[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 99 (Wednesday, May 24, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23791-23800]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-10663]
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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and
Materials for Individuals With Disabilities--Research and Development
Center on Developing Software To Adapt and Customize Instruction in
Digital Learning Environments To Improve Results for Children With
Disabilities
AGENCY: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services,
Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Education is issuing a notice inviting
applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2017 for Educational
Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities--
Research and Development Center on Developing Software to Adapt and
Customize Instruction in Digital Learning Environments to Improve
Results for Children with Disabilities, Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) number 84.327A.
DATES:
Applications Available: May 24, 2017.
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 10, 2017.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 6, 2017.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tara Courchaine, U.S. Department of
Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5143, Potomac Center Plaza,
Washington, DC 20202-2500. Telephone: (202) 245-6462.
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) or a text
telephone (TTY), call the Federal Relay Service (FRS), toll free, at 1-
800-877-8339.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Full Text of Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Purpose of Program: The purposes of the Educational Technology,
Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program are to:
(1) Improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the
development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) support
educational activities designed to be of educational value in the
classroom for students with disabilities; (3) provide support for
captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the
classroom; and (4) provide accessible educational materials to students
with disabilities in a timely manner.
Priority: In accordance with 34 CFR 75.105(b)(2)(v), this priority
is from allowable activities specified in the statute (see sections
674(b)(2)and 681(d) of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) (20 U.S.C. 1474(b)(2) and 1481(d)).
Absolute Priority: For FY 2017 and any subsequent year in which we
make awards from the list of unfunded applications from this
competition, this priority is an absolute priority. Under 34 CFR
75.105(c)(3), we consider only applications that meet this priority.
This priority is:
Research and Development Center on Developing Software To Adapt and
Customize Instruction in Digital Learning Environments To Improve
Results for Children with Disabilities.
Background:
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
establish and operate a research and development center that will
develop software designed to adapt and customize digital materials for
children with disabilities, whether or not delivered online (Center).
The software should enable teachers to differentiate instruction to
meet the diverse needs of children with disabilities. In this way, the
software
[[Page 23792]]
will: (a) Enable educators, children with disabilities, and their
parents to select settings and preferences that provide access and
customize instructional materials to meet their individual needs in
digital or online instruction; and (b) self-adjust so that material is
presented at appropriate instructional levels based upon an individual
child's input.\1\ When possible, the software should be embedded during
production of the digital materials.
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\1\ For example, the software could provide user preferences and
controls that automatically adapt instructional material to use an
equivalent or alternative resource, such as text passages at
different Lexile levels or mathematical equations with whole numbers
between 1-10 instead of fractions or decimals. These adaptations
would maintain the same learning objectives but present material in
a mode that is both accessible to the student and personalized to
his or her needs. In addition, the applicant may work with a
publisher or distributor of existing online programs (curricula)
with learning progression management by which the order of
presentation to the student changes based upon the student's
responses, such as advancing when a certain level of mastery is
achieved or moving to additional instruction or practice if the
response is inaccurate, etc. This combination of adaptations would
maximize the level of customization and personalization for the
student.
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The IDEA requires the provision of specially designed instruction
to children with disabilities, regardless of the manner in which the
instruction is delivered (traditional classroom setting, online, hybrid
setting) (34 CFR 300.39(a)(1)). Under Department regulations, this
means adapting, as appropriate to meet the needs of an eligible child,
the content, methodology, or delivery of instruction to address the
unique needs of the child that result from the child's disability and
to ensure access of the child to the general curriculum (34 CFR
300.39(b)(3)). However, environments that use digital or online
instruction or resources may not be specially designed for students
with disabilities (Westat, 2016).
The population of students needing specially designed instruction
is significant. Recent estimates suggest that, in the 2013-14 school
year, more than 2.7 million K-12 students, with and without
disabilities, were participating in some type of online learning
(Westat, 2016), and approximately 315,000 K-12 students were enrolled
in statewide, fully online schools (Evergreen Education Group, 2014).
Estimates indicate that more than 75 percent of districts offered at
least some instruction online in the 2013-2014 school year (whether
fully online or blended) (Evergreen Education Group, 2013). Due to the
way data are reported, it is difficult to determine the number of
students with disabilities participating in online environments.
However, it is possible that the percentage is similar to that of
students with disabilities physically in schools (nearly 13 percent),
although estimates vary widely (National Center for Education
Statistics, 2016; Westat 2016).
