Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities-Research and Development Center on Developing Software To Adapt and Customize Instruction in Digital Learning Environments To Improve Results for Children With Disabilities, 23791-23800 [2017-10663]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23791-23800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10663]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and 
Materials for Individuals With Disabilities--Research and Development 
Center on Developing Software To Adapt and Customize Instruction in 
Digital Learning Environments To Improve Results for Children With 
Disabilities

AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, 
Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting 
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for Educational 
Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities--
Research and Development Center on Developing Software to Adapt and 
Customize Instruction in Digital Learning Environments to Improve 
Results for Children with Disabilities, Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.327A.

DATES: 
    Applications Available: May 24, 2017.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 10, 2017.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 6, 2017.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara Courchaine, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5143, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-2500. Telephone: (202) 245-6462.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text 
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Educational Technology, 
Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program are to: 
(1) Improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the 
development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support 
educational activities designed to be of educational value in the 
classroom for students with disabilities; (3) provide support for 
captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the 
classroom; and (4) provide accessible educational materials to students 
with disabilities in a timely manner.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 
674(b)(2)and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1474(b)(2) and 1481(d)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this 
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR 
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
    This priority is:
    Research and Development Center on Developing Software To Adapt and 
Customize Instruction in Digital Learning Environments To Improve 
Results for Children with Disabilities.
    Background:
    The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to 
establish and operate a research and development center that will 
develop software designed to adapt and customize digital materials for 
children with disabilities, whether or not delivered online (Center). 
The software should enable teachers to differentiate instruction to 
meet the diverse needs of children with disabilities. In this way, the 
software

