Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities-Family Center on Technology and Disability; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008., 31442-31448 [E8-12263]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 106 (Monday, June 2, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31442-31448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-12263]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview 
Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With 
Disabilities--Family Center on Technology and Disability; Notice 
Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327F.

DATES: Applications Available: June 2, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 2, 2008.
    Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 2, 2008.

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Technology and Media 
Services for Individuals with Disabilities program are to: (1) Improve 
results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, 
demonstration, and use of technology, (2) support educational media 
services activities designed to be of educational value in the 
classroom setting to children with disabilities, and (3) provide 
support for captioning and video description of educational materials 
that are appropriate for use in the classroom setting.
    Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority 
is from allowable activities specified, or otherwise authorized, in the 
statute (see sections 674 and 681(d) of the Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)).
    Absolute Priority: For FY 2008 and any subsequent year in which we 
make awards based on the list of unfunded applicants 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:
    Family Center on Technology and Disability (84.327F).
    Background: Section 602 of IDEA defines an assistive technology 
device as any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether 
acquired, commercially off the shelf, modified or customized, that is 
used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a 
child with a disability, and an assistive technology service as any 
service that directly assists a child with a disability in the 
selection, acquisition, or use of an assistive technology device. For 
purposes of this priority, assistive technology refers to any assistive 
technology device or assistive technology service. Assistive technology 
can be anything from a simple magnifying glass to help a child with low 
vision to a complex computer system that uses the movement of a child's 
eyes to turn on a light or to call for help. Assistive technology also 
includes, for example, software to animate or make a computer cursor 
larger for children with visual disabilities and speech recognition 
software to convert speech to digital text for children unable to write 
or use a keyboard.
    Instructional technology combines computer technology and learning 
theory to improve educational outcomes for all children, including 
children with disabilities. Examples of instructional technology 
include software that helps children with dyslexia learn to read and 
software that helps children with autism learn to interpret facial 
expressions and improve their social interactions with others.
    Having informed parents actively involved in their children's 
education contributes to positive educational outcomes (Caspe & Lopez, 
2006). Studies suggest that parents of children with disabilities want 
to be involved and engaged in technology planning and that their 
involvement in technology planning can be instrumental in reaching 
desired outcomes for their children (Lode, 1992; Long, Huang, 
Woodbridge, Woolverton, & Minkel, 2003; Parette & McMahan, 2002). In 
contrast, the absence of family involvement in planning and 
implementing technology-supported interventions for children with 
disabilities may lead to disuse or misuse of promising technologies for 
those children (Alper & Raharinirina, 2006; Zabala & Carl, 2005). In 
order for parents to participate effectively in planning and 
implementing technology-supported interventions, particularly during 
the development of their child's individualized family service plan 
(IFSP) or individualized education program (IEP), they need current, 
accurate information about assistive and instructional technologies, as 
well as strategies to work with early intervention and school personnel 
to foster the effective implementation of assistive and instructional 
technology interventions (Edyburn, 2004).
    Families frequently receive information on assistive and 
instructional technology interventions from a variety of sources, 
including from their State educational agency (SEA), local educational 
agency (LEA), and State lead agency for early intervention programs 
funded under Part C of IDEA. Families may also receive information 
directly from parent organizations, disability and advocacy groups, 
professional associations, and community groups. While these 
associations and groups provide general information about assistive and 
instructional technology interventions, they typically do not provide 
the most specific or evidence-based information currently available. 
Additionally, the technical information about emerging technologies 
that is provided is often designed for practitioners or service 
providers rather than for families of children with disabilities. For 
these reasons, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) funded a 
Family Center on Technology and Disability (FCTD) in 2003 to work 
primarily with organizations and programs that work with families of 
children and youth with disabilities to improve the availability and 
quality of technology-related information and support for families. 
(For further information on the work of the FCTD, see https://
www.fctd.info.) The FCTD formed a ``Knowledge Network'' of more than 
3,000 organizations and assisted them in