In spite of the wide use of digital and online materials in
instruction nationwide, there are still challenges to ensuring that (a)
digital instructional material is fully accessible to children with
disabilities, and (b) educators have the ability to effectively
differentiate instruction to meet the individual needs of those
children. Educators often incorrectly assume that if instructional
material is digital, it is accessible, adaptable, and customizable to
meet those children's individual needs; however, that is not
necessarily the case. Even though digital materials may provide some
access to instructional content, they may not adapt or allow for the
customization necessary to ensure that unique needs of children with
disabilities are met.
A number of existing technologies can make instructional materials
accessible (e.g., text to speech, captioning and highlighting features,
embedded videos, digital storybooks, image description, font and size
choices), and some of these digital resources provide access to content
and help to differentiate instruction for children who are engaged
through digital or online platforms; however many obstacles still
remain. These include challenges with implementing the supports and
services specified in their individualized education programs (IEPs).
For example, while font and color options may be readily available in
most applications, there are few options to reduce the complexity of
language. In addition, accessibility features may not be compatible
across all operating systems and platforms.
As a result of these barriers, educators, caregivers, parents, and
children may struggle to find the appropriate features in a timely
manner and could spend extended periods of time attempting to modify
digital materials at the expense of instructional time. In addition,
the inclusion of digital materials in instruction is a relatively new
practice, and inconsistencies exist in the selection of accessibility
features included in the production process. Finally, some of the
technology necessary for successful differentiated instruction is in
its infancy. Software that has the capability to adjust in complexity
based on the child's input is not yet widely available.
If digital learning materials could be more fully and individually
customized and adapted across all learning environments, then children
with disabilities would have more and better access to the general
education curriculum. As such, the Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP) proposes a research center to develop the necessary software to
improve results for children with disabilities.
Priority:
The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to
establish and operate a Research and Development Center on Developing
Software to Adapt and Customize Instruction in Digital Learning
Environments to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities. Under
this priority, the Center must:
(1) Determine the most effective digital products that are
currently available to support differentiated instruction for children
with disabilities in digital and online learning environments;
(2) Determine, for each of these products, the key design
components that maximize the ability of educators, caregivers, parents,
and children to adapt and customize digital content and to
differentiate instruction;
(3) Develop and deliver software that meets current industry
standards and guidelines for accessibility (e.g., WCAG 2.0, EPUB
Accessibility 1.0) \2\ and includes accessible options that can be
embedded into existing learning materials and into new digital learning
materials during their development. Options must allow educators,
caregivers, parents, and children to customize the instructional
material and the software must automatically adjust complexity and
delivery based on the child's input;
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\2\ For additional information on WCAG 2.0, please refer to
https://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag; for additional information on
EPUB Accessibility 1.0, please refer to www.idpf.org/epub/a11y/techniques/techniques.html.
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(4) Ensure that the product is both an Open Educational Resource
(OER) \3\ and licensed through an open access licensing authority;
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\3\ Open Educational Resources (OER) are teaching and learning
materials that you may freely use and reuse at no cost. Unlike
fixed, copyrighted resources, OER have been authored or created by
an individual or organization that chooses to retain few, if any,
ownership rights. Retrieved from www.oercommons.org/about.
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(5) Identify legal issues surrounding accessible education
materials that may impede the use of the product with digital products
or platforms and determine ways to ensure access for all children with
disabilities;
(6) Develop measures to evaluate the potential usefulness and fit
of the selected accessibility components to be included in the
development and production of the software; and
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(7) Maximize the efficiency of the product, by reducing the cost of
including it in the production of materials (including added costs and
time to re-design workflow to create the accessible materials) and
ensuring optimal ease of use by end users.
In addition to these programmatic requirements, to be considered
for funding under this priority, applicants must meet the application
and administrative requirements in this priority, which are:
(a) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Significance of the Project,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Address the need for adaptive software that includes a range of
accessible options that allow the end user to customize the
instructional material and self-adjust based on the child's input. To
meet this requirement, the applicant must present information on what
digital materials are currently available to educators, caregivers,
parents, and children that offer specially designed instruction to meet
the unique needs of children with disabilities; and
(2) Improve outcomes for children with disabilities by enhancing
their ability to access instruction that meets their State's college-
and career-ready standards through differentiated and customized
digital materials.
