[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 144 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18340]


[Federal Register: July 28, 1994]


  
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Part IV





Department of Education





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Educational Media Research, Production, Distribution, and Training 
Program; Notice
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Educational Media Research, Production, Distribution, and 
Training Program

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Notice of Proposed Funding Priorities.

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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes priorities under the Educational Media 
Research, Production, Distribution, and Training Program. The Secretary 
takes this action to focus Federal financial assistance on those areas 
of greatest need. These priorities are intended to ensure the continued 
availability of closed-captioned daytime television programming, 
provide cultural experiences to deaf and hard of hearing individuals, 
continue to provide educational books on audiotapes to people who are 
visually or print disabled, continue the operation of the captioned 
films/video distribution system, and support video description of 
national television programming.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 29, 1994.

ADDRESSES: All comments concerning these proposed priorities should be 
addressed to Ernest E. Hairston, U.S. Department of Education, 400 
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4629, Switzer Building, Washington, DC 
20202-2731.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ernest E. Hairston Telephone: (202) 
205-9172; Users of telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs) may 
call (202) 205-8169; or the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 
1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through 
Friday.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains five proposed 
priorities under the Educational Media Research, Production, 
Distribution, and Training Program authorized under Part F of the 
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purposes of the 
program are to promote the general welfare of deaf and hard of hearing 
individuals and individuals with visual impairments, and to promote the 
educational advancement of individuals with disabilities.
    The priorities proposed in this notice would ensure the continued 
availability of closed-captioned daytime television programming. In 
addition, the proposed priorities would support activities that provide 
cultural experiences to enrich the lives of deaf and hard of hearing 
individuals, including children and youth, as well as adults. The 
proposed priorities would provide educational reading materials and 
textbooks on audiotape to persons who are visually or print disabled.
    Additional proposed priorities would support a captioned films/
videos distribution system to provide hearing impaired and other 
qualified individuals with access to captioned educational and general 
interest films and videos on a nonprofit free loan basis, and video 
description of national television programming in order to make 
television more accessible to persons with visual impairments.
    This program supports the National Education Goals by assisting 
those with disabilities in school readiness and adult literacy.
    The Secretary will announce the final priorities in a notice in the 
Federal Register. The final priorities will be determined by comments 
received in response to this notice, available funds, and other 
considerations of the Department. Funding of particular projects 
depends on the availability of funds, the content of the final 
priorities, and the quality of the applications received. The 
publication of these proposed priorities does not preclude the 
Secretary from proposing additional priorities, nor does it limit the 
Secretary to funding only these priorities, subject to meeting 
applicable rulemaking requirements.

    Note: This notice of proposed priorities does not solicit 
applications. A notice inviting applications under these 
competitions will be published in the Federal Register concurrent 
with or following publication of the notice of final priorities.

Priorities

    Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an 
absolute preference to applications that meet the following priorities. 
The Secretary proposes to fund under these competitions only those 
applications that meet these absolute priorities:

Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Closed-Captioned Daytime Television 
Programs

Background

    This proposed priority would continue and expand closed-captioning 
of a variety of daytime television programs broadcast nationally for 
persons who are deaf or hard of hearing during this segment of the day 
that has proven to be the most difficult in terms of private sector 
support.
    Priority: To be considered for funding under this proposed 
priority, a project must--
    (1) Include the criteria used to determine which programs are 
proposed for captioning. These criteria must take into account the 
preference of consumers for particular programs, the diversity of 
programming available, and the contribution of programs to the general 
educational and cultural experiences of individuals with hearing 
impairments;
    (2) Determine the total number of hours and the projected cost per 
hour for each program to be captioned;
    (3) For each proposed program to be captioned, identify the source 
of private or other public support and the projected dollar amount of 
that support;
    (4) Identify the methods of captioning to be used for each hour and 
the projected cost per hour for each method used;
    (5) Provide and maintain back-up systems that would ensure 
successful, timely captioning service;
    (6) Demonstrate the willingness of major national television 
networks and companies to permit captioning of their programs; and
    (7) Implement procedures for monitoring the extent to which full 
and accurate captioning is provided and use this information to make 
refinements in captioning operations.

