(3) SCOPE OF ASSESSMENT.—The national as-
sessment shall examine how well schools, local edu-
cational agencies, States, other recipients of assist-
ance under this Act, and the Secretary are achieving
the purposes of this Act, including—
‘‘(A) improving the performance of chil-
dren with disabilities in general scholastic ac-
tivities and assessments as compared to non-
disabled children;
‘‘(B) providing for the participation of chil-
dren with disabilities in the general curriculum;
‘‘(C) helping children with disabilities
make successful transitions from—
297
‘‘(i) early intervention services to pre-
school education;
‘‘(ii) preschool education to elemen-
tary school; and
‘‘(iii) secondary school to adult life;
‘‘(D) placing and serving children with dis-
abilities, including minority children, in the
least restrictive environment appropriate;
‘‘(E) preventing children with disabilities,
especially children with emotional disturbances
and specific learning disabilities, from dropping
out of school;
‘‘(F) addressing behavioral problems of
children with disabilities as compared to non-
disabled children;
‘‘(G) coordinating services provided under
this Act with each other, with other educational
and pupil services (including preschool serv-
ices), and with health and social services funded
from other sources;
‘‘(H) providing for the participation of par-
ents of children with disabilities in the edu-
cation of their children; and
298
‘‘(I) resolving disagreements between edu-
cation personnel and parents through activities
such as mediation.
‘‘(4) INTERIM AND FINAL REPORTS.—The Sec-
retary shall submit to the President and the Con-
gress—
‘‘(A) an interim report that summarizes
the preliminary findings of the assessment not
later than October 1, 1999; and
‘‘(B) a final report of the findings of the
assessment not later than October 1, 2001.
‘‘(c) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Secretary shall report
annually to the Congress on—
‘‘(1) an analysis and summary of the data re-
ported by the States and the Secretary of the Inte-
rior under section 618;
‘‘(2) the results of activities conducted under
subsection (a);
‘‘(3) the findings and determinations resulting
from reviews of State implementation of this Act.
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LEAS.—The Sec-
retary shall provide directly, or through grants, contracts,
or cooperative agreements, technical assistance to local
educational agencies to assist them in carrying out local
capacity-building and improvement projects under section
300
‘‘Chapter 2—Improving Early Intervention, Edu-
cational, and Transitional Services and Results
for Children With Disabilities Through Coordi-
nated Technical Assistance, Support, and Dis-
semination of Information
‘‘SEC. 681. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Congress finds as follows:
‘‘(1) National technical assistance, support, and
dissemination activities are necessary to ensure that
parts B and C are fully implemented and achieve
quality early intervention, educational, and transi-
tional results for children with disabilities and their
families.
‘‘(2) Parents, teachers, administrators, and re-
lated services personnel need technical assistance
and information in a timely, coordinated, and acces-
sible manner in order to improve early intervention,
educational, and transitional services and results at
the State and local levels for children with disabil-
ities and their families.
‘‘(3) Parent training and information activities
have taken on increased importance in efforts to as-
sist parents of a child with a disability in dealing
with the multiple pressures of rearing such a child
and are of particular importance in—
301
‘‘(A) ensuring the involvement of such par-
ents in planning and decisionmaking with re-
spect to early intervention, educational, and
transitional services;
‘‘(B) achieving quality early intervention,
educational, and transitional results for children
with disabilities;
‘‘(C) providing such parents information
on their rights and protections under this Act
to ensure improved early intervention, edu-
cational, and transitional results for children
with disabilities;
‘‘(D) assisting such parents in the develop-
ment of skills to participate effectively in the
education and development of their children and
in 
the 
transitions 
described 
in 
section
674(b)(3)(C); and
‘‘(E) supporting the roles of such parents
as participants within partnerships seeking to
improve early intervention, educational, and
transitional services and results for children
with disabilities and their families.
‘‘(4) Providers of parent training and informa-
tion activities need to ensure that such parents who
have limited access to services and supports, due to
302
economic, cultural, or linguistic barriers, are pro-
vided with access to appropriate parent training and
information activities.