(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Project Design,'' how the proposed project will--
(1) Ensure that the software developed meets the needs of
publishers, distributors, developers, and end users;
(2) Achieve measurable outcomes. To meet this requirement, the
applicant must develop a logic model that depicts, at a minimum, the
goals, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed projects. A
logic model used in connection with this priority communicates how a
project will achieve its intended outcomes and provides a framework for
both the formative and summative evaluations of the project.
Note: Rather than use the definition of ``logic model'' in
section 77.1(c) of EDGAR, OSEP uses the definition in paragraph
(b)(2) of these application requirements. This definition, unlike
the definition in 34 CFR 77.1(c), differentiates between logic
models and conceptual frameworks. The following Web sites provide
more information on logic models: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.
(3) Use an iterative process of field testing in the development of
the software;
(4) Improve the capabilities of the software by describing the key
components of the software that maximize the ability to adapt and
customize content and to differentiate or individualize instruction in
digital or online environments for children with disabilities and the
specifications necessary for the software to be embedded during design;
(5) Be based on current research and technologies used to develop
accessible education materials and support differentiation of
instruction. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--
(i) How the proposed project will align to current industry
standards and technical specifications in the development of the
software; and
(ii) How the proposed project will work with publishers to ensure
that the software can be embedded into the digital materials during
initial development or retrofitting of existing materials;
(6) Meet current accessibility standards to achieve the intended
outcomes of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the
applicant must describe--
(i) How it proposes to identify and develop the knowledge base on
designing fully accessible and customizable digital and online
instructional materials; and
(ii) How it proposes to ensure that the software will appropriately
tagged metadata. This metadata should allow for the evaluation of
accessibility and adaptation within online and digital learning
environments;
(7) Develop a computer adaptable software product that is readily
available to teachers, instructors, students, and parents; can be
embedded during production; meets accessibility standards; and
facilitates instruction that meets the unique needs of children with
disabilities. To address this requirement, the applicant must
describe--
(i) How the proposed project will develop software that makes
instructional material accessible based on the setting selected by the
educator, caregiver, parent, or child;
(ii) How the proposed project will develop and adaptable software
product that facilitates differentiated instruction by adjusting in
complexity based on the child's input; and
(iii) How the proposed project will include plans for continued
improvement and scale up its work to ensure the software is available
to the widest range of children with disabilities;
(8) Ensure effective communication and collaboration between
project staff, stakeholders, and OSEP, including other OSEP-funded
projects. To address this requirement, the applicant must--
(i) Describe how the project will communicate and collaborate on an
ongoing basis with other OSEP-funded projects;
(ii) Describe how the project will collaborate with publishers,
Accessible Media Producers, technology developers, vendors,
distributors, and others with expertise in accessible education
materials production;
(iii) Describe how the project will communicate using a wide
variety of media methods (presentations, publication, conference
attendance, demonstrations) to reach a broad range of technology
developers, publishers and end users, including educators, children
with disabilities, and parents of children with disabilities; and
(c) In the narrative section of the application under ``Quality of
the Evaluation Plan,'' include an evaluation plan for the project as
described in the following paragraphs. The evaluation plan must
describe: Measures of progress in implementation, including the
criteria for determining the extent to which the project's research and
product development have reached its target population; measures of
intended outcomes or results of the project's activities in order to
evaluate those activities; and how well the goals or objectives of the
proposed project, as described in its logic model, have been met.
The applicant must provide an assurance that, in designing the
evaluation plan, it will--
(1) Designate, with the approval of the OSEP project officer, a
project liaison staff person with sufficient dedicated time, experience
in evaluation, and knowledge of the project to work in collaboration
with the Center to Improve Program and Project Performance (CIP3),\4\
the project director, and the OSEP project officer on the following
tasks:
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\4\ The major tasks of CIP3 are to guide, coordinate, and
oversee the design of formative evaluations for every large
discretionary investment (i.e., those awarded $500,000 or more per
year and required to participate in the 3+2 process) in OSEP's
Technical Assistance and Dissemination; Personnel Development;
Parent Training and Information Centers; and Educational Technology,
Media, and Materials programs. The efforts of CIP3 are expected to
enhance individual project evaluation plans by providing expert and
unbiased technical assistance in designing the evaluations with due
consideration of the project's budget. CIP3 does not function as a
third-party evaluator.