[[Page 31443]]

disseminating the most current information on developments and 
resources in the field of assistive and instructional technology 
interventions to families of children with disabilities.
    Given the speed with which new technology emerges and changes, 
families of children with disabilities continue to need support to 
access the most current evidence-based information on assistive and 
instructional technology interventions. OSEP, therefore, seeks to 
support a new Family Center on Technology and Disability in order to 
build on and enhance the work of the current FCTD and to meet the 
continuing needs of families so that they can advocate and be actively 
involved in supporting their children's use of assistive and 
instructional technology.
    Priority: The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative 
agreement to support the establishment and operation of a Family Center 
on Technology and Disability (Center). This Center must develop and 
disseminate information that will enhance the capacity of families to 
work collaboratively with professionals from SEAs, LEAs, and lead 
agencies for early intervention programs funded under Part C of IDEA, 
including teachers, administrators, related services providers, and 
early intervention personnel, to implement innovative and effective 
assistive and instructional technology interventions for their children 
with disabilities.
    To be considered for funding under this absolute priority, 
applicants must meet the application requirements contained in this 
priority. All projects funded under this absolute priority also must 
meet the programmatic and administrative requirements specified in the 
priority.
    Application Requirements. An applicant must include in its 
application--
    (a) A logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, 
activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. A logic 
model communicates how a project will achieve its outcomes and provides 
a framework for both the formative and summative evaluations of the 
project;

    Note: For more information on logic models, the following Web 
site lists multiple on-line resources: https://www.cdc.gov/eval/
resources.htm.

    (b) A plan to implement the activities described in the Project 
Activities section of this priority;
    (c) A plan, linked to the proposed project's logic model for a 
formative evaluation of the proposed project's activities. The plan 
must describe how the formative evaluation will use clear performance 
objectives to ensure continuous improvement in the operation of the 
proposed project, including objective measures of progress in 
implementing the project and ensuring the quality of products and 
services;
    (d) A line item in the proposed budget for a summative evaluation 
to be conducted by an independent third-party;
    (e) A line item in the proposed budget for attendance at each of 
the following:
    (1) A one and one half day kick-off meeting to be held in 
Washington, DC within four weeks after receipt of the award, and an 
annual planning meeting held in Washington, DC with the OSEP Project 
Officer during each subsequent year of the project period.
    (2) A three-day Project Directors' Conference in Washington, DC 
during each year of the project period.
    (3) A two-day trip to Washington, DC during each year of the 
project period to attend Department briefings, Department-sponsored 
conferences, and other meetings, as requested by OSEP; and
    (f) A line item in the proposed budget for an annual set-aside of 
five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are 
consistent with the proposed project's activities, as those needs are 
identified in consultation with OSEP.

    Note: With approval from the OSEP Project Officer, the Center 
must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside no 
later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period.

    Project Activities. To meet the requirements of this priority, the 
Center, at a minimum, must conduct the following activities:
    (a) On an ongoing basis, review current research, identify emerging 
trends and innovations, and synthesize the literature on the effective 
use of assistive and instructional technology interventions to improve 
results for children with disabilities ages birth through 26.
    (b) Develop materials and services, in consultation with parent 
groups, to support the active and informed participation of families in 
the identification, acquisition, and use of innovative, effective, and 
evidence-based assistive and instructional technology, including 
interventions that address the functional and educational needs of 
children with disabilities.
    (c) Collect information and materials on the availability, 
reliability, quality, and utility of assistive and instructional 
technology interventions, and make this information and materials 
available to SEAs, LEAs, and lead agencies for early intervention 
programs funded under Part C of IDEA, as well as to families and 
organizations serving families of children with disabilities.
    (d) Create a searchable online resource database at the Web site 
required in (h) that allows public access to the materials collected 
under paragraph (c) of this section of the priority. Before including 
any third-party materials in this online database, the Center must 
obtain all permissions and licenses to use the third-party materials in 
this manner. The Center must maintain the database and ensure that it 
is up-to-date by continuously adding new material to and removing 
outdated material from the database. The Center must make the 
information and materials in the database available to download, free 
of charge, from the Center's Web site. To the maximum extent possible, 
the Center must avoid duplicating the functions and content of other 
online resources (e.g., https://www.assistivetech.net, https://
www.abledata.com, https://www.infinitec.net) and instead establish a 
link on its Web site to these online resources.
    (e) Establish and maintain ongoing partnerships with SEAs, LEAs, 
and State lead agencies for early intervention programs funded under 
Part C of IDEA in order to facilitate administrators, teachers, early 
intervention personnel, and related services providers' understanding 
of the potential benefits of assistive and instructional technology 
interventions so that, as appropriate, effective technology 
interventions are discussed, and, if appropriate, incorporated into 
children's IEPs/IFSPs.
    (f) Maintain a network of organizations, including professional 
associations, advocacy groups, parent groups, nonprofit and for-profit 
companies that develop and improve technology, SEAs, LEAs, State lead 
agencies for early intervention programs funded under Part C of IDEA, 
other State and local agencies (including the State Assistive 
Technology Programs funded under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998), 
technical assistance and dissemination centers and other programs that 
work with families of children with disabilities to enhance their 
capacity to provide families with current information about innovative, 
effective, and evidence-based assistive and instructional technology 
interventions for children with disabilities (Network). The Center 
must--