‘‘(5) Parents of children with disabilities need
information that helps the parents to understand the
rights and responsibilities of their children under
part B.
‘‘(6) The provision of coordinated technical as-
sistance and dissemination of information to State
and local agencies, institutions of higher education,
and other providers of services to children with dis-
abilities is essential in—
‘‘(A) supporting the process of achieving
systemic change;
‘‘(B) supporting actions in areas of priority
specific to the improvement of early interven-
tion, educational, and transitional results for
children with disabilities;
‘‘(C) conveying information and assistance
that are—
‘‘(i) based on current research (as of
the date the information and assistance
are conveyed);
303
‘‘(ii) accessible and meaningful for use
in supporting systemic-change activities of
State and local partnerships; and
‘‘(iii) linked directly to improving
early intervention, educational, and transi-
tional services and results for children with
disabilities and their families; and
‘‘(D) organizing systems and information
networks for such information, based on mod-
ern technology related to—
‘‘(i) storing and gaining access to in-
formation; and
‘‘(ii) distributing information in a sys-
tematic manner to parents, students, pro-
fessionals, and policymakers.
‘‘(7) Federal support for carrying out tech-
nology research, technology development, and edu-
cational media services and activities has resulted in
major innovations that have significantly improved
early intervention, educational, and transitional serv-
ices and results for children with disabilities and
their families.
‘‘(8) Such Federal support is needed—
‘‘(A) to stimulate the development of soft-
ware, interactive learning tools, and devices to
304
address early intervention, educational, and
transitional needs of children with disabilities
who have certain disabilities;
‘‘(B) to make information available on
technology research, technology development,
and educational media services and activities to
individuals involved in the provision of early
intervention, educational, and transitional serv-
ices to children with disabilities;
‘‘(C) to promote the integration of tech-
nology into curricula to improve early interven-
tion, educational, and transitional results for
children with disabilities;
‘‘(D) to provide incentives for the develop-
ment of technology and media devices and tools
that are not readily found or available because
of the small size of potential markets;
‘‘(E) to make resources available to pay for
such devices and tools and educational media
services and activities;
‘‘(F) to promote the training of person-
nel—
‘‘(i) to provide such devices, tools,
services, and activities in a competent
manner; and
305
‘‘(ii) to assist children with disabilities
and their families in using such devices,
tools, services, and activities; and
‘‘(G) to coordinate the provision of such
devices, tools, services, and activities—
‘‘(i) among State human services pro-
grams; and
‘‘(ii) between such programs and pri-
vate agencies.
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this chapter are
to ensure that—
‘‘(1) children with disabilities, and their par-
ents, receive training and information on their rights
and protections under this Act, in order to develop
the skills necessary to effectively participate in plan-
ning and decisionmaking relating to early interven-
tion, educational, and transitional services and in
systemic-change activities;
‘‘(2) parents, teachers, administrators, early
intervention personnel, related services personnel,
and transition personnel receive coordinated and ac-
cessible technical assistance and information to as-
sist such persons, through systemic-change activities
and other efforts, to improve early intervention, edu-
306
cational, and transitional services and results for
children with disabilities and their families;
‘‘(3) appropriate technology and media are re-
searched, developed, demonstrated, and made avail-
able in timely and accessible formats to parents,
teachers, and all types of personnel providing serv-
ices to children with disabilities to support their
roles as partners in the improvement and implemen-
tation of early intervention, educational, and transi-
tional services and results for children with disabil-
ities and their families;
‘‘(4) on reaching the age of majority under
State law, children with disabilities understand their
rights and responsibilities under part B, if the State
provides for the transfer of parental rights under
section 615(m); and
‘‘(5) the general welfare of deaf and hard-of-
hearing individuals is promoted by—
‘‘(A) bringing to such individuals under-
standing and appreciation of the films and tele-
vision programs that play an important part in
the general and cultural advancement of hear-
ing individuals;
‘‘(B) providing, through those films and
television programs, enriched educational and
307
cultural experiences through which deaf and
hard-of-hearing individuals can better under-
stand the realities of their environment; and
‘‘(C) providing wholesome and rewarding
experiences that deaf and hard-of-hearing indi-
viduals may share.