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(i) Revise, as needed, the logic model submitted in the grant
application to
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provide a more comprehensive measurement of implementation and outcomes
and to reflect any changes or clarifications to the model discussed at
the kick-off meeting and throughout the project period;
(ii) Refine the evaluation design and instrumentation proposed in
the grant application consistent with the logic model (e.g., prepare
evaluation questions about significant program processes and outcomes;
develop quantitative or qualitative data collections that permit both
the collection of progress data, including fidelity of implementation,
as appropriate, and the usefulness of the software, designing
instruments or identifying data sources, and identifying analytic
strategies); and
(iii) Revise, as needed, the evaluation plan submitted in the grant
application such that it clearly--
(A) Specifies the measures and associated instruments or sources
for data appropriate to the evaluation questions, suggests analytic
strategies for those data, provides a timeline for conducting the
evaluation, and includes staff assignments for completion of the plan;
and
(B) Can be used to assist the project director and the OSEP project
officer, with the assistance of CIP3, as needed, to specify the
performance measures to be addressed in the project's Annual
Performance Report;
(2) Cooperate with CIP3 staff in order to accomplish the tasks
described in paragraph (1) of this section; and
(3) Dedicate sufficient funds in each budget year to cover the
costs of carrying out the tasks described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of
this section and implementing the evaluation plan.
(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Adequacy of Project Resources,'' how--
(1) The proposed project will encourage applications for employment
from persons who are members of groups that have traditionally been
underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or
disability, as appropriate;
(2) The proposed key project personnel, consultants, and
subcontractors have the qualifications \5\ and experience to carry out
the proposed development of the software and achieve the project's
intended outcomes;
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\5\ This software may require extensive engineering expertise,
such as computer-aided software engineering, which includes the
domain of software tools used to design and implement applications,
especially when embedding automated tools (e.g., accessibility
tools, content adaptation tools) within information systems (e.g.,
online curriculum products).
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(3) The applicant and any key partners have adequate resources to
carry out the proposed activities; and
(4) The proposed costs are reasonable in relation to the
anticipated results and benefits.
(e) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under
``Quality of the Management Plan,'' how--
(1) The proposed management plan will ensure that the project's
intended outcomes will be achieved on time and within budget. To
address this requirement, the applicant must clearly describe--
(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel,
consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and
(ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks,
including an iterative process of field testing and redesigning the
software throughout the five-year grant cycle to include adding more
accessible features and functions to increase the capability of the
software;
(2) Allocation of key project personnel and any consultants and
subcontractors and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate
to achieve the project's intended outcomes;
(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the research and
software development are of high quality, relevant, and useful to
recipients; and
(4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of
perspectives in the software's development and design, including those
of developers; technical designers; publishers; distributors; vendors;
standards consortia members; families, including those who have
children with disabilities; educators, including those who serve
children with disabilities; researchers; and policy makers;
(5) The proposed project will establish and maintain a technical
review board. The technical review board must--
(i) Consist of no fewer than five members representing the full
range of diverse stakeholders, including at least one representative
from each of the following five specific groups: Technology developers;
publishers; end users, including educators of children with
disabilities; persons with disabilities; and parents of children with
disabilities. Board members should be identified and approved by OSEP
no later than six weeks from the award date;
(ii) Meet at least twice per year during the project period with
the project director, relevant project staff, and the OSEP project
officer;
(iii) Evaluate current technologies, standards, and guidelines that
are used and applied in the production and use of educational materials
to ensure that the material is accessible to children with
disabilities; and
(iv) Evaluate current applications, materials, and programs that
support and ensure access to educational materials.
(f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant
must--
(1) Include, in Appendix A, a logic model that depicts, at a
minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the
proposed project.
(2) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines,
as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the
narrative.
(3) Include, in the budget, attendance at the following:
(i) A one and one-half day kick-off meeting in Washington, DC,
after receipt of the award, and an annual planning meeting in
Washington, DC, with the OSEP project officer and other relevant staff
during each subsequent year of the project period;
Note: Within 30 days of receipt of the award, a post-award
teleconference must be held between the OSEP project officer and the
grantee's project director or other authorized representative.
(ii) A two and one-half day project directors' conference in
Washington, DC, during each year of the project period; and
(iii) Two annual two-day trips to attend Department briefings,
Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by
OSEP;
(4) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of
five percent of the grant amount to support emerging needs that are
consistent with the proposed project's intended outcomes, as those
needs are identified in consultation with and approved by the OSEP
project officer. With approval from the OSEP project officer, the
project must reallocate any remaining funds from this annual set-aside
no later than the end of the third quarter of each budget period; and
(5) Maintain a high-quality Web site, with an easy-to-navigate
design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for
accessibility.
