Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities-Research and Development Center on Digital Images and Graphic Content in Accessible Instructional Materials; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, 42055-42061 [E9-20050]
Download as PDF
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
that the Commission ‘‘consider’’ the
costs and benefits of its action. Section
15(a) further specifies that the costs and
benefits shall be evaluated in light of
five broad areas of market and public
concern: (1) Protection of market
participants and the public; (2)
efficiency, competitiveness, and
financial integrity of futures markets; (3)
price discovery; (4) sound risk
management practices; and (5) other
public interest considerations. The
Commission may in its discretion give
greater weight to any one of the five
enumerated areas and could in its
discretion determine that,
notwithstanding its costs, a particular
order is necessary or appropriate to
protect the public interest or to
effectuate any of the provisions or
accomplish any of the purposes of the
Act. The Commission has considered
the costs and benefits of this Order in
light of the specific provisions of section
15(a) and has concluded that this Order,
which strengthens Federal oversight of
the ECM and helps to prevent market
manipulation, is necessary and
appropriate to accomplish the purposes
of section 2(h)(7) which, among other
provisions, directs the Commission to
evaluate all contracts listed on ECMs to
determine whether they serve a
significant price discovery function.
When a futures contract begins to
serve a significant price discovery
function, that contract, and the ECM on
which it is traded, warrants increased
oversight to deter and prevent price
manipulation and other disruptions to
market integrity, both on the ECM itself
and in any related futures contracts
trading on designated contract markets
(‘‘DCMs’’). An Order finding that a
particular contract is a SPDC triggers
this increased oversight and imposes
obligations and responsibilities on the
ECM which are calculated to
accomplish this goal. This increased
oversight in turn increases transparency
and helps to ensure fair competition
among ECMs and DCMs trading similar
products and competing for the same
business. Moreover, the ECM on which
the SPDC is traded must assume, with
respect to that contract, all the
responsibilities and obligations of a
registered entity under the CEA and
Commission regulations. Additionally,
the ECM must comply with core
principles established by section 2(h)(7)
of the Act, including the obligation to
establish position limits and/or
accountability standards for the SPDC.
These increased ECM responsibilities,
along with the CFTC’s enhanced
regulatory authority, subject the ECM’s
risk management practices to the
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
Commission’s supervision and oversight
and generally enhance the financial
integrity of the markets.
Issued in Washington, DC on August 13,
2009 by the Commission.
David A. Stawick,
Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. E9–20024 Filed 8–19–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Air Force
Availability of the Fiscal Year 2008 Air
Force Services Contract Inventory
Pursuant to Section 807 of the National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2008
AGENCY:
Department of the Air Force,
DOD.
ACTION:
Notice of publication.
SUMMARY: In accordance with section
2330a of Title 10 United States Code as
amended by the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008
(NDAA 08) Section 807, the Associate
Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air
Force (Contracting) (ADAS(C)),
Assistant Secretary (Acquisition), and
the Office of the Director, Defense
Procurement and Acquisition Policy,
Office of Strategic Sourcing (DPAP/SS)
will make available to the public the
first inventory of activities performed
pursuant to contracts for services. The
inventory will be published to the Air
Force Contracting (SAF/AQC) Web site
at the following location: https://
ww3.safaq.hq.af.mil/contracting/.
DATES: Inventory to be made publically
available within 30 days of publication
of this notice.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments and
suggestions concerning this inventory to
Laura Welsh, Procurement Analyst,
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary
(Contracting), Assistant Secretary of the
Air Force (Acquisition), SAF/AQC, 1060
Air Force Pentagon, Washington, DC
20330–1060. Telephone (703) 588–7047
or e-mail at
Laura.Welsh@pentagon.af.mil.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Welsh, (703) 588–7047 or e-mail
at Laura.Welsh@pentagon.af.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: NDAA 08,
Section 807 amends section 2330a of
Title 10 United States Code to require
annual inventories and reviews of
activities performed on services
contracts. The Deputy Under Secretary
of Defense (Acquisition and
Technology) (DUSD(AT)) transmitted
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
42055
the Air Force inventory to Congress on
August 4, 2009.
The SAF/AQC submitted the Air
Force Fiscal Year 2008 Services
Contract Inventory to the Office of the
DPAP/SS on July 1, 2009. Included with
this inventory is a narrative that
describes the methodology for data
collection, the inventory data, and the
plan for review of this inventory. The
narrative and cover letters may be
downloaded in electronic form (.pdf
file) from the Web site at the following
location: https://ww3.safaq.hq.af.mil/
contracting/. The inventory does not
include contract numbers, contractor
identification or other proprietary or
sensitive information as these data can
be used to disclose a contractor’s
proprietary proposal information.
An inventory of classified services
contracts is not available and not
published.
Bao-Anh Trinh,
Air Force Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. E9–20042 Filed 8–19–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001–05–P
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Technology and Media
Services for Individuals With
Disabilities—Research and
Development Center on Digital Images
and Graphic Content in Accessible
Instructional Materials; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal
Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327B.