‘‘SEC. 682. PARENT TRAINING AND INFORMATION CENTERS.
‘‘(a) PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may
make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative
agreements with, parent organizations to support parent
training and information centers to carry out activities
under this section.
‘‘(b) REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.—Each parent training
and information center that receives assistance under this
section shall—
‘‘(1) provide training and information that
meets the training and information needs of parents
of children with disabilities living in the area served
by the center, particularly underserved parents and
parents of children who may be inappropriately iden-
tified;
‘‘(2) assist parents to understand the availabil-
ity of, and how to effectively use, procedural safe-
guards under this Act, including encouraging the
use, and explaining the benefits, of alternative meth-
310
‘‘(1) provide information to teachers and other
professionals who provide special education and re-
lated services to children with disabilities;
‘‘(2) assist students with disabilities to under-
stand their rights and responsibilities under section
615(m) on reaching the age of majority; and
‘‘(3) assist parents of children with disabilities
to be informed participants in the development and
implementation of the State’s State improvement
plan under subpart 1.
‘‘(d) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—Each applica-
tion for assistance under this section shall identify with
specificity the special efforts that the applicant will under-
take—
‘‘(1) to ensure that the needs for training and
information of underserved parents of children with
disabilities in the area to be served are effectively
met; and
‘‘(2) to work with community-based organiza-
tions.
‘‘(e) DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make
at least 1 award to a parent organization in each
State, unless the Secretary does not receive an appli-
311
cation from such an organization in each State of
sufficient quality to warrant approval.
‘‘(2) SELECTION
REQUIREMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall select among applications submitted by
parent organizations in a State in a manner that en-
sures the most effective assistance to parents, in-
cluding parents in urban and rural areas, in the
State.
‘‘(f) QUARTERLY REVIEW.—
‘‘(1) REQUIREMENTS.—
‘‘(A) MEETINGS.—The board of directors
or special governing committee of each organi-
zation that receives an award under this section
shall meet at least once in each calendar quar-
ter to review the activities for which the award
was made.
‘‘(B) ADVISING BOARD.—Each special gov-
erning committee shall directly advise the orga-
nization’s governing board of its views and rec-
ommendations.
‘‘(2) CONTINUATION AWARD.—When an organi-
zation requests a continuation award under this sec-
tion, the board of directors or special governing com-
mittee shall submit to the Secretary a written review
of the parent training and information program con-
312
ducted by the organization during the preceding fis-
cal year.
‘‘(g) DEFINITION OF PARENT ORGANIZATION.—As
used in this section, the term ‘parent organization’ means
a private nonprofit organization (other than an institution
of higher education) that—
‘‘(1) has a board of directors—
‘‘(A) the majority of whom are parents of
children with disabilities;
‘‘(B) that includes—
‘‘(i) individuals working in the fields
of special education, related services, and
early intervention; and
‘‘(ii) individuals with disabilities; and
‘‘(C) the parent and professional members
of which are broadly representative of the popu-
lation to be served; or
‘‘(2) has—
‘‘(A) a membership that represents the in-
terests of individuals with disabilities and has
established a special governing committee that
meets the requirements of paragraph (1); and
‘‘(B) a memorandum of understanding be-
tween the special governing committee and the
board of directors of the organization that
313
clearly outlines the relationship between the
board and the committee and the decisionmak-
ing responsibilities and authority of each.
‘‘SEC. 683. COMMUNITY PARENT RESOURCE CENTERS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make grants
to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements
with, local parent organizations to support parent training
and information centers that will help ensure that under-
served parents of children with disabilities, including low-
income parents, parents of children with limited English
proficiency, and parents with disabilities, have the training
and information they need to enable them to participate
effectively in helping their children with disabilities—
‘‘(1) to meet developmental goals and, to the
maximum extent possible, those challenging stand-
ards that have been established for all children; and
‘‘(2) to be prepared to lead productive inde-
pendent adult lives, to the maximum extent possible.