References
Evergreen Education Group. (2014). Keeping pace with K-12 digital
learning 2014: An annual review of policy and practice. Retrieved
from http://www.kpk12.com/wp-content/uploads/EEG_KP2014-fnl-
[[Page 23795]]
lr.pdf.
Evergreen Education Group. (2013). Keeping pace with K-12 digital
learning 2013: An annual review of policy and practice. Retrieved
from http://www.kpk12.com/wp-content/uploads/EEG_KP2013-lr.pdf.
National Center for Education Statistics. (2016). Students with
disabilities. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=64.
Westat. 2016. Online learning and IDEA educational environments:
Determining educational environments for students with disabilities.
Retrieved from https://ideadata.org/files/resources/581e7a0a140ba0f0248b4585/5852ca01150ba09f4e8b4576/online-learning-idea-educational-environ/2016/12/15/online-learning-idea-educational-environ.pdf.
Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking: Under the Administrative Procedure
Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 553) the Department generally offers interested
parties the opportunity to comment on proposed priorities and
requirements. Section 681(d) of IDEA, however, makes the public comment
requirements of the APA inapplicable to the priority in this notice.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1474 and 1481.
Applicable Regulations: (a) The Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR parts 75, 77, 79, 81, 82,
84, 86, 97, 98, and 99. (b) The OMB Guidelines to Agencies on
Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) in 2 CFR part
180, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3485. (c) The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part
200, as adopted and amended as regulations of the Department in 2 CFR
part 3474.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants
except federally recognized Indian tribes.
Note: The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply to institutions of
higher education (IHEs) only.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Cooperative agreement.
Estimated Available Funds: The Further Continuing and Security
Assistance Appropriations Act, 2017, would provide, on an annualized
basis, $30,047,000 for the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials
for Individuals with Disabilities program, of which we would use an
estimated $1,000,000 for this competition. The actual level of funding,
if any, depends on final congressional action. However, we are inviting
applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if
Congress appropriates funds for this program.
Contingent upon the availability of funds and the quality of
applications, we may make additional awards in FY 2018 from the list of
unfunded applications from this competition.
Maximum Award: We will reject any application that proposes a
budget exceeding $1,000,000 for a single budget period of 12 months.
Estimated Number of Awards: 1.
Note: The Department is not bound by any estimates in this
notice.
Project Period: Up to 60 months.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: State educational agencies (SEAs); local
educational agencies (LEAs), including public charter schools that are
considered LEAs under State law; IHEs; other public agencies; private
nonprofit organizations; freely associated States and outlying areas;
Indian tribes or tribal organizations; and for-profit organizations.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching: This program does not require cost
sharing or matching.
3. Eligible Subgrantees: (a) Under 34 CFR 75.708(b) and (c) a
grantee may award subgrants--to directly carry out project activities
described in its application--to the following types of entities: IHEs
and private nonprofit organizations suitable to carry out the
activities proposed in the application.
(b) The grantee may award subgrants to entities it has identified
in an approved application.
4. Other General Requirements:
(a) Recipients of funding under this competition must make positive
efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with
disabilities (see section 606 of the IDEA).
(b) Each applicant for, and recipient of, funding must, with
respect to the aspects of their proposed project relating to the
absolute priority, involve individuals with disabilities, or parents of
individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26, in planning,
implementing, and evaluating the project (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of
IDEA).
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: You can obtain an
application package via the internet or from the Education Publications
Center (ED Pubs). To obtain a copy via the internet, use the following
address: www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/grantapps/index.html. To obtain a
copy from ED Pubs, write, fax, or call: ED Pubs, U.S. Department of
Education, P.O. Box 22207, Alexandria, VA 22304. Telephone, toll free:
1-877-433-7827. FAX: (703) 605-6794. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call,
toll free: 1-877-576-7734.
You can contact ED Pubs at its Web site, also: www.EDPubs.gov or at
its email address: [email protected].
If you request an application package from ED Pubs, be sure to
identify this competition as follows: CFDA number 84.327A.
Individuals with disabilities can obtain a copy of the application
package in an accessible format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape,
or compact disc) by contacting the person or team listed under
Accessible Format in section VII of this notice.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: Requirements
concerning the content and form of an application, together with the
forms you must submit, are in the application package for this
competition.