Dates: Applications Available: August
20, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: October 19, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental
Review: December 18, 2009.
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: (1) To improve results for children
with disabilities by promoting the
development, demonstration, and use of
technology; (2) to support educational
media services activities designed to be
of educational value in the classroom
setting to children with disabilities; and
(3) to provide support for captioning
and video description of educational
materials that are appropriate for use in
the classroom setting.
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
42056
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR
75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority is from
allowable activities specified in the
statute (see sections 674 and 681(d) of
the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C. 1474
and 1481(d)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2010 and
any subsequent year in which we make
awards from 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:
Technology and Media Services for
Individuals With Disabilities—Research
and Development Center on Digital
Images and Graphic Content in
Accessible Instructional Materials.
Background:
Section 612(a)(23) of IDEA requires
States to provide instructional materials
in accessible formats to students who
are blind or have print disabilities in a
timely manner. Section 613(a)(6) of
IDEA includes a similar requirement for
local educational agencies (LEAs). In the
process of implementing the accessible
instructional materials (AIM) provisions
under IDEA, States, LEAs, and the
accessible media producers (AMPs) who
States and LEAs employ to convert
instructional materials into accessible
formats have encountered barriers to the
production of high-quality AIM,
including limits to the technology
available to produce AIM with
appropriate graphic content, such as
pictures, tables, and graphs. In addition,
most currently available assistive
technology devices, including text-tospeech readers, and software used by
students to access digital files, do not
provide access to images and graphic
content.
Students’ access to high-quality AIM,
including images and graphic content, is
integral to their successful progress in
the general education curriculum.
Images and graphic content make up a
significant portion of the information
available in textbooks (Beaver and
Oddo, 2005). For example, one eighth
grade social studies textbook included
394 photographs and 372 graphics (i.e.,
charts, maps, timelines, diagrams, and
graphs) (Baker, 2004). The images and
graphic content of this print textbook
supplemented the content in the written
text and also presented instructional
content that was not included in the
textual material. However, this content
is often not accessible to students who
are blind or have print disabilities.
Therefore, these students do not have
the same access to the curriculum as
their non-disabled peers.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
Currently, there are major barriers to
ensuring that students who are blind or
have print disabilities can access
written instructional materials and text
that include images and graphic
content. First, the production of images
and graphic content in AIM, including
tactile graphics and verbal descriptions,
can be time consuming and costly.
Second, most assistive devices and
software do not provide access to the
images and graphic content and for
those that do, the quality of the images
and graphic content displays is not
comparable to the quality of the images
and graphic content included in
standard print instructional materials
(Bullen, 2008; Chiari, 2004; Davies,
Stock, King, & Weymeyer, 2008;
Unsworth, 2004; Warren, 2009). Since
students who are blind or have print
disabilities have inadequate and limited
access to images and graphic content in
AIM, they are at a disadvantage
compared to their non-disabled peers.
The Department of Education
(Department) currently funds three
projects that produce and disseminate
AIM in multiple formats to students
with disabilities: The American Printing
House for the Blind (https://
www.aph.org/), Recording for the Blind
and Dyslexic (RFB&D) (https://
www.rfbd.org), and Bookshare for
Education (B4E) (https://
www.bookshare.org/). These projects,
funded by the Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP), and other
AMPs produce images and graphic
content in the following formats: (1)
Visual displays that may be modified for
accessibility (e.g., magnification,
increased contrast, color content, etc.);
(2) images and graphic descriptions in
auditory, print, and braille formats; (3)
tactile images and graphics; and (4)
combinations of these formats. Because
the production of high-quality images
and graphic content in accessible
formats is time-consuming, costly, and
requires high levels of skill and content
knowledge to develop, States and LEAS
are having difficulty both including
these images and graphic content in
AIM and meeting the statutory
requirement to deliver AIM in a timely
manner to students who are blind or
have print disabilities. In addition,
software used by students to convert
electronic files into accessible formats
such as refreshable braille, digital audio,
synthetic speech, and digital text often
does not convey content included in
images and graphics. OSEP intends to
fund a center that will implement a
rigorous program of research and
development to improve both the cost,
quality, usability, and availability of
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
images and graphic content in AIM and
the devices and software used to access
that content.
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to fund
a cooperative agreement to support the
establishment and operation of a
Research and Development Center on
Digital Images and Graphic Content in
AIM (Center). The Center must conduct
a systematic program of research to
determine: (1) The availability and
technological adequacy of current
evidence-based technologies used to
produce high-quality images and
graphic content for AIM; (2) the
availability, level of consumer usage,
and adequacy of current devices and
software used to access these images
and the graphic content; and (3) the
cost, quality, usability, and availability
of both these images and this graphic
content and the devices and software
used to access them. The Center must
apply the evidence and knowledge
resulting from this research as it plans
and conducts development activities to
improve the effectiveness and efficiency
of technologies used to produce AIM
that include images and graphic
content, and as it develops or modifies
devices and software used by students
who are blind or have print disabilities
to access electronic files containing
instructional materials that include
images and graphic content.
