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‘‘(C) PARTICIPANT
EVALUATION
PROCESS;
FINAL
EVALUATION.—In the final year of the
project, the grant recipient will prepare and sub-
mit to the Commissioner a final evaluation re-
port of the results of the model demonstration
project containing—
‘‘(i) information on—
‘‘(I) the number of individuals
who participated in the demonstration
project;
‘‘(II) the number of those individ-
uals that are placed in employment;
‘‘(III) the job sites in which those
individuals were placed and the type
of jobs the individuals were placed in;
‘‘(IV) the number of those individ-
uals who have dropped out of the
project and the reasons for their termi-
nating participation in the project;
and
‘‘(V) the number of those individ-
uals who participated in the project
and who remain employed as of 2
months prior to the date on which the
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final report is submitted to the Com-
missioner;
‘‘(ii) a written analysis of the project,
including both the strengths and weaknesses
of the project, to assist other entities in rep-
licating the training program developed
through the project; and
‘‘(iii) such other information as the
Commissioner determines appropriate.
‘‘(D) DISSEMINATION.—Not later than 5
years after the date on which a grant is awarded
under this subsection, the evaluation report con-
taining results of activities funded by such grant
shall be disseminated to designated State agen-
cies, school systems providing instruction to stu-
dents who are individuals who are deaf and low
functioning, supported employment providers,
postsecondary vocational training programs, em-
ployers, the Social Security Administration, and
other interested parties.
‘‘(7) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this subsection, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2006 and
such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years
2007 through 2011.
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‘‘(e) TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE CENTER
TO PROMOTE HIGH-QUALITY EMPLOYMENT OUTCOMES
FOR INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING SERVICES FROM DESIGNATED
STATE AGENCIES.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Commissioner shall
award a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to
an entity to support a training and technical assist-
ance program that—
‘‘(A) responds to State-specific information
requests concerning high-quality employment
outcomes, from designated State agencies funded
under title I, including—
‘‘(i) requests for information on the ex-
pansion of self-employment, business owner-
ship, and business development opportuni-
ties, and other types of entrepreneurial em-
ployment opportunities for individuals with
disabilities;
‘‘(ii) requests for information on the
expansion and improvement of transition
services to facilitate the transition of stu-
dents with disabilities from school to post-
secondary life, including employment;
‘‘(iii) requests for examples of policies,
practices, procedures, or regulations, that
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have enhanced or may enhance access to
funding for assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services for individuals
with disabilities;
‘‘(iv) requests for information on effec-
tive approaches to enhance informed choice
and a consumer-directed State vocational
rehabilitation system;
‘‘(v) requests for assistance developing
corrective action plans;
‘‘(vi) requests for assistance in devel-
oping and implementing effective data col-
lection and reporting systems that measure
the outcomes of the vocational rehabilitation
services, and preparing reports for the Com-
missioner as described in section 106(b)(1);
and
‘‘(vii) requests for information on effec-
tive approaches that enhance employment
outcomes for individuals with disabilities,
including conducting outreach and forming
partnerships with business and industry;
and
‘‘(B) provides State-specific, regional, and
national training and technical assistance con-
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cerning vocational rehabilitation services and re-
lated information to designated State agencies,
including—
‘‘(i) facilitating onsite and electronic
information sharing using state-of-the-art
Internet technologies such as real-time on-
line discussions, multipoint video confer-
encing, and web-based audio/video broad-
casts, on emerging topics that affect voca-
tional rehabilitation programs authorized
under title I;
‘‘(ii) enabling the designated State
agencies to coordinate training and data
collection efforts with one-stop centers estab-
lished under section 121(e) of the Workforce
Investment Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2841(e));
‘‘(iii) enabling the designated State
agencies to provide information on how the
vocational rehabilitation programs author-
ized under title I can provide technical as-
sistance to the one-stop centers on making
programs offered through the centers phys-
ically and programmatically accessible to
individuals with disabilities;
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‘‘(iv) sharing evidence-based and prom-
ising practices among the vocational reha-
bilitation programs;
‘‘(v) maintaining an accessible website
that includes links to—
‘‘(I) the vocational rehabilitation
programs;
‘‘(II) appropriate Federal depart-
ments and agencies, and private asso-
ciations;
‘‘(III) State assistive technology
device and assistive technology service
demonstration programs, device loan
programs, device reutilization pro-
grams, alternative financing systems,
or State financing activities, operated
through, or independently of, com-
prehensive statewide programs of tech-
nology-related assistance carried out
under section 4 of the Assistive Tech-
nology Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 3003),
telework programs, and other programs
that provide sources of funding for as-
sistive technology devices; and
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‘‘(IV) various programs, including
programs with tax credits, available to
employers for hiring or accommodating
employees who are individuals with
disabilities;
‘‘(vi) enhancing employment outcomes
for individuals with mental illness and in-
dividuals with cognitive disabilities;
‘‘(vii) convening experts from the voca-
tional rehabilitation programs to discuss
and make recommendations with regard to
the employment of individuals with disabil-
ities and national emerging issues of impor-
tance to individuals with vocational reha-
bilitation needs;
‘‘(viii) enabling the designated State
agencies to provide practical information
on effective approaches for business and in-
dustry to use in employing individuals with
disabilities, including provision of reason-
able accommodations;
‘‘(ix) providing information on other
emerging issues concerning the delivery of
publicly funded employment and training
services and supports to assist individuals
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with disabilities to enter the workforce,
achieve improved employment outcomes,
and become economically self-sufficient; and
‘‘(x) carrying out such other activities
as the Commissioner may require.