[[Page 31444]]

    (1) Ensure, to the extent possible, that the members of the current 
FCTD's existing network are included as members of the Network, and 
continue to recruit new members from relevant organizations;
    (2) Maintain a searchable database of organizations that 
participate in the Network and agree to be included in the database;
    (3) Create and disseminate a monthly newsletter, accessible in both 
electronic and hard-copy formats, to Network members. This newsletter 
must highlight innovative, effective, and evidence-based assistive and 
instructional technology interventions to support children's functional 
and educational needs;
    (4) Establish an information exchange system that fosters 
communication and collaboration among Network members and enables them 
to better meet the technology information needs of families of children 
with disabilities; and
    (5) Provide Network members with feedback from consumers that may 
be useful for product improvement and development.
    (g) Develop and implement a strategy to respond to inquiries from 
families by directly responding to them or by referring them to 
appropriate members of the Network, which may include the State 
Assistive Technology Program, or appropriate out-of-State contacts. 
This strategy must increase the capacity of Network members to provide 
families with information about appropriate, innovative, effective, and 
evidence-based assistive and instructional technology interventions for 
children with disabilities so that parents can effectively advocate for 
including appropriate assistive and instructional technology 
interventions in their child's IFSP or IEP.
    (h) Maintain a Web site that meets a government or industry 
recognized standard for accessibility and that links to the Web site 
operated by the Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TACC), which 
OSEP intends to fund in FY 2008. The Web site must contain the 
searchable database of organizations that participate in the required 
Network under paragraph (f) of this section and the searchable resource 
database required under paragraph (d) of this section, the Network 
newsletters, links to other relevant Web sites, topical online 
discussions, and other relevant resources on innovative, effective, and 
evidence-based assistive and instructional technology interventions for 
children with disabilities.
    (i) Participate in meetings, conferences, and other events to 
improve the capacity of other projects and organizations to meet the 
technology information needs of families of children with disabilities. 
The Center's participation may include, but is not limited to, 
delivering presentations, exhibiting and demonstrating materials, 
facilitating discussions, and participating in work groups.
    (j) Establish and maintain an advisory committee to review the 
proposed activities and outcomes of the Center and provide programmatic 
support and advice throughout the project period. The advisory 
committee must meet on an annual basis in Washington, DC and, at a 
minimum, consist of (1) an individual with a disability or a family 
member of an individual (under the age of 26) with a disability; (2) an 
individual with knowledge and expertise in innovative, effective, 
evidence-based assistive and instructional technology interventions for 
children with disabilities; (3) a representative from an SEA or LEA; 
(4) a representative from a State lead agency for early intervention 
programs funded under Part C of IDEA; and (5) a representative from a 
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) or a Community Parent 
Resource Center (CPRC). Proposed members of the advisory committee must 
be submitted to OSEP for approval within eight weeks after receipt of 
the award.
    (k) Communicate and collaborate, on an ongoing basis, with 
Department-funded projects, including the National and Regional Parent 
Technical Assistance Centers, PTIs, CPRCs, State Assistive Technology 
Programs, the National Assistive Technology Technical Assistance 
Partnership, and the National Pass It On Center, funded by the 
Rehabilitation Services Administration. This collaboration could 
include the sharing of information, the joint development of resource 
materials, and the planning and carrying out of meetings and events.
    (l) Prior to developing any new resource materials, whether paper 
or electronic, submit to the OSEP Project Officer and the Proposed 
Product Advisory Board at OSEP's TACC for approval, a proposal 
describing the content and purpose of the product.
    (m) Coordinate with the National Dissemination Center for 
Individuals with Disabilities, which OSEP intends to fund in FY 2008, 
to develop an efficient and high quality dissemination plan that 
reaches broad audiences. Strategies must be developed to support 
organizations in reaching underserved populations, including parents 
from rural communities, those who have limited access to Web-based 
resources, those with low income, and those with limited English 
proficiency.
    (n) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer 
through monthly phone conversations and e-mail communication.
    Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project: In deciding whether to 
continue funding the Center for the fourth and fifth years, the 
Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and in 
addition--
    (a) The recommendation of a review team consisting of experts 
selected by the Secretary. The review will be conducted during a one-
day intensive meeting to be held in Washington, DC during the last half 
of the Center's second year. The Center must budget for travel expenses 
associated with this one-day intensive review;
    (b) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of 
the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the 
Center; and
    (c) The quality, relevance, and usefulness of the Center's 
activities and products and the degree to which the Center's activities 
and products are contributing to changed practice and improved child 
and family outcomes.