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will: (a) Enable educators, children with disabilities, and their 
parents to select settings and preferences that provide access and 
customize instructional materials to meet their individual needs in 
digital or online instruction; and (b) self-adjust so that material is 
presented at appropriate instructional levels based upon an individual 
child's input.\1\ When possible, the software should be embedded during 
production of the digital materials.
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    \1\ For example, the software could provide user preferences and 
controls that automatically adapt instructional material to use an 
equivalent or alternative resource, such as text passages at 
different Lexile levels or mathematical equations with whole numbers 
between 1-10 instead of fractions or decimals. These adaptations 
would maintain the same learning objectives but present material in 
a mode that is both accessible to the student and personalized to 
his or her needs. In addition, the applicant may work with a 
publisher or distributor of existing online programs (curricula) 
with learning progression management by which the order of 
presentation to the student changes based upon the student's 
responses, such as advancing when a certain level of mastery is 
achieved or moving to additional instruction or practice if the 
response is inaccurate, etc. This combination of adaptations would 
maximize the level of customization and personalization for the 
student.
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    The IDEA requires the provision of specially designed instruction 
to children with disabilities, regardless of the manner in which the 
instruction is delivered (traditional classroom setting, online, hybrid 
setting) (34 CFR 300.39(a)(1)). Under Department regulations, this 
means adapting, as appropriate to meet the needs of an eligible child, 
the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the 
unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability and 
to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum (34 CFR 
300.39(b)(3)). However, environments that use digital or online 
instruction or resources may not be specially designed for students 
with disabilities (Westat, 2016).
    The population of students needing specially designed instruction 
is significant. Recent estimates suggest that, in the 2013-14 school 
year, more than 2.7 million K-12 students, with and without 
disabilities, were participating in some type of online learning 
(Westat, 2016), and approximately 315,000 K-12 students were enrolled 
in statewide, fully online schools (Evergreen Education Group, 2014). 
Estimates indicate that more than 75 percent of districts offered at 
least some instruction online in the 2013-2014 school year (whether 
fully online or blended) (Evergreen Education Group, 2013). Due to the 
way data are reported, it is difficult to determine the number of 
students with disabilities participating in online environments. 
However, it is possible that the percentage is similar to that of 
students with disabilities physically in schools (nearly 13 percent), 
although estimates vary widely (National Center for Education 
Statistics, 2016; Westat 2016).
    In spite of the wide use of digital and online materials in 
instruction nationwide, there are still challenges to ensuring that (a) 
digital instructional material is fully accessible to children with 
disabilities, and (b) educators have the ability to effectively 
differentiate instruction to meet the individual needs of those 
children. Educators often incorrectly assume that if instructional 
material is digital, it is accessible, adaptable, and customizable to 
meet those children's individual needs; however, that is not 
necessarily the case. Even though digital materials may provide some 
access to instructional content, they may not adapt or allow for the 
customization necessary to ensure that unique needs of children with 
disabilities are met.
    A number of existing technologies can make instructional materials 
accessible (e.g., text to speech, captioning and highlighting features, 
embedded videos, digital storybooks, image description, font and size 
choices), and some of these digital resources provide access to content 
and help to differentiate instruction for children who are engaged 
through digital or online platforms; however many obstacles still 
remain. These include challenges with implementing the supports and 
services specified in their individualized education programs (IEPs). 
For example, while font and color options may be readily available in 
most applications, there are few options to reduce the complexity of 
language. In addition, accessibility features may not be compatible 
across all operating systems and platforms.
    As a result of these barriers, educators, caregivers, parents, and 
children may struggle to find the appropriate features in a timely 
manner and could spend extended periods of time attempting to modify 
digital materials at the expense of instructional time. In addition, 
the inclusion of digital materials in instruction is a relatively new 
practice, and inconsistencies exist in the selection of accessibility 
features included in the production process. Finally, some of the 
technology necessary for successful differentiated instruction is in 
its infancy. Software that has the capability to adjust in complexity 
based on the child's input is not yet widely available.
    If digital learning materials could be more fully and individually 
customized and adapted across all learning environments, then children 
with disabilities would have more and better access to the general 
education curriculum. As such, the Office of Special Education Programs 
(OSEP) proposes a research center to develop the necessary software to 
improve results for children with disabilities.
    Priority:
    The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to 
establish and operate a Research and Development Center on Developing 
Software to Adapt and Customize Instruction in Digital Learning 
Environments to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities. Under 
this priority, the Center must:
    (1) Determine the most effective digital products that are 
currently available to support differentiated instruction for children 
with disabilities in digital and online learning environments;
    (2) Determine, for each of these products, the key design 
components that maximize the ability of educators, caregivers, parents, 
and children to adapt and customize digital content and to 
differentiate instruction;
    (3) Develop and deliver software that meets current industry 
standards and guidelines for accessibility (e.g., WCAG 2.0, EPUB 
Accessibility 1.0) \2\ and includes accessible options that can be 
embedded into existing learning materials and into new digital learning 
materials during their development. Options must allow educators, 
caregivers, parents, and children to customize the instructional 
material and the software must automatically adjust complexity and 
delivery based on the child's input;
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    \2\ For additional information on WCAG 2.0, please refer to 
https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag; for additional information on 
EPUB Accessibility 1.0, please refer to www.idpf.org/epub/a11y/techniques/techniques.html.
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    (4) Ensure that the product is both an Open Educational Resource 
(OER) \3\ and licensed through an open access licensing authority;
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    \3\ Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning 
materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost. Unlike 
fixed, copyrighted resources, OER have been authored or created by 
an individual or organization that chooses to retain few, if any, 
ownership rights. Retrieved from www.oercommons.org/about.
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    (5) Identify legal issues surrounding accessible education 
materials that may impede the use of the product with digital products 
or platforms and determine ways to ensure access for all children with 
disabilities;
    (6) Develop measures to evaluate the potential usefulness and fit 
of the selected accessibility components to be included in the 
development and production of the software; and

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    (7) Maximize the efficiency of the product, by reducing the cost of 
including it in the production of materials (including added costs and 
time to re-design workflow to create the accessible materials) and 
ensuring optimal ease of use by end users.
    In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered 
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application 
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
    (a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Address the need for adaptive software that includes a range of 
accessible options that allow the end user to customize the 
instructional material and self-adjust based on the child's input. To 
meet this requirement, the applicant must present information on what 
digital materials are currently available to educators, caregivers, 
parents, and children that offer specially designed instruction to meet 
the unique needs of children with disabilities; and
    (2) Improve outcomes for children with disabilities by enhancing 
their ability to access instruction that meets their State's college- 
and career-ready standards through differentiated and customized 
digital materials.
    (b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the Project Design,'' how the proposed project will--
    (1) Ensure that the software developed meets the needs of 
publishers, distributors, developers, and end users;
    (2) Achieve measurable outcomes. To meet this requirement, the 
applicant must develop a logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the 
goals, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed projects. A 
logic model used in connection with this priority communicates how a 
project will achieve its intended outcomes and provides a framework for 
both the formative and summative evaluations of the project.