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: The following Web site provides
more information on logic models and lists
multiple online 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
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
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 budget for a summative
evaluation to be conducted by an
independent third party;
(e) A budget for attendance at the
following:
(1) A 11⁄2-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 three-day Technology Project
Directors’ Conference in Washington,
DC, during each year of the project
period.
(4) Two two-day trips annually 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.
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
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) Establish a technical advisory and
review panel made up of publishers;
AMPs; State educational agency (SEA)
and local educational agency (LEA)
representatives; institutions of higher
education (IHEs) representatives;
consumers; and technology developers,
vendors, and others with expertise in
AIM production, devices, and software.
The technical review panel must meet at
least one time each year of the project.
The project must submit the names of
the panel members to the OSEP project
officer for approval within 30 days of
the start of the award.
(b) Evaluate current technologies that
are used to produce images and graphic
content in digital files in order to make
that content accessible to students who
are blind or have print disabilities.
These technologies include conversion
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
of images and graphics into digital
formats such as Joint Photographic
Experts Group (JPEG), portable network
graphics (PNG), and scalable vector
graphics (SVG) files; video description;
and other digital representations of
images and graphics that can be used to
provide accessibility.
(c) Evaluate current devices and
software that provide access to images
and graphic content in digital formats.
These technologies include devices and
software for reading digital formats,
refreshable braille displays, enlarged
displays, and other devices and software
that provide access to digital images and
graphic content, such as programs that
convert text to speech.
(d) Collaborate with publishers;
AMPs; SEAs; LEAs; consumers; and
technology developers, vendors, and
others with expertise in AIM
production, devices, and software—
(1) To develop new or modify current
technologies for producing high-quality
images and graphic content for AIM;
and
(2) To develop new or modify
currently available devices and software
used to access AIM that includes highquality images and graphic content.
(e) Select field-test sites and
participants for assessing the cost,
quality, usability, and availability of the
technologies, including devices and
software products that are developed or
modified by the Center. The final
selection of field-test sites must be
approved by the OSEP Project Officer
before participation agreements are
finalized between the sites and the
Center.
(f) Maintain a Web site that meets
government or industry-recognized
standards for accessibility and that links
to the Web site operated by the
Technical Assistance Coordination
Center (TACC).
(g) Prepare and disseminate reports,
documents, and other materials on:
(1) Current technologies used to
produce images and graphic content for
AIM.
(2) Currently available devices and
software used to access AIM, including
images and graphic content.
(3) Processes related to the
development or modification of:
(i) Technologies used in producing
images and graphic content for AIM.
(ii) Devices and software used to
access AIM, including images and
graphic content;
(4) Any devices or software developed
or modified by the Center; and
(5) Related topics, as requested by
OSEP, for specific audiences, including
AMPs; SEAs; LEAs; consumers; families
of students with disabilities; and
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
42057
technology developers, vendors, and
others with expertise in AIM
production, devices and software. In
consultation with the OSEP Project
Officer and the advisory committee
established in accordance with
paragraph (a) of this section, the Center
must make selected reports, documents,
and other materials available in formats
appropriate for students and families.
(h) Communicate and collaborate, on
an ongoing basis, with OSEP-funded
projects, including the National
Instructional Materials Access Center
(NIMAC), the National Instructional
Materials Accessibility Standard
(NIMAS) Development Center, the
NIMAS Technical Assistance Center,
B4E, RFB&D, and TACC. This
collaboration could include the joint
development of products, participation
in field-testing, and regular
communications and updates on Center
activities.
(i) Prior to developing any new
product, 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.
(j) Maintain ongoing communication
with the OSEP Project Officer through
biweekly phone conversations and email 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. This review will be
conducted during a one-day meeting in
Washington, DC, that will be held
during the last half of the second year
of the project period. 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 have
contributed to changed practice and
improved student access to the general
education curriculum through improved
access to high-quality accessible
instructional materials and devices.
References
Baker, L. Textbooks for blind students come
alive. (2004, February 26). UB Reporter,
p. 1.
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
42058
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
Beaver, K. A., & Oddo, C. (2005). Final report:
Instant access to braille. Retrieved from
University of Buffalo, Center for
Assistive Technology Web site: https://
www.cat.buffalo.edu/refreshablebraille/
final_report.php.
Bullen, A. (2008, October). The ‘‘Long Tale’’:
Using Web 2.0 concepts to enhance
digital collections. Computers in
Libraries, 28 (9), 31–35.
Chiari, A. (2004, October). Ten things TLs
should know about video description.
Teacher Librarian, 32 (1), p. 35.
Davies, D. K., Stock, S. E., King, L. R., &
Wehmeyer, M. L. (2008, August). MobyDick is my favorite: Evaluating a
cognitively accessible portable reading
system for audiobooks for individuals
with intellectual disability. Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities, 46 (4),
290–298.
Unsworth, L. (2004, Summer). Comparing
school science explanations in books and
computer-based formats: The role of
images, image/text relations and
hyperlinks. International Journal of
Instructional Media, 31 (3) p. 283.