References

Alper, S., & Raharinirina, S. (2006). Assistive technology for 
individuals with disabilities: A review and synthesis of the 
literature. Journal of Special education Technology, 21(2), 47-64.
Caspe, M., & Lopez, M.E. (2006). Lessons from family-strengthening 
interventions: Learning from evidence-based practice. Cambridge, MA: 
Harvard Family Research Project; available at https://
www.gse.harvard.edu/hfrp/projects/fine/resources/research/
lessons.html.
Edyburn, D.L. (2004). Rethinking assistive technology. Special 
Education Technology Practice, 5(4), 16-23.
Lode, C. (1992). How assistive technology assists my daughter to 
compete in the mainstream of life. Exceptional Parent, 22(8), 34-41.
Long, T., Huang, L., Woodbridge, M., Woolverton, M., & Minkel, J. 
(2003). Integrating assistive technology into an outcome-driven 
model of service delivery. Infants and Young Children, 16, 272-283.
Parette, P., & McMahan, G.A. (2002). What should we expect of 
assistive technology? Being sensitive to family goals. Teaching 
Exceptional Children, 35, 56-61.
Zabala, J.S., & Carl, D.F. (2005). Quality indicators for assistive 
technology services in schools. In D.L. Edyburn, K. Higgins, & R. 
Boone (Eds.), The handbook of special education technology research 
and practice (pp. 179-207). Whitefish Bay, WI: Knowledge by Design, 
Inc.

    Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure 
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553), the Department generally offers interested 
parties the

[[Page 31445]]

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: The Education Department General 
Administrative Regulations in 34 CFR parts 74, 75, 77, 79, 80, 81, 82, 
84, 85, 86, 97, 98, and 99.

    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: Discretionary grants.
    Estimated Available Funds: $600,000.
    Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a 
budget exceeding $600,000 for a single budget period of 12 months. The 
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
may change the maximum amount through a notice published in the Federal 
Register.
    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: SEAs; LEAs; public charter schools that are 
LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private nonprofit 
organizations; outlying areas; freely associated States; Indian tribes 
or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This competition does not require cost 
sharing or matching.
    3. Other: General Requirements--(a) The projects funded under this 
competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in 
employment qualified individuals with disabilities (see section 606 of 
IDEA).
    (b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition 
must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals 
with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and 
evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Education Publications 
Center (ED Pubs), P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398. Telephone, toll 
free: 1-877-433-7827. FAX: (301) 470-1244. If you use a 
telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), call, toll free: 1-877-
576-7734.
    You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: https://www.ed.gov/
pubs/edpubs.html or at its e-mail address: edpubs@inet.ed.gov.
    If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to 
identify this program or competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.327F.
    Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application 
package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team 
listed under Alternative Format in section VIII of this notice.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements 
concerning the content 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. You must limit Part III to 
the equivalent of no more than 50 pages, using 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, references, and captions, as well as all text in 
charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
     Use a font that is either 12 point or larger, or no 
smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
    The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, 
the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part 
IV, the assurances and certifications; or the two-page abstract, the 
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. 
The page limit, however, does apply to the application narrative in 
Part III.
    We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit; or if 
you use other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
    3. Submission Dates and Times:
    Applications Available: June 2, 2008.
    Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 2, 2008.
    Applications for grants under this program may be submitted 
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates 
and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or in 
paper format by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6. 
Other Submission Requirements in 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 in section VII 
in this notice. 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 2, 2008.
    4. Intergovernmental Review: This program 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 in this notice.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under 
this program may be submitted electronically or in paper format by mail 
or hand delivery.
    a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
    To comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are 
participating as a partner in the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site. 
The Family Center on Technology and Disability competition, CFDA Number 
84.327F, is included in this project. We request your participation in 
Grants.gov.
    If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must 
use the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at https://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 e-mail an electronic copy of a grant 
application to us.
    You may access the electronic grant application for the Family 
Center on Technology and Disability competition--CFDA Numbers 84.327F 
at https://www.Grants.gov. You must search for the downloadable 
application package for this competition by the