    Note:  Rather than use the definition of ``logic model'' in 
section 77.1(c) of EDGAR, OSEP uses the definition in paragraph 
(b)(2) of these application requirements. This definition, unlike 
the definition in 34 CFR 77.1(c), differentiates between logic 
models and conceptual frameworks. The following Web sites provide 
more information on logic models: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.

    (3) Use an iterative process of field testing in the development of 
the software;
    (4) Improve the capabilities of the software by describing the key 
components of the software that maximize the ability to adapt and 
customize content and to differentiate or individualize instruction in 
digital or online environments for children with disabilities and the 
specifications necessary for the software to be embedded during design;
    (5) Be based on current research and technologies used to develop 
accessible education materials and support differentiation of 
instruction. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--
    (i) How the proposed project will align to current industry 
standards and technical specifications in the development of the 
software; and
    (ii) How the proposed project will work with publishers to ensure 
that the software can be embedded into the digital materials during 
initial development or retrofitting of existing materials;
    (6) Meet current accessibility standards to achieve the intended 
outcomes of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the 
applicant must describe--
    (i) How it proposes to identify and develop the knowledge base on 
designing fully accessible and customizable digital and online 
instructional materials; and
    (ii) How it proposes to ensure that the software will appropriately 
tagged metadata. This metadata should allow for the evaluation of 
accessibility and adaptation within online and digital learning 
environments;
    (7) Develop a computer adaptable software product that is readily 
available to teachers, instructors, students, and parents; can be 
embedded during production; meets accessibility standards; and 
facilitates instruction that meets the unique needs of children with 
disabilities. To address this requirement, the applicant must 
describe--
    (i) How the proposed project will develop software that makes 
instructional material accessible based on the setting selected by the 
educator, caregiver, parent, or child;
    (ii) How the proposed project will develop and adaptable software 
product that facilitates differentiated instruction by adjusting in 
complexity based on the child's input; and
    (iii) How the proposed project will include plans for continued 
improvement and scale up its work to ensure the software is available 
to the widest range of children with disabilities;
    (8) Ensure effective communication and collaboration between 
project staff, stakeholders, and OSEP, including other OSEP-funded 
projects. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
    (i) Describe how the project will communicate and collaborate on an 
ongoing basis with other OSEP-funded projects;
    (ii) Describe how the project will collaborate with publishers, 
Accessible Media Producers, technology developers, vendors, 
distributors, and others with expertise in accessible education 
materials production;
    (iii) Describe how the project will communicate using a wide 
variety of media methods (presentations, publication, conference 
attendance, demonstrations) to reach a broad range of technology 
developers, publishers and end users, including educators, children 
with disabilities, and parents of children with disabilities; and
    (c) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of 
the Evaluation Plan,'' include an evaluation plan for the project as 
described in the following paragraphs. The evaluation plan must 
describe: Measures of progress in implementation, including the 
criteria for determining the extent to which the project's research and 
product development have reached its target population; measures of 
intended outcomes or results of the project's activities in order to 
evaluate those activities; and how well the goals or objectives of the 
proposed project, as described in its logic model, have been met.
    The applicant must provide an assurance that, in designing the 
evaluation plan, it will--
    (1) Designate, with the approval of the OSEP project officer, a 
project liaison staff person with sufficient dedicated time, experience 
in evaluation, and knowledge of the project to work in collaboration 
with the Center to Improve Program and Project Performance (CIP3),\4\ 
the project director, and the OSEP project officer on the following 
tasks:
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    \4\ The major tasks of CIP3 are to guide, coordinate, and 
oversee the design of formative evaluations for every large 
discretionary investment (i.e., those awarded $500,000 or more per 
year and required to participate in the 3+2 process) in OSEP's 
Technical Assistance and Dissemination; Personnel Development; 
Parent Training and Information Centers; and Educational Technology, 
Media, and Materials programs. The efforts of CIP3 are expected to 
enhance individual project evaluation plans by providing expert and 
unbiased technical assistance in designing the evaluations with due 
consideration of the project's budget. CIP3 does not function as a 
third-party evaluator.
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    (i) Revise, as needed, the logic model submitted in the grant 
application to