Warren, J. (2009). Innovation and the future
of e-books. The International Journal of
the Book, 6 (1), 83–94.
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. 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(d).
Applicable Regulations: The
Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 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.
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative
Agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: The
Administration has requested
$30,949,000 for the Technology and
Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program for FY 2010, of
which we intend to use an estimated
$1,000,000 for the Research and
Development Center on Digital Images
and Graphic Content in Accessible
Instructional Materials 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
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
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,
including public charter schools that are
considered 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
project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of
IDEA).
IV. Application and Submission
Information
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86
apply to IHEs only.
VerDate Nov<24>2008
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
2011 from the list of unfunded
applicants from this competition.
Maximum Awards: We will reject any
application that proposes a budget
exceeding $1,000,000 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.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
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
competition as follows: CFDA number
84.327B.
Individuals with disabilities can
obtain a copy of the application package
in an accessible format (e.g., braille,
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
large print, audiotape, or computer
diskette) by contacting the person or
team listed under Accessible 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 the
application narrative to the equivalent
of no more than 50 pages, using the
following standards:
• A ‘‘page’’ is 8.5″ × 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, abstracts, 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 one-page abstract,
the resumes, the bibliography, the
references, or the letters of support.
However, the page limit does apply to
all of the application narrative section
(Part III).
We will reject your application if you
exceed the page limit or if you apply
other standards and exceed the
equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: August 20,
2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of
Applications: October 19, 2009.
Applications for grants under this
competition may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant
Application System (e-Application)
accessible through the Department’s eGrants site, 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 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
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
process should contact the person listed
under For Further Information Contact
in section VII of 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: December 18, 2009.
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. Other Submission Requirements:
Applications for grants under this
competition may be submitted
electronically or in paper format by mail
or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of
Applications
If you choose to submit your
application to us electronically, you
must use e-Application, accessible
through the Department’s e-Grants Web
site at: https://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic
application, you will be entering data
online that will be saved into a
database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to
us.
Please note the following:
• Your participation in e-Application
is voluntary.
• You must complete the electronic
submission of your grant application by
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date. EApplication will not accept an
application for this competition after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on
the application deadline date.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that
you do not wait until the application
deadline date to begin the application
process.
• The hours of operation of the eGrants Web site are 6:00 a.m. Monday
until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00
a.m. Thursday until 8:00 p.m. Sunday,
Washington, DC time. Please note that,
because of maintenance, the system is
unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on
Sundays and 6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and
between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and
6:00 a.m. on Thursdays, Washington,
DC time. Any modifications to these
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
hours are posted on the e-Grants Web
site.
• 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.
• 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—NonConstruction Programs (ED 524), and all
necessary assurances and certifications.
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.
• Prior to submitting your electronic
application, you may wish to print a
copy of it for your records.
• After you electronically submit
your application, you will receive an
automatic acknowledgment that will
include a PR/Award number (an
identifying number unique to your
application).
• Within three working days after
submitting your electronic application,
fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the
Application Control Center after
following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant’s Authorizing
Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the
upper right hand corner of the hardcopy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the
Application Control Center at (202)
245–6272.
• We may request that you provide us
original signatures on other forms at a
later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension
in Case of System Unavailability: If you
are prevented from electronically
submitting your application on the
application deadline date because eApplication is unavailable, we will
grant you an extension of one business
day to enable you to transmit your
application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this
extension if—
(1) You are a registered user of eApplication and you have initiated an
electronic application for this
competition; and
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
42059
(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for
60 minutes or more between the hours
of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington,
DC time, on the application deadline
date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for
any period of time between 3:30 p.m.
and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time,
on the application deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm
these periods of unavailability before
granting you an extension. To request
this extension or to confirm our
acknowledgment of any system
unavailability, you may contact either
(1) the person listed elsewhere in this
notice under For Further Information
Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2)
the e-Grants help desk at 1–888–336–
8930. If e-Application is unavailable
due to technical problems with the
system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be
sent to all registered users who have
initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section
apply only to the unavailability of eApplication. If e-Application is
available, and, for any reason, you are
unable to submit your application
electronically or you do not receive an
automatic acknowledgment of your
submission, you may submit your
application in paper format by mail or
hand delivery in accordance with the
instructions in this notice.
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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education,
Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.327B), 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.
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
42060
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
(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 84.327B), 550 12th
Street, SW., Room 7041, 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.
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
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
grant 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. Review and Selection Process: 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 the specific groups.
This procedure will make it easier for
the Department to find peer reviewers
VerDate Nov<24>2008
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
Jkt 217001
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 Notification
(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: 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 may also 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 provide high-quality
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
products and services, are relevant to
improving outcomes for 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 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:
Glinda Hill, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW.,
Room 4063, PCP, Washington, DC
20202–2550. Telephone: (202) 245–
7376.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal
Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1–800–
877–8339.