‘‘(b) REQUIRED ACTIVITIES.—Each parent training
and information center assisted under this section shall—
‘‘(1) provide training and information that
meets the training and information needs of parents
of children with disabilities proposed to be served by
the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement;
314
‘‘(2) carry out the activities required of parent
training and information centers under paragraphs
(2) through (7) of section 682(b);
‘‘(3) establish cooperative partnerships with the
parent training and information centers funded
under section 682; and
‘‘(4) be designed to meet the specific needs of
families who experience significant isolation from
available sources of information and support.
‘‘(c) DEFINITION.—As used is this section, the term
‘local parent organization’ means a parent organization,
as defined in section 682(g), that either—
‘‘(1) has a board of directors the majority of
whom are from the community to be served; or
‘‘(2) has—
‘‘(A) as a part of its mission, serving the
interests of individuals with disabilities from
such community; and
‘‘(B) a special governing committee to ad-
minister the grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement, a majority of the members of which
are individuals from such community.
315
‘‘SEC. 684. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR PARENT TRAINING
AND INFORMATION CENTERS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may, directly or
through awards to eligible entities, provide technical as-
sistance for developing, assisting, and coordinating parent
training and information programs carried out by parent
training and information centers receiving assistance
under sections 682 and 683.
‘‘(b) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—The Secretary may
provide technical assistance to a parent training and infor-
mation center under this section in areas such as—
‘‘(1) effective coordination of parent training ef-
forts;
‘‘(2) dissemination of information;
‘‘(3) evaluation by the center of itself;
‘‘(4) promotion of the use of technology, includ-
ing assistive technology devices and assistive tech-
nology services;
‘‘(5) reaching underserved populations;
‘‘(6) including children with disabilities in gen-
eral education programs;
‘‘(7) facilitation of transitions from—
‘‘(A) early intervention services to pre-
school;
‘‘(B) preschool to school; and
316
‘‘(C) secondary school to postsecondary en-
vironments; and
‘‘(8) promotion of alternative methods of dis-
pute resolution.
‘‘SEC. 685. COORDINATED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND
DISSEMINATION.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, by competi-
tively making grants or entering into contracts and coop-
erative agreements with eligible entities, 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 disabil-
ities and their families, and address systemic-change goals
and priorities.
‘‘(b) SYSTEMIC TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; AUTHOR-
IZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall carry out or support tech-
nical assistance activities, consistent with the objec-
tives described in subsection (a), relating to systemic
change.
317
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Activities that
may be carried out under this subsection include ac-
tivities such as the following:
‘‘(A) Assisting States, local educational
agencies, and other participants in partnerships
established under subpart 1 with the process of
planning systemic changes that will promote
improved early intervention, educational, and
transitional results for children with disabilities.
‘‘(B) 
Promoting 
change 
through 
a
multistate or regional framework that benefits
States, local educational agencies, and other
participants in partnerships that are in the
process of achieving systemic-change outcomes.
‘‘(C) Increasing the depth and utility of in-
formation in ongoing and emerging areas of pri-
ority need identified by States, local educational
agencies, and other participants in partnerships
that are in the process of achieving systemic-
change outcomes.
‘‘(D) Promoting communication and infor-
mation exchange among States, local edu-
cational agencies, and other participants in
partnerships, based on the needs and concerns
identified by the participants in the partner-
318
ships, rather than on externally imposed criteria
or topics, regarding—
‘‘(i) the practices, procedures, and
policies of the States, local educational
agencies, and other participants in part-
nerships; and
‘‘(ii) accountability of the States, local
educational agencies, and other partici-
pants in partnerships for improved early
intervention, educational, and transitional
results for children with disabilities.
‘‘(c) SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE; AU-
THORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall carry out or support activi-
ties, consistent with the objectives described in sub-
section (a), relating to areas of priority or specific
populations.