Proposed Absolute Priority 2--Cultural Experiences for Deaf and Hard of 
Hearing Individuals

Background

    This priority supports a variety of cultural activities designed to 
enrich the lives of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, including 
children and youth, as well as adults. These activities must use an 
integrated approach that mixes children, youth, and adults, who are 
deaf and hard of hearing with those who can hear while conducting 
cultural experiences that will increase public awareness and 
understanding of deafness and other hearing impairments and of the 
artistic and intellectual achievements of deaf and hard of hearing 
individuals.
    During FY 1992 the Department funded projects that: (1) provided 
theatrical experiences for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, and 
(2) used integrated approaches by having among cast members a mixture 
of deaf, hard of hearing and hearing performers. During FY 1993 
cultural experiences were extended specifically to younger people with 
hearing impairments and to the creation of art as well as theatrical 
experiences, using the same approaches. Projects under this proposed 
priority can include a variety of artistic approaches such as the 
creation of works of art (painting, drawing, designing, etc.), dance, 
and storytelling, as well as developing and performing dramatic 
productions. A grantee may not use funds under this priority for 
passive activities such as viewing a play or video, or passively 
watching a storyteller or artist at work.
    Priority: To be considered for funding under this priority, a 
project must--
    (1) Use an integrated approach that mixes children, youth, and 
adults who are deaf and hard of hearing, with those who are hearing in 
carrying out project activities; and
    (2) Develop and implement strategies that will increase public 
awareness and understanding of deafness and other hearing impairments 
and of the artistic and intellectual achievements of deaf and hard of 
hearing individuals, including children, youth, and adults. Outreach 
activities such as promoting the project to schools, community 
organizations, news media, and relevant national organizations are 
encouraged.

Invitational Priority

    Within this absolute priority 2, the Secretary is particularly 
interested in applications that meet the following invitational 
priority. However, pursuant to 34 CFR 75.105(c)(i), an application that 
meets this invitational priority does not receive competitive or 
absolute preference over applications that do not meet this priority:
    Projects that include people from a variety of cultural, racial, 
and ethnic backgrounds.

Proposed Absolute Priority 3--Captioned Films and Videos Distribution 
System

Background

    This proposed priority would support the operation of a captioned 
films/videos distribution system which provides deaf and hard of 
hearing individuals, as well as other eligible individuals with 
disabilities, with access to captioned educational and general interest 
films and videos on a nonprofit free-loan basis. Activities under this 
proposed priority include, but are not limited to: 1) a computerized 
user-registration process; 2) circulation of captioned films and 
videos; 3) development or updating of a catalog of captioned films and 
videos in the collection; and 4) outreach activities. This proposed 
priority would provide students and other eligible individuals with 
disabilities with captioned films and videos so they may benefit from 
the same educational media used to enrich the educational experiences 
of students and other individuals who do not have disabilities.
    Priority: To be considered for funding under this proposed 
priority, the project must--
    (1) Develop strategies and procedures to be implemented in 
operating a distribution system, consisting of local and regional 
centers including depositories, and one central general interest and 
educational films/video center. Local and regional centers may include 
State schools for disabled individuals, public or private school 
systems, public libraries, colleges or universities, or other 
distribution points that distribute captioned films/videos.
    (2) Ensure that the system permits interdepository circulation of 
captioned films/videos, allows individuals, depositories, and local and 
regional centers to access booking information from the computerized 
depositories and the general interest and educational films/video 
center via modem and generic communication software, and provides 
immediate confirmation or denial of a request;
    (3) Establish and describe the computerized registration procedures 
that will be used to register users. The current computerized system 
configuration may be used as a basis;
    (4) Develop and implement criteria and procedures for replacing 
irreparable films/videos;
    (5) Prepare, update, and distribute copies of a catalog listing all 
captioned films/videos available under this project;
    (6) Convene an annual meeting of depository managers, librarians, 
and audiovisual and other personnel from local, regional, and State 
educational agencies for the purpose of training, planning, sharing, 
brainstorming, and other activities related to improving the access of 
eligible individuals to audiovisual materials. The Washington, D.C. 
metropolitan area will be the site of the meeting;
    (7) Implement outreach activities, especially activities that reach 
out to local school systems to make them aware of the open and closed 
captioned materials that are available to them under this program and 
from other sources; and
    (8) Submit quarterly progress reports to the grants and project 
officers.