[[Page 31446]]

CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your 
search (e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327F).
    Please note the following:
     Your participation in Grants.gov is voluntary.
     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 
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 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 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 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 also can find the Education Submission Procedures 
pertaining to Grants.gov at https://e-Grants.ed.gov/help/
GrantsgovSubmissionProcedures.pdf.
     To submit your application via Grants.gov, you must 
complete all steps in the Grants.gov registration process (see https://
www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp). These steps include (1) 
registering your organization, a multi-part process that includes 
registration with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR); (2) 
registering yourself as an Authorized Organization Representative 
(AOR); and (3) getting authorized as an AOR by your organization. 
Details on these steps are outlined in the Grants.gov 3-Step 
Registration Guide (see https://www.grants.gov/section910/
Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf). You also must provide on your 
application the same D-U-N-S Number used with this registration. Please 
note that the registration process may take five or more business days 
to complete, and you must have completed all registration steps to 
allow you to submit successfully an application via Grants.gov. In 
addition you will need to update your CCR registration on an annual 
basis. This may take three or more business days to complete.
     You will not receive additional point value because you 
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you 
if you submit your application in paper format.
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
submit all documents electronically, including all information you 
typically provide on the following forms: 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. Please note 
that two of these forms--the SF 424 and the Department of Education 
Supplemental Information for SF 424--have replaced the ED 424 
(Application for Federal Education Assistance).
     If you submit your application electronically, you must 
attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC 
(document), .RTF (rich text), or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If 
you upload a file type other than the three file types specified in 
this paragraph or submit a password-protected file, we will not review 
that material.
     Your electronic application must comply with any page-
limit requirements described in this notice.
     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.) The 
Department then will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send 
a second notification to you by e-mail. This second notification 
indicates that the Department has received your application and has 
assigned your application a PR/Award number (an ED-specified 
identifying number unique to your application).
     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 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 in section VII in this 
notice 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 that 
problem affected your ability to submit your application by 4:30 p.m., 
Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. The Department 
will contact you after a determination is made on 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.

    b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
    If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the 
U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the 
original and two copies of your application, on or before the 
application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable 
following address:

By mail through the U.S. Postal Service: U.S. Department of Education, 
Application Control Center, Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327F), 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260; or
By mail through a commercial carrier: U.S. Department of Education,

[[Page 31447]]

Application Control Center, Stop 4260, Attention: (CFDA Number 
84.327F), 7100 Old Landover Road, Landover, MD 20785-1506.
    Regardless of which address you use, 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.
    If your application is postmarked after the application deadline 
date, we will not consider your application.

    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.

    c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
    If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, 
you (or a courier service) 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 
84.327F), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, Potomac Center Plaza, 
Washington, DC 20202-4260.
    The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily 
between 8 a.m. and 4:30 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 from 34 CFR 75.210 and are listed in the application package.
    2. Peer Review: 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 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. However, if the 
Department decides to select an equal number of applications in each 
group for funding, this may result in different cut-off points for 
fundable applications in each group.

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 Notice 
(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 in this notice.
    We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of 
an award in the Applicable Regulations section in 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: 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 multi-year 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 also may require more frequent 
performance reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements 
on reporting, please go to https://www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/
appforms.html.
    4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and 
Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), 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 Technology and Media Services for Individuals with 
Disabilities program. These measures focus on the extent to which 
projects are of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of 
children with disabilities, and contribute to improving outcomes for 
children with disabilities. We will collect data on these measures from 
the project funded under this competition.
    The grantee also will be required to report information on its 
project's performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 
75.590).

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jo Ann McCann, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 4076, Potomac Center Plaza 
(PCP), Washington, DC 20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7434.
    If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll-free, 
at 1-800-877-8339.

VIII. Other Information

    Alternative Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this 
document and a copy of the application package in an alternative format 
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by 
contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of 
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., room 5075, PCP, Washington, DC 
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD, call the FRS, 
toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
    Electronic Access to This Document: You can view this document, as 
well as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal 
Register, in text or Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) on the 
Internet at the following site: https://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.
    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-

[[Page 31448]]

888-293-6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: https://www.gpoaccess.gov/
nara/.


    Dated: May 27, 2008.
Tracy R. Justesen,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
 [FR Doc. E8-12263 Filed 5-30-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P