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—Examples of
activities that may be carried out under this sub-
section include activities that—
‘‘(A) focus on specific areas of high-prior-
ity need that—
319
‘‘(i) are identified by States, local edu-
cational agencies, and other participants in
partnerships;
‘‘(ii) require the development of new
knowledge, or the analysis and synthesis of
substantial bodies of information not read-
ily available to the States, agencies, and
other participants in partnerships; and
‘‘(iii) will contribute significantly to
the improvement of early intervention, edu-
cational, and transitional services and re-
sults for children with disabilities and their
families;
‘‘(B) focus on needs and issues that are
specific to a population of children with disabil-
ities, such as the provision of single-State and
multi-State technical assistance and in-service
training—
‘‘(i) to schools and agencies serving
deaf-blind children and their families; and
‘‘(ii) to programs and agencies serving
other groups of children with low-incidence
disabilities and their families; or
320
‘‘(C) address the postsecondary education
needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of
hearing.
‘‘(d) NATIONAL INFORMATION DISSEMINATION; AU-
THORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall carry out or support infor-
mation dissemination activities that are consistent
with the objectives described in subsection (a), in-
cluding activities that address national needs for the
preparation and dissemination of information relat-
ing to eliminating barriers to systemic-change and
improving early intervention, educational, and tran-
sitional results for children with disabilities.
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—Examples of
activities that may be carried out under this sub-
section include activities relating to—
‘‘(A) infants and toddlers with disabilities
and their families, and children with disabilities
and their families;
‘‘(B) services for populations of children
with low-incidence disabilities, including deaf-
blind children, and targeted age groupings;
‘‘(C) the provision of postsecondary serv-
ices to individuals with disabilities;
321
‘‘(D) the need for and use of personnel to
provide services to children with disabilities,
and personnel recruitment, retention, and prep-
aration;
‘‘(E) issues that are of critical interest to
State educational agencies and local educational
agencies, other agency personnel, parents of
children with disabilities, and individuals with
disabilities;
‘‘(F) educational reform and systemic
change within States; and
‘‘(G) promoting schools that are safe and
conducive to learning.
‘‘(3) 
LINKING
STATES
TO
INFORMATION
SOURCES.—In carrying out this subsection, the Sec-
retary may support projects that link States to tech-
nical assistance resources, including special edu-
cation and general education resources, and may
make research and related products available
through libraries, electronic networks, parent train-
ing projects, and other information sources.
‘‘(e) APPLICATIONS.—An eligible entity that wishes
to receive a grant, or enter into a contract or cooperative
agreement, under this section shall submit an application
322
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require.
‘‘SEC. 686. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
sections 681 through 685 such sums as may be necessary
for each of the fiscal years 1998 through 2002.
‘‘SEC. 687. TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRATION,
AND UTILIZATION, AND MEDIA SERVICES.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall competi-
tively make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooper-
ative agreements with, eligible entities to support activities
described in subsections (b) and (c).
‘‘(b) TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT, DEMONSTRA-
TION, AND UTILIZATION; AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this sec-
tion, the Secretary shall support activities to pro-
mote the development, demonstration, and utiliza-
tion of technology.
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—Activities that
may be carried out under this subsection include ac-
tivities such as the following:
‘‘(A) Conducting research and development
activities on the use of innovative and emerging
technologies for children with disabilities.
323
‘‘(B) Promoting the demonstration and use
of innovative and emerging technologies for
children with disabilities by improving and ex-
panding the transfer of technology from re-
search and development to practice.
‘‘(C) Providing technical assistance to re-
cipients of other assistance under this section,
concerning the development of accessible, effec-
tive, and usable products.
‘‘(D) Communicating information on avail-
able technology and the uses of such technology
to assist children with disabilities.
‘‘(E) Supporting the implementation of re-
search programs on captioning or video descrip-
tion.
‘‘(F) Supporting research, development,
and dissemination of technology with universal-
design features, so that the technology is acces-
sible to individuals with disabilities without fur-
ther modification or adaptation.
‘‘(G) Demonstrating the use of publicly-
funded telecommunications systems to provide
parents and teachers with information and
training concerning early diagnosis of, interven-
324
tion for, and effective teaching strategies for,
young children with reading disabilities.