VIII. 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 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–
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/
index.html.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary
of Education has delegated authority to
Andrew J. Pepin, Executive
Administrator for the Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services to
perform the functions of the Assistant
Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 160 / Thursday, August 20, 2009 / Notices
Dated: August 14, 2009.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Executive Administrator for Special
Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. E9–20050 Filed 8–19–09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000–01–P
ELECTION ASSISTANCE COMMISSION
Sunshine Act Notice
AGENCY: U.S. Election Assistance
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of Public Meeting &
Hearing Agenda.
DATE & TIME: Wednesday, September 2,
2009, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. EDT (Morning
Session); 1 p.m.–4 p.m. EDT (Afternoon
Session).
PLACE: U.S. Election Assistance
Commission, 1225 New York Ave, NW.,
Suite 150, Washington, DC 20005
(Metro Stop: Metro Center).
AGENDA: The Commission will hold a
public meeting to consider
administrative matters. The Commission
will receive an update about UOCAVA
activities. The Commission will hear
panelists discuss the July 19, 2009
NASS Resolution on Help America Vote
Act of 2002 (HAVA) Grant and Payment
Distinction. The Commission will have
a hearing regarding Commercial-OffThe-Shelf (COTS) Software/Hardware.
Members of the public may observe
but not participate in EAC meetings
unless this notice provides otherwise.
Members of the public may use small
electronic audio recording devices to
record the proceedings. The use of other
recording equipment and cameras
requires advance notice to and
coordination with the Commission’s
Communications Office.*
* View EAC Regulations Implementing
Government in the Sunshine Act.
Alice Miller,
Chief Operating Officer, U.S. Election
Assistance Commission.
[FR Doc. E9–20070 Filed 8–18–09; 11:15 am]
sroberts on DSKD5P82C1PROD with NOTICES
[Docket No. IC09–714–001]
Commission Information Collection
Activities (FERC–714); Comment
Request; Submitted for OMB Review
AGENCY: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, DOE.
ACTION: Notice.
High Energy Physics Advisory Panel
Department of Energy.
16:07 Aug 19, 2009
Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission
August 13, 2009.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
VerDate Nov<24>2008
Issued in Washington DC, on August 14,
2009.
Eric G. Nicoll,
Committee Management Officer.
[FR Doc. E9–19995 Filed 8–19–09; 8:45 am]
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
PERSON TO CONTACT FOR INFORMATION:
Bryan Whitener, Telephone: (202) 566–
3100.
AGENCY:
SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section
14(a)(2)(A) of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, App. 2, and section
102–3.65, title 41, Code of Federal
Regulations and following consultation
with the Committee Management
Secretariat, General Services
Administration, notice is hereby given
that the High Energy Physics Advisory
Panel has been reestablished for a twoyear period.
The Panel will provide advice to the
Associate Director, Office of High
Energy Physics, Office of Science (DOE),
and the Assistant Director,
Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Directorate (NSF), on long-range
planning and priorities in the national
high-energy physics program. The
Secretary of Energy has determined that
reestablishment of the Panel is essential
to conduct business of the Department
of Energy and the National Science
Foundation and is in the public interest
in connection with the performance of
duties imposed by law upon the
Department of Energy. The Panel will
continue to operate in accordance with
the provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463), the
General Services Administration Final
Rule on Federal Advisory Committee
Management, and other directives and
instructions issued in implementation
of those acts.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms.
Rachel Samuel, Deputy Committee
Management Officer, U.S. Department of
Energy. Telephone: (202) 586–3279.
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
This meeting will be open to the
public.
BILLING CODE 6820–KF–P
ACTION: Notice of Reestablishment of the
High Energy Physics Advisory Panel
Charter.
Jkt 217001
SUMMARY: In compliance with the
requirements of section 3507 of the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, 44
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
42061
U.S.C. 3507, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (Commission or
FERC) has submitted the information
collection described below to the Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) for
review of the information collection
requirements. Any interested person
may file comments directly with OMB
and should address a copy of those
comments to the Commission as
explained below. The Commission
received no comments in response to
the Federal Register notice (74FR
22913, 5/15/2009) and has made this
notation in its submission to OMB.
DATES: Comments on the collection of
information are due by September 21,
2009.
ADDRESSES: Address comments on the
collection of information to the Office of
Management and Budget, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Attention: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission Desk Officer. Comments to
OMB should be filed electronically, c/o
oira_submission@omb.eop.gov and
include OMB Control Number 1902–
0140 as a point of reference. The Desk
Officer may be reached by telephone at
202–395–4638.
A copy of the comments should also
be sent to the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission and should refer to Docket
No. IC09–714–001. Comments may be
filed either electronically or in paper
format. Those persons filing
electronically do not need to make a
paper filing. Documents filed
electronically via the Internet must be
prepared in an acceptable filing format
and in compliance with the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission
submission guidelines. Complete filing
instructions and acceptable filing
formats are available at https://
www.ferc.gov/help/submission-guide/
electronic-media.asp. To file the
document electronically, access the
Commission’s website and click on
Documents & Filing, E–Filing (https://
www.ferc.gov/docs-filing/efiling.asp),
and then follow the instructions for
each screen. First time users will have
to establish a user name and password.