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provide a more comprehensive measurement of implementation and outcomes 
and to reflect any changes or clarifications to the model discussed at 
the kick-off meeting and throughout the project period;
    (ii) Refine the evaluation design and instrumentation proposed in 
the grant application consistent with the logic model (e.g., prepare 
evaluation questions about significant program processes and outcomes; 
develop quantitative or qualitative data collections that permit both 
the collection of progress data, including fidelity of implementation, 
as appropriate, and the usefulness of the software, designing 
instruments or identifying data sources, and identifying analytic 
strategies); and
    (iii) Revise, as needed, the evaluation plan submitted in the grant 
application such that it clearly--
    (A) Specifies the measures and associated instruments or sources 
for data appropriate to the evaluation questions, suggests analytic 
strategies for those data, provides a timeline for conducting the 
evaluation, and includes staff assignments for completion of the plan; 
and
    (B) Can be used to assist the project director and the OSEP project 
officer, with the assistance of CIP3, as needed, to specify the 
performance measures to be addressed in the project's Annual 
Performance Report;
    (2) Cooperate with CIP3 staff in order to accomplish the tasks 
described in paragraph (1) of this section; and
    (3) Dedicate sufficient funds in each budget year to cover the 
costs of carrying out the tasks described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
this section and implementing the evaluation plan.
    (d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Adequacy of Project Resources,'' how--
    (1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment 
from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been 
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or 
disability, as appropriate;
    (2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and 
subcontractors have the qualifications \5\ and experience to carry out 
the proposed development of the software and achieve the project's 
intended outcomes;
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    \5\ This software may require extensive engineering expertise, 
such as computer-aided software engineering, which includes the 
domain of software tools used to design and implement applications, 
especially when embedding automated tools (e.g., accessibility 
tools, content adaptation tools) within information systems (e.g., 
online curriculum products).
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    (3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to 
carry out the proposed activities; and
    (4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the 
anticipated results and benefits.
    (e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under 
``Quality of the Management Plan,'' how--
    (1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's 
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To 
address this requirement, the applicant must clearly describe--
    (i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, 
consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and
    (ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks, 
including an iterative process of field testing and redesigning the 
software throughout the five-year grant cycle to include adding more 
accessible features and functions to increase the capability of the 
software;
    (2) Allocation of key project personnel and any consultants and 
subcontractors and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate 
to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
    (3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the research and 
software development are of high quality, relevant, and useful to 
recipients; and
    (4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of 
perspectives in the software's development and design, including those 
of developers; technical designers; publishers; distributors; vendors; 
standards consortia members; families, including those who have 
children with disabilities; educators, including those who serve 
children with disabilities; researchers; and policy makers;
    (5) The proposed project will establish and maintain a technical 
review board. The technical review board must--
    (i) Consist of no fewer than five members representing the full 
range of diverse stakeholders, including at least one representative 
from each of the following five specific groups: Technology developers; 
publishers; end users, including educators of children with 
disabilities; persons with disabilities; and parents of children with 
disabilities. Board members should be identified and approved by OSEP 
no later than six weeks from the award date;
    (ii) Meet at least twice per year during the project period with 
the project director, relevant project staff, and the OSEP project 
officer;
    (iii) Evaluate current technologies, standards, and guidelines that 
are used and applied in the production and use of educational materials 
to ensure that the material is accessible to children with 
disabilities; and
    (iv) Evaluate current applications, materials, and programs that 
support and ensure access to educational materials.
    (f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant 
must--
    (1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model that depicts, at a 
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (2) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, 
as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the 
narrative.
    (3) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following:
    (i) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting in Washington, DC, 
after receipt of the award, and an annual planning meeting in 
Washington, DC, with the OSEP project officer and other relevant staff 
during each subsequent year of the project period;

    Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award 
teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the 
grantee's project director or other authorized representative.

    (ii) A two and one-half day project directors' conference in 
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period; and
    (iii) Two annual two-day trips to attend Department briefings, 
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by 
OSEP;
    (4) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of 
five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are 
consistent with the proposed project's intended outcomes, as those 
needs are identified in consultation with and approved by the OSEP 
project officer. With approval from the OSEP project officer, the 
project must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside 
no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period; and
    (5) Maintain a high-quality Web site, with an easy-to-navigate 
design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for 
accessibility.