‘‘(c) EDUCATIONAL MEDIA SERVICES; AUTHORIZED
ACTIVITIES.—In carrying out this section, the Secretary
shall support—
‘‘(1) educational media activities that are de-
signed to be of educational value to children with
disabilities;
‘‘(2) providing video description, open caption-
ing, or closed captioning of television programs, vid-
eos, or educational materials through September 30,
2001; and after fiscal year 2001, providing video de-
scription, open captioning, or closed captioning of
educational, news, and informational television, vid-
eos, or materials;
‘‘(3) distributing captioned and described videos
or educational materials through such mechanisms
as a loan service;
‘‘(4) providing free educational materials, in-
cluding textbooks, in accessible media for visually
impaired and print-disabled students in elementary,
secondary, postsecondary, and graduate schools;
‘‘(5) providing cultural experiences through ap-
propriate nonprofit organizations, such as the Na-
tional Theater of the Deaf, that—
325
‘‘(A) enrich the lives of deaf and hard-of-
hearing children and adults;
‘‘(B) increase public awareness and under-
standing of deafness and of the artistic and in-
tellectual achievements of deaf and hard-of-
hearing persons; or
‘‘(C) promote the integration of hearing,
deaf, and hard-of-hearing persons through
shared cultural, educational, and social experi-
ences; and
‘‘(6) compiling and analyzing appropriate data
relating to the activities described in paragraphs (1)
through (5).
‘‘(d) APPLICATIONS.—Any eligible entity that wishes
to receive a grant, or enter into a contract or cooperative
agreement, under this section shall submit an application
to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and con-
taining such information as the Secretary may require.
‘‘(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section
such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years
1998 through 2002.’’.
326
TITLE II—MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS
SEC. 201. EFFECTIVE DATES.
(a) PARTS A AND B.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), parts A and B of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, as amended by title I,
shall take effect upon the enactment of this Act.
(2) EXCEPTIONS.—
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Sections 612(a)(4),
612(a)(14), 612(a)(16), 614(d) (except for
paragraph (6)), and 618 of the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act, as amended by title
I, shall take effect on July 1, 1998.
(B) SECTION 617.—Section 617 of the In-
dividuals with Disabilities Education Act, as
amended by title I, shall take effect on October
1, 1997.
(C) INDIVIDUALIZED
EDUCATION
PRO-
GRAMS AND COMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF PER-
SONNEL
DEVELOPMENT.—Section 618 of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, as
in effect on the day before the date of the en-
actment of this Act, and the provisions of parts
A and B of the Individuals with Disabilities
327
Education Act relating to individualized edu-
cation programs and the State’s comprehensive
system of personnel development, as so in ef-
fect, shall remain in effect until July 1, 1998.
(D) SECTIONS 611 AND 619.—Sections 611
and 619, as amended by title I, shall take effect
beginning with funds appropriated for fiscal
year 1998.
(b) PART C.—Part C of the Individuals with Disabil-
ities Education Act, as amended by title I, shall take effect
on July 1, 1998.
(c) PART D.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), part D of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, as amended by title I, shall take ef-
fect on October 1, 1997.
(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraphs (1) and (2) of
section 661(g) of the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act, as amended by title I, shall take ef-
fect on January 1, 1998.
SEC. 202. TRANSITION.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, begin-
ning on October 1, 1997, the Secretary of Education may
use funds appropriated under part D of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act to make continuation
328
awards for projects that were funded under section 618
and parts C through G of such Act (as in effect on Sep-
tember 30, 1997).
SEC. 203. REPEALERS.
(a) PART I.—Effective October 1, 1998, part I of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is hereby re-
pealed.
(b) PART H.—Effective July 1, 1998, part H of such
Act is hereby repealed.
(c) PARTS C, E, F, AND G.—Effective October 1,
1997, parts C, E, F, and G of such Act are hereby re-
pealed.
Passed the House of Representatives May 13, 1997.
Attest:
ROBIN H. CARLE,
Clerk.