The Commission will send an automatic
acknowledgement to the sender’s e-mail
address upon receipt of comments.
For paper filings, an original and 2
copies of the comments should be
submitted to the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission, Secretary of the
Commission, 888 First Street, NE.,
Washington, DC 20426, and should refer
to Docket No. IC09–714–001.
All comments may be viewed, printed
or downloaded remotely via the Internet
through FERC’s homepage using the
‘‘eLibrary’’ link. For user assistance,
E:\FR\FM\20AUN1.SGM
20AUN1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 160 (Thursday, August 20, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42055-42061]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-20050]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview
Information; Technology and Media Services for Individuals With
Disabilities--Research and Development Center on Digital Images and
Graphic Content in Accessible Instructional Materials; Notice Inviting
Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 84.327B.
Dates: Applications Available: August 20, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 19, 2009.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: December 18, 2009.
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: (1) To improve
results for children with disabilities by promoting the development,
demonstration, and use of technology; (2) to support educational media
services activities designed to be of educational value in the
classroom setting to children with disabilities; and (3) to provide
support for captioning and video description of educational materials
that are appropriate for use in the classroom setting.
[[Page 42056]]
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections 674
and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA),
20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481(d)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2010 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from 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:
Technology and Media Services for Individuals With Disabilities--
Research and Development Center on Digital Images and Graphic Content
in Accessible Instructional Materials.
Background:
Section 612(a)(23) of IDEA requires States to provide instructional
materials in accessible formats to students who are blind or have print
disabilities in a timely manner. Section 613(a)(6) of IDEA includes a
similar requirement for local educational agencies (LEAs). In the
process of implementing the accessible instructional materials (AIM)
provisions under IDEA, States, LEAs, and the accessible media producers
(AMPs) who States and LEAs employ to convert instructional materials
into accessible formats have encountered barriers to the production of
high-quality AIM, including limits to the technology available to
produce AIM with appropriate graphic content, such as pictures, tables,
and graphs. In addition, most currently available assistive technology
devices, including text-to-speech readers, and software used by
students to access digital files, do not provide access to images and
graphic content.
Students' access to high-quality AIM, including images and graphic
content, is integral to their successful progress in the general
education curriculum. Images and graphic content make up a significant
portion of the information available in textbooks (Beaver and Oddo,
2005). For example, one eighth grade social studies textbook included
394 photographs and 372 graphics (i.e., charts, maps, timelines,
diagrams, and graphs) (Baker, 2004). The images and graphic content of
this print textbook supplemented the content in the written text and
also presented instructional content that was not included in the
textual material. However, this content is often not accessible to
students who are blind or have print disabilities. Therefore, these
students do not have the same access to the curriculum as their non-
disabled peers.
Currently, there are major barriers to ensuring that students who
are blind or have print disabilities can access written instructional
materials and text that include images and graphic content. First, the
production of images and graphic content in AIM, including tactile
graphics and verbal descriptions, can be time consuming and costly.
Second, most assistive devices and software do not provide access to
the images and graphic content and for those that do, the quality of
the images and graphic content displays is not comparable to the
quality of the images and graphic content included in standard print
instructional materials (Bullen, 2008; Chiari, 2004; Davies, Stock,
King, & Weymeyer, 2008; Unsworth, 2004; Warren, 2009). Since students
who are blind or have print disabilities have inadequate and limited
access to images and graphic content in AIM, they are at a disadvantage
compared to their non-disabled peers.
The Department of Education (Department) currently funds three
projects that produce and disseminate AIM in multiple formats to
students with disabilities: The American Printing House for the Blind
(https://www.aph.org/), Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFB&D)
(https://www.rfbd.org), and Bookshare for Education (B4E) (https://www.bookshare.org/). These projects, funded by the Office of Special
Education Programs (OSEP), and other AMPs produce images and graphic
content in the following formats: (1) Visual displays that may be
modified for accessibility (e.g., magnification, increased contrast,
color content, etc.); (2) images and graphic descriptions in auditory,
print, and braille formats; (3) tactile images and graphics; and (4)
combinations of these formats. Because the production of high-quality
images and graphic content in accessible formats is time-consuming,
costly, and requires high levels of skill and content knowledge to
develop, States and LEAS are having difficulty both including these
images and graphic content in AIM and meeting the statutory requirement
to deliver AIM in a timely manner to students who are blind or have
print disabilities. In addition, software used by students to convert
electronic files into accessible formats such as refreshable braille,
digital audio, synthetic speech, and digital text often does not convey
content included in images and graphics. OSEP intends to fund a center
that will implement a rigorous program of research and development to
improve both the cost, quality, usability, and availability of images
and graphic content in AIM and the devices and software used to access
that content.