References

Evergreen Education Group. (2014). Keeping pace with K-12 digital 
learning 2014: An annual review of policy and practice. Retrieved 
from https://www.kpk12.com/wp-content/uploads/EEG_KP2014-fnl-

[[Page 23795]]

lr.pdf.
Evergreen Education Group. (2013). Keeping pace with K-12 digital 
learning 2013: An annual review of policy and practice. Retrieved 
from https://www.kpk12.com/wp-content/uploads/EEG_KP2013-lr.pdf.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2016). Students with 
disabilities. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=64.
Westat. 2016. Online learning and IDEA educational environments: 
Determining educational environments for students with disabilities. 
Retrieved from https://ideadata.org/files/resources/581e7a0a140ba0f0248b4585/5852ca01150ba09f4e8b4576/online-learning-idea-educational-environ/2016/12/15/online-learning-idea-educational-environ.pdf.

    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested 
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and 
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment 
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481.
    Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82, 
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on 
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part 
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR 
part 3474.

    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants 
except federally recognized Indian tribes.


    Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of 
higher education (IHEs) only.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
    Estimated Available Funds: The Further Continuing and Security 
Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017, would provide, on an annualized 
basis, $30,047,000 for the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials 
for Individuals with Disabilities program, of which we would use an 
estimated $1,000,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding, 
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting 
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if 
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
    Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of 
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of 
unfunded applications from this competition.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $1,000,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.
    Estimated Number of Awards: 1.

    Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this 
notice.

    Project Period: Up to 60 months.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local 
educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools that are 
considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private 
nonprofit organizations; freely associated States and outlying areas; 
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a 
grantee may award subgrants--to directly carry out project activities 
described in its application--to the following types of entities: IHEs 
and private nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the 
activities proposed in the application.
    (b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified 
in an approved application.
    4. Other General Requirements:
    (a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive 
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with 
disabilities (see section 606 of the IDEA).
    (b) Each applicant for, and recipient of, funding must, with 
respect to the aspects of their proposed project relating to the 
absolute priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of 
individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning, 
implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of 
IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an 
application package via the internet or from the Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the internet, use the following 
address: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/. To obtain a 
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of 
Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free: 
1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call, 
toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at 
its email address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.327A.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, 
or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under 
Accessible Format in section VII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content and form of an application, together with the 
forms you must submit, are in the application package for this 
competition.
    Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application) 
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that 
reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1) 
limit Part III to no more than 70 pages, and (2) use the following 
standards:
     A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1'' 
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
     Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) 
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, 
footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as 
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
     Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
     Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier, 
Courier New, or Arial.
    The recommended 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 
abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for 
completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority 
requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support, 
or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to 
all of Part III, the application narrative, including all text in 
charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: May 24, 2017.

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    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 10, 2017.
    Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For 
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your 
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in section 
IV of this notice.
    We do not consider an application that does not comply with the 
deadline requirements.
    Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or 
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact 
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. If the 
Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual 
with a disability in connection with the application process, the 
individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and 
limitations in this notice.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 6, 2017.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to 
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79. 
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under 
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this 
competition.
    5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding 
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
    6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification 
Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the 
Department of Education, you must--
    a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a 
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
    b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award 
Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant database;
    c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
    d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information 
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you 
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
    You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet at the 
following Web site: https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be 
created within one to two business days.
    If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or 
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service. 
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal 
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a 
new TIN, please allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
    The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business 
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the 
completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database. 
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial 
assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow 
sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We 
strongly recommend that you register early.

    Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48 
hours before you can access the information in, and submit an 
application through, Grants.gov.

