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]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[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]


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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