Priority
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
support the establishment and operation of a Research and Development
Center on Digital Images and Graphic Content in AIM (Center). The
Center must conduct a systematic program of research to determine: (1)
The availability and technological adequacy of current evidence-based
technologies used to produce high-quality images and graphic content
for AIM; (2) the availability, level of consumer usage, and adequacy of
current devices and software used to access these images and the
graphic content; and (3) the cost, quality, usability, and availability
of both these images and this graphic content and the devices and
software used to access them. The Center must apply the evidence and
knowledge resulting from this research as it plans and conducts
development activities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of
technologies used to produce AIM that include images and graphic
content, and as it develops or modifies devices and software used by
students who are blind or have print disabilities to access electronic
files containing instructional materials that include images and
graphic content.
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: The following Web site provides more information on logic
models and lists multiple online 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
[[Page 42057]]
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 budget for a summative evaluation to be conducted by an
independent third party;
(e) A budget for attendance at the following:
(1) A 1\1/2\-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 three-day Technology Project Directors' Conference in
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period.
(4) Two two-day trips annually 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) Establish a technical advisory and review panel made up of
publishers; AMPs; State educational agency (SEA) and local educational
agency (LEA) representatives; institutions of higher education (IHEs)
representatives; consumers; and technology developers, vendors, and
others with expertise in AIM production, devices, and software. The
technical review panel must meet at least one time each year of the
project. The project must submit the names of the panel members to the
OSEP project officer for approval within 30 days of the start of the
award.
(b) Evaluate current technologies that are used to produce images
and graphic content in digital files in order to make that content
accessible to students who are blind or have print disabilities. These
technologies include conversion of images and graphics into digital
formats such as Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), portable
network graphics (PNG), and scalable vector graphics (SVG) files; video
description; and other digital representations of images and graphics
that can be used to provide accessibility.
(c) Evaluate current devices and software that provide access to
images and graphic content in digital formats. These technologies
include devices and software for reading digital formats, refreshable
braille displays, enlarged displays, and other devices and software
that provide access to digital images and graphic content, such as
programs that convert text to speech.
(d) Collaborate with publishers; AMPs; SEAs; LEAs; consumers; and
technology developers, vendors, and others with expertise in AIM
production, devices, and software--
(1) To develop new or modify current technologies for producing
high-quality images and graphic content for AIM; and
(2) To develop new or modify currently available devices and
software used to access AIM that includes high- quality images and
graphic content.
(e) Select field-test sites and participants for assessing the
cost, quality, usability, and availability of the technologies,
including devices and software products that are developed or modified
by the Center. The final selection of field-test sites must be approved
by the OSEP Project Officer before participation agreements are
finalized between the sites and the Center.
(f) Maintain a Web site that meets government or industry-
recognized standards for accessibility and that links to the Web site
operated by the Technical Assistance Coordination Center (TACC).
(g) Prepare and disseminate reports, documents, and other materials
on:
(1) Current technologies used to produce images and graphic content
for AIM.
(2) Currently available devices and software used to access AIM,
including images and graphic content.
(3) Processes related to the development or modification of:
(i) Technologies used in producing images and graphic content for
AIM.
(ii) Devices and software used to access AIM, including images and
graphic content;
(4) Any devices or software developed or modified by the Center;
and
(5) Related topics, as requested by OSEP, for specific audiences,
including AMPs; SEAs; LEAs; consumers; families of students with
disabilities; and technology developers, vendors, and others with
expertise in AIM production, devices and software. In consultation with
the OSEP Project Officer and the advisory committee established in
accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, the Center must make
selected reports, documents, and other materials available in formats
appropriate for students and families.
(h) Communicate and collaborate, on an ongoing basis, with OSEP-
funded projects, including the National Instructional Materials Access
Center (NIMAC), the National Instructional Materials Accessibility
Standard (NIMAS) Development Center, the NIMAS Technical Assistance
Center, B4E, RFB&D, and TACC. This collaboration could include the
joint development of products, participation in field-testing, and
regular communications and updates on Center activities.
(i) Prior to developing any new product, 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.
(j) Maintain ongoing communication with the OSEP Project Officer
through biweekly 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. This review will be conducted during a one-
day meeting in Washington, DC, that will be held during the last half
of the second year of the project period. 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 have contributed to changed practice and improved student
access to the general education curriculum through improved access to
high-quality accessible instructional materials and devices.
References
Baker, L. Textbooks for blind students come alive. (2004, February
26). UB Reporter, p. 1.
[[Page 42058]]
Beaver, K. A., & Oddo, C. (2005). Final report: Instant access to
braille. Retrieved from University of Buffalo, Center for Assistive
Technology Web site: https://www.cat.buffalo.edu/refreshablebraille/final_report.php.
Bullen, A. (2008, October). The ``Long Tale'': Using Web 2.0
concepts to enhance digital collections. Computers in Libraries, 28
(9), 31-35.
Chiari, A. (2004, October). Ten things TLs should know about video
description. Teacher Librarian, 32 (1), p. 35.
Davies, D. K., Stock, S. E., King, L. R., & Wehmeyer, M. L. (2008,
August). Moby-Dick is my favorite: Evaluating a cognitively
accessible portable reading system for audiobooks for individuals
with intellectual disability. Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities, 46 (4), 290-298.