    If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make 
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with 
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update 
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
    Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further 
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in 
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov 
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
    In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov, 
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized 
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with 
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the 
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
    7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify 
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the 
instructions in this section.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    Applications for grants under the Research and Development Center 
on Developing Software to Adapt and Customize Instruction in Digital 
Learning Environments to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities 
competition, CFDA number 84.327A, must be submitted electronically 
using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov. 
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the 
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit 
your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format 
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of 
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no 
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written 
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these 
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that 
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in 
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Research 
and Development Center on Developing Software to Adapt and Customize 
Instruction in Digital Learning Environments to Improve Results for 
Children with Disabilities competition at www.Grants.gov. You must 
search for the downloadable application package for this competition by 
the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your 
search (e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327A).
    Please note the following:
     When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site, as well as the hours of operation.
     Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time 
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must 
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00 
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as 
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if 
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov 
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application 
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply 
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from 
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application 
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after 
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
     The amount of time it can take to upload an application 
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the 
application and

[[Page 23797]]

the speed of your internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend 
that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the 
submission process through Grants.gov.
     You should review and follow the Education Submission 
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are 
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that 
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov 
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5 
system home page at www.G5.gov. In addition, for specific guidance and 
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please 
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your 
application in paper format.
     You must submit all documents electronically, including 
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The 
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of 
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and 
certifications.
     You must upload any narrative sections and all other 
attachments to your application as files in a read-only Portable 
Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF 
file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only PDF (e.g., Word, 
Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a password-protected file, we will 
not review that material. Please note that this could result in your 
application not being considered for funding because the material in 
question--for example, the application narrative--is critical to a 
meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason it is important to 
allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF files. The 
Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF. 
Additional, detailed information on how to attach files is in the 
application instructions.
     After you electronically submit your application, you will 
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. This notification indicates 
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department. Grants.gov 
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all 
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors 
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a 
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an 
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will 
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you 
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
    Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the 
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you 
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
    These emails do not mean that your application is without any 
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully 
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application 
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application 
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure 
to upload attachments in a read-only PDF; failure to submit a required 
part of the application; or failure to meet applicant eligibility 
requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submitted 
application has met all of the Department's requirements.
     We may request that you provide us original signatures on 
forms at a later date.
    Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues 
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting 
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov 
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a 
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
    If you are prevented from electronically submitting your 
application on the application deadline date because of technical 
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension 
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to 
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand 
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing 
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
    If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC 
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT and provide an explanation 
of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with 
the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. We will accept your 
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with 
the Grants.gov system and that the problem affected your ability to 
submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the 
application deadline date. We will contact you after we determine 
whether your application will be accepted.

    Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply 
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the 
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed 
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before 
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem 
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.

    Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an 
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your 
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application 
through the Grants.gov system because--
     You do not have access to the internet; or
     You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to 
the Grants.gov system;

and

     No later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the 
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business 
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement 
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception 
prevents you from using the internet to submit your application.
    If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be 
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline 
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must 
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the 
application deadline date.
    Address and mail or fax your statement to: Tara Courchaine, U.S. 
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5143, Potomac 
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-TBD. FAX: (202) 245-7590.
    Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the 
mail or hand-delivery instructions described in this notice.
    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a 
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You

[[Page 23798]]

must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before 
the application deadline date, to the Department at the following 
address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, 
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327A), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland 
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
    (1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
    (2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    (3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial 
carrier.
    (4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the 
U.S. Department of Education.
    If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do 
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
    (1) A private metered postmark.
    (2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.

    Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated 
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your 
local post office.

    We will not consider applications postmarked after the application 
deadline date.
    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission 
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper 
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original 
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: 
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention: 
(CFDA Number 84.327A), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center 
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except 
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.

    Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you 
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
    (1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by 
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including 
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are 
submitting your application; and
    (2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a 
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not 
receive this notification within 15 business days from the 
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of 
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.

V. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition 
are as follows:
    (a) Significance (20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed 
project.
    (2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the 
Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The potential contribution of the proposed project to 
increasing the knowledge or understanding of problems issues or 
effective strategies.
    (ii) The likely utility of the product (such as information, 
materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed 
project, including the potential for it being used effectively in a 
variety of settings.
    (iii) The extent to which the results of the proposed project are 
disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information or 
strategies.
    (b) Quality of project design (20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be 
provided by the proposed project.
    (2) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be 
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
    (ii) The extent to which there are (1) a logic model that depicts, 
at a minimum, the project's proposed goals, activities, outputs, and 
outcomes; and (2) a conceptual framework underlying the proposed 
activities and the quality of that model and framework.
    (iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the 
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge and understanding of 
current research and development in the field; are highly relevant and 
useful to educators, children, and parents; and are delivered in a 
timely, cost-efficient manner.
    (iv) The extent to which the proposed project includes a thorough, 
high-quality plan for project implementation, and the use of 
appropriate tools to ensure successful achievement of project 
objectives.
    (v) The extent to which the proposed development efforts include 
adequate quality controls, and as appropriate, repeated testing of 
products.
    (vi) The extent to which the services provided by the proposed 
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for 
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
    (c) Quality of the evaluation plan (15 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be 
conducted of the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary 
considers the following factors:
    (i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough, 
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the 
proposed project.
    (ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
data and performance feedback for examining the effectiveness of 
project implementation strategies and the progress toward achieving 
intended outcomes.
    (iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will produce 
quantitative and qualitative data that provide continuous performance 
feedback and demonstrate that the project has met intended outcomes.
    (iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide 
timely guidance for quality assurance.
    (d) Adequacy of project resources (25 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources, including 
the personnel who will carry out the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the adequacy of resources, the Secretary 
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for 
employment from persons who are members of groups that have 
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national 
origin, gender, age, or disability.
    (3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience, 
of key project personnel (i.e., project director, project and staff).
    (ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience 
of project consultants or subcontractors.
    (iii) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment, 
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization and key 
partners.
    (iv) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to 
the anticipated results and benefits.
    (e) Quality of the management plan (20 points).
    (1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for 
the proposed project.
    (2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the 
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
    (i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives 
of the

[[Page 23799]]

proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined 
responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project 
tasks.
    (ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project 
director, project staff, and project consultants or subcontractors are 
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed 
project.
    (iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products 
and services from the proposed project.
    (iv) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives 
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including 
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of 
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of 
services, or others, as appropriate.
    2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants 
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, 
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past 
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as 
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and 
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider 
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or 
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
    In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary 
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal 
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or 
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department 
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
    3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past, 
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain 
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as 
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel 
requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional 
constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department 
has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions, 
applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and 
selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make 
it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that 
greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers 
for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of 
interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness 
of the review process, while permitting panel members to review 
applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also 
have submitted applications.
    4. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR 
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department 
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR 
3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in 
appropriate circumstances, high risk conditions on a grant if the 
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of 
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system 
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not 
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not 
responsible.
    5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this 
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project 
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently 
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2), we must make a judgment about 
your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under 
Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before 
we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about 
you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred 
to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System 
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any 
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and 
that is currently in FAPIIS.
    Please note that, if the total value of your currently active 
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the 
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity 
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2 
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal 
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your 
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award 
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to 
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally, 
also.
    If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, 
we notify you.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify 
administrative and national policy requirements in the application 
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable 
Regulations section of this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and 
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also 
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding 
commitments under the grant.
    3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition, 
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and 
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170 
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply 
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    (b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final 
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the 
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual 
performance report that provides the most current performance and 
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34 
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance 
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting, 
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993, the Department has established a set of 
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed 
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and 
quality of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for 
Individuals with Disabilities Program. These measures are included in 
the application package and focus on the extent to which projects are 
of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of children with 
disabilities, contribute to improving outcomes for children with 
disabilities, and generate evidence of validity and availability to 
appropriate populations. Projects funded under this competition are 
required to submit data on these measures as directed by OSEP.
    Grantees will be required to report information on their project's 
performance in annual performance reports and additional performance 
data

[[Page 23800]]

to the Department (34 CFR 75.590 and 75.591).
    5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR 
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee 
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of 
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is 
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the 
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the 
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
    In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers 
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in 
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil 
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities 
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR 
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).

VII. Other Information

    Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format 
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting 
the Management Support Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5113, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 
20202-2500. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call 
the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Electronic Access to This Document: 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 via the Federal Digital System 
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well 
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or PDF. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat 
Reader, which is available free at the site.
    You may also access documents of the Department published in the 
Federal Register by using the article search feature at: 
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search 
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published 
by the Department.

    Dated: May 19, 2017.
Ruth E. Ryder,
Deputy Director, Office of Special Education Programs, delegated the 
duties of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and 
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-10663 Filed 5-23-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4000-01-P