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—To be eligible to re-
ceive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement
under this subsection, an entity shall have (or agree
to award a grant or contract to an entity that has)—
‘‘(A) experience and expertise in admin-
istering vocational rehabilitation services;
‘‘(B) documented experience with and
knowledge about self-employment, business own-
ership, business development, and other types of
entrepreneurial employment opportunities and
outcomes for individuals with disabilities, pro-
viding transition services for students with dis-
abilities, and assistive technology; and
‘‘(C) the expertise necessary to identify the
additional data elements needed to provide com-
prehensive reporting of activities and outcomes
of the vocational rehabilitation programs author-
ized under title I, and experience in utilizing
data to provide annual reports.
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‘‘(3) COLLABORATION.—In developing and pro-
viding training and technical assistance under this
subsection, a recipient of a grant, contract, or cooper-
ative agreement under this subsection shall collaborate
with other organizations, in particular—
‘‘(A) agencies carrying out vocational reha-
bilitation programs under title I and national
organizations representing such programs;
‘‘(B) organizations representing individuals
with disabilities;
‘‘(C) organizations representing State offi-
cials and agencies engaged in the delivery of as-
sistive technology;
‘‘(D) relevant employees from Federal de-
partments and agencies, other than the Depart-
ment of Education;
‘‘(E) representatives of businesses;
‘‘(F) individuals with disabilities who use
assistive technology and understand the barriers
to the acquisition of such technology and assist-
ive technology services; and
‘‘(G) family members, guardians, advocates,
and authorized representatives of such individ-
uals.
‘‘(f) ACCESS TO TELEWORK.—
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‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF TELEWORK.—In this sub-
section, the term ‘telework’ means work from home
and other telework sites with the assistance of a com-
puter and with reasonable accommodations, including
the necessary equipment to facilitate successful work
from home and other telework sites.
‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION OF PROGRAM.—The Com-
missioner is authorized to make grants to States and
governing bodies of Indian tribes located on Federal
and State reservations (and consortia of such gov-
erning bodies) to pay for the Federal share of the cost
of establishing or expanding a telework program.
‘‘(3) APPLICATION.—A State or Indian tribe that
desires to receive a grant under this subsection shall
submit an application to the Commissioner at such
time, in such manner, and containing such informa-
tion as the Commissioner may require.
‘‘(4) USE OF FUNDS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A State or Indian tribe
that receives a grant under this subsection shall
establish or expand a telework program that
shall provide assistance through loans or other
alternative financing mechanisms to individuals
with disabilities. The State or Indian tribe shall
provide the assistance through the program to
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enable such individuals to purchase computers or
other equipment, including adaptive equipment,
to facilitate access to employment and enhance
employment outcomes by providing the indi-
vidual with the opportunity—
‘‘(i) to work from home or other
telework sites so that such individuals are
able to telework; or
‘‘(ii) to become self-employed on a full-
time or part-time basis from home or other
telework sites.
‘‘(B) DEVELOPMENT OF TELEWORK OPPOR-
TUNITIES AND BUSINESS PLANS.—A State or In-
dian tribe that receives a grant under this sub-
section may use not more than 10 percent of the
grant award to develop telework opportunities
with employers and assist in the development of
business plans for individuals with disabilities
interested in self-employment, before such indi-
viduals apply for assistance through the telework
program.
‘‘(C) SELF EMPLOYMENT.—A State or In-
dian tribe that receives a grant under this sub-
section shall enter into cooperative agreements
with small business development centers for the
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development of business plans as described in
section 103(a)(13) for individuals described in
subparagraph (B), and provide assurances that
the State or Indian tribe will, through plans to
achieve self-support, vocational rehabilitation
services, or other means, identify ways for the
individuals described in subparagraph (B) to
pay for the development of business plans, before
such individuals apply for assistance through the
telework program.
‘‘(D) DEFINITIONS.—In this paragraph:
‘‘(i) PLAN
TO
ACHIEVE
SELF-SUP-
PORT.—The term ‘plan to achieve self-sup-
port’ means a plan described in sections
416.1180 through 416.1182 of title 20, Code
of 
Federal 
Regulations 
(or 
any 
cor-
responding similar regulation or ruling).
‘‘(ii) SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
CENTER.—The term ‘small business develop-
ment center’ means a center established
under section 21 of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 648).
‘‘(5) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the
cost of establishing or expanding a telework program
under this section shall be 90 percent of the cost.
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‘‘(6) EXISTING GRANT RECIPIENTS.—An entity
that receives a grant under the Access to Telework
Fund Program under subsection (b) for a fiscal year
may use the funds made available through that grant
for that fiscal year in accordance with this subsection
rather than subsection (b).
‘‘(7) ANNUAL REPORT.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A State or Indian tribe
that receives a grant under this subsection shall
prepare and submit an annual report to the
Commissioner.
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—The report under sub-
paragraph (A) shall include the following:
‘‘(i) Information on the characteristics
of each individual with a disability that re-
ceives assistance through a loan or other al-
ternative financing mechanism under the
program, including information about the
individual such as the following:
‘‘(I) Age.
‘‘(II) Employment status at the
time of application for assistance
through a loan or other alternative fi-
nancing mechanism under this sub-
section.