Unsworth, L. (2004, Summer). Comparing school science explanations
in books and computer-based formats: The role of images, image/text
relations and hyperlinks. International Journal of Instructional
Media, 31 (3) p. 283.
Warren, J. (2009). Innovation and the future of e-books. The
International Journal of the Book, 6 (1), 83-94.
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. 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(d).
Applicable Regulations: The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) 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 IHEs only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: The Administration has requested
$30,949,000 for the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with
Disabilities program for FY 2010, of which we intend to use an
estimated $1,000,000 for the Research and Development Center on Digital
Images and Graphic Content in Accessible Instructional Materials
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 2011 from the list of
unfunded applicants from this competition.
Maximum Awards: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $1,000,000 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.
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: SEAs; LEAs, including public charter
schools that are considered 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 project (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 competition as follows: CFDA number 84.327B.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., braille, large print, audiotape,
or computer diskette) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible 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 the application narrative
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, abstracts, 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 one-page abstract, the
resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support.
However, the page limit does apply to all of the application narrative
section (Part III).
We will reject your application if you exceed the page limit or if
you apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: August 20, 2009.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: October 19, 2009.
Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted
electronically using the Electronic Grant Application System (e-
Application) accessible through the Department's e-Grants site, 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 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
[[Page 42059]]
process should contact the person listed under For Further Information
Contact in section VII of 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: December 18, 2009.
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. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition may be submitted electronically or in paper format by
mail or hand delivery.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications
If you choose to submit your application to us electronically, you
must use e-Application, accessible through the Department's e-Grants
Web site at: https://e-grants.ed.gov.
While completing your electronic application, you will be entering
data online that will be saved into a database. You may not e-mail an
electronic copy of a grant application to us.
Please note the following:
Your participation in e-Application is voluntary.
You must complete the electronic submission of your grant
application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. E-Application will not accept an application for this
competition after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait
until the application deadline date to begin the application process.
The hours of operation of the e-Grants Web site are 6:00
a.m. Monday until 7:00 p.m. Wednesday; and 6:00 a.m. Thursday until
8:00 p.m. Sunday, Washington, DC time. Please note that, because of
maintenance, the system is unavailable between 8:00 p.m. on Sundays and
6:00 a.m. on Mondays, and between 7:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and 6:00 a.m.
on Thursdays, Washington, DC time. Any modifications to these hours are
posted on the e-Grants Web site.
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.
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 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.
Prior to submitting your electronic application, you may
wish to print a copy of it for your records.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive an automatic acknowledgment that will include a PR/Award number
(an identifying number unique to your application).
Within three working days after submitting your electronic
application, fax a signed copy of the SF 424 to the Application Control
Center after following these steps:
(1) Print SF 424 from e-Application.
(2) The applicant's Authorizing Representative must sign this form.
(3) Place the PR/Award number in the upper right hand corner of the
hard-copy signature page of the SF 424.
(4) Fax the signed SF 424 to the Application Control Center at
(202) 245-6272.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
other forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of System
Unavailability: If you are prevented from electronically submitting
your application on the application deadline date because e-Application
is unavailable, we will grant you an extension of one business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically, by mail, or by
hand delivery. We will grant this extension if--
(1) You are a registered user of e-Application and you have
initiated an electronic application for this competition; and
(2) (a) E-Application is unavailable for 60 minutes or more between
the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date; or
(b) E-Application is unavailable for any period of time between
3:30 p.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date.
We must acknowledge and confirm these periods of unavailability
before granting you an extension. To request this extension or to
confirm our acknowledgment of any system unavailability, you may
contact either (1) the person listed elsewhere in this notice under For
Further Information Contact (see VII. Agency Contact) or (2) the e-
Grants help desk at 1-888-336-8930. If e-Application is unavailable due
to technical problems with the system and, therefore, the application
deadline is extended, an e-mail will be sent to all registered users
who have initiated an e-Application.
Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the
unavailability of e-Application. If e-Application is available, and,
for any reason, you are unable to submit your application
electronically or you do not receive an automatic acknowledgment of
your submission, you may submit your application in paper format by
mail or hand delivery in accordance with the instructions in this
notice.
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 following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.327B), 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.
[[Page 42060]]
(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
84.327B), 550 12th Street, SW., Room 7041, 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 grant 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. Review and Selection Process: 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 the 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
Notification (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: 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 may also 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 provide high-quality products and services, are relevant to
improving outcomes for 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 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: Glinda Hill, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4063, PCP, Washington, DC
20202-2550. Telephone: (202) 245-7376.
If you use a TDD, call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free,
at 1-800-877-8339.
VIII. 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 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 1-888-293-6498; 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/.
Delegation of Authority: The Secretary of Education has delegated
authority to Andrew J. Pepin, Executive Administrator for the Office of
Special Education and Rehabilitative Services to perform the functions
of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[[Page 42061]]
Dated: August 14, 2009.
Andrew J. Pepin,
Executive Administrator for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. E9-20050 Filed 8-19-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P