Proposed Absolute Priority 4--Recorded Audio Cassettes for Visually and 
Print Disabled Students

Background

    This proposed priority would support recording, producing, 
duplicating, and distributing \15/16\ ips (inch per second) four-track 
cassette versions of textbooks and other educational reading materials 
for students (elementary, secondary, postsecondary & graduate) who are 
visually or print disabled. These cassette tapes will help provide 
equal educational opportunities to target students and lessen some of 
the barriers they face in classrooms.
    Priority: To be considered for funding under this priority, the 
project must--
    (1) Handle all requests for materials, including confirmation of 
eligibility by disability;
    (2) Arrange for use of copyrights from publishers of supplied 
textbooks;
    (3) Record or duplicate the books on \15/16\ ips (inch per second), 
four-track cassettes of one hour per track recording time. (Publishers 
must be provided rights to copies of the master tape and rights to 
market the cassettes as they see fit);
    (4) Mail the cassettes on a free-loan, postage paid basis; and
    (5) Handle returned cassettes, preservative re-recording, and all 
other associated administrative and circulation functions.
    (6) To the extent that funds are not sufficient to meet the demand 
for free materials, place a priority on providing free materials that 
are not otherwise required to be provided by educational agencies or 
institutions.

Proposed Absolute Priority 5--Video Description Project

Background

    This proposed priority supports the description of national 
television programming in order to make television more accessible to 
persons with visual impairments. The intent of this priority is to 
provide access to a diversity of programming available in order to 
enhance shared educational, social, and cultural experiences for 
persons who are visually impaired. The range of programs proposed for 
description may include, but is not limited to, children's programs, 
prime time programming, emergency broadcasts, sports programs, and 
documentaries.

Priority

    To be considered for funding under this proposed priority, a 
project must--
    (1) For selecting programs to be video described, include criteria 
that take into account the preference of consumers for particular 
programs, the diversity of programming available, and the contribution 
of programs to the general educational, social, and cultural experience 
of individuals with visual impairments;
    (2) Determine the total number of hours and the projected cost per 
hour for each program to be described;
    (3) For each program to be described, identify the source of 
private or other public support, if any, and the projected dollar 
amount of that support;
    (4) Identify the methods to be used in the provision of described 
video;
    (5) Demonstrate the willingness of major national television 
networks and companies to permit video description of their programs; 
and
    (6) Implement procedures for monitoring the extent to which an 
accurate description is provided and use this information to make 
refinements in the video description operations.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order 
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the 
Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a 
strengthened federalism by relying on processes developed by State and 
local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal 
financial assistance.
    In accordance with the order, this document is intended to provide 
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for 
this program.

Invitation to Comment

    Interested persons are invited to submit comments and 
recommendations regarding these proposed priorities.
    All comments submitted in response to these proposed priorities 
will be available for public inspection during and after the comment 
period, in Room 4620, Switzer Building, 330 C Street, S.W., Washington, 
D.C. between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday of each week except Federal holidays.
    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Parts 330, 331, and 332.

    Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1451, 1452.

(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.026, 
Educational Media Research, Production, Distribution, and Training 
Program)

    Dated: July 22, 1994.
Howard R. Moses,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative 
Services.
[FR Doc. 94-18340 Filed 7-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P