Page Limit: The application narrative (Part III of the application)
is where you, the applicant, address the selection criteria that
reviewers use to evaluate your application. We recommend that you (1)
limit Part III to no more than 70 pages, and (2) use the following
standards:
A ``page'' is 8.5'' x 11'', on one side only, with 1''
margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
Double-space (no more than three lines per vertical inch)
all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings,
footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as
all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
Use a font that is 12 point or larger.
Use one of the following fonts: Times New Roman, Courier,
Courier New, or Arial.
The recommended page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover
sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget
justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; or the
abstract (follow the guidance provided in the application package for
completing the abstract), the table of contents, the list of priority
requirements, the resumes, the reference list, the letters of support,
or the appendices. However, the recommended page limit does apply to
all of Part III, the application narrative, including all text in
charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots.
3. Submission Dates and Times:
Applications Available: May 24, 2017.
[[Page 23796]]
Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: July 10, 2017.
Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted
electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov). For
information (including dates and times) about how to submit your
application electronically, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, please refer to Other Submission Requirements in section
IV of this notice.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the
deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or
auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact
the person listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT. If the
Department provides an accommodation or auxiliary aid to an individual
with a disability in connection with the application process, the
individual's application remains subject to all other requirements and
limitations in this notice.
Deadline for Intergovernmental Review: September 6, 2017.
4. Intergovernmental Review: This competition is subject to
Executive Order 12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR part 79.
Information about Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs under
Executive Order 12372 is in the application package for this
competition.
5. Funding Restrictions: We reference regulations outlining funding
restrictions in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice.
6. Data Universal Numbering System Number, Taxpayer Identification
Number, and System for Award Management: To do business with the
Department of Education, you must--
a. Have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);
b. Register both your DUNS number and TIN with the System for Award
Management (SAM), the Government's primary registrant database;
c. Provide your DUNS number and TIN on your application; and
d. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information
while your application is under review by the Department and, if you
are awarded a grant, during the project period.
You can obtain a DUNS number from Dun and Bradstreet at the
following Web site: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. A DUNS number can be
created within one to two business days.
If you are a corporate entity, agency, institution, or
organization, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal Revenue Service.
If you are an individual, you can obtain a TIN from the Internal
Revenue Service or the Social Security Administration. If you need a
new TIN, please allow two to five weeks for your TIN to become active.
The SAM registration process can take approximately seven business
days, but may take upwards of several weeks, depending on the
completeness and accuracy of the data you enter into the SAM database.
Thus, if you think you might want to apply for Federal financial
assistance under a program administered by the Department, please allow
sufficient time to obtain and register your DUNS number and TIN. We
strongly recommend that you register early.
Note: Once your SAM registration is active, it may be 24 to 48
hours before you can access the information in, and submit an
application through, Grants.gov.
If you are currently registered with SAM, you may not need to make
any changes. However, please make certain that the TIN associated with
your DUNS number is correct. Also note that you will need to update
your registration annually. This may take three or more business days.
Information about SAM is available at www.SAM.gov. To further
assist you with obtaining and registering your DUNS number and TIN in
SAM or updating your existing SAM account, we have prepared a SAM.gov
Tip Sheet, which you can find at: www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/sam-faqs.html.
In addition, if you are submitting your application via Grants.gov,
you must (1) be designated by your organization as an Authorized
Organization Representative (AOR); and (2) register yourself with
Grants.gov as an AOR. Details on these steps are outlined at the
following Grants.gov Web page: www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.
7. Other Submission Requirements: Applications for grants under
this competition must be submitted electronically unless you qualify
for an exception to this requirement in accordance with the
instructions in this section.
a. Electronic Submission of Applications.
Applications for grants under the Research and Development Center
on Developing Software to Adapt and Customize Instruction in Digital
Learning Environments to Improve Results for Children with Disabilities
competition, CFDA number 84.327A, must be submitted electronically
using the Governmentwide Grants.gov Apply site at www.Grants.gov.
Through this site, you will be able to download a copy of the
application package, complete it offline, and then upload and submit
your application. You may not email an electronic copy of a grant
application to us.
We will reject your application if you submit it in paper format
unless, as described elsewhere in this section, you qualify for one of
the exceptions to the electronic submission requirement and submit, no
later than two weeks before the application deadline date, a written
statement to the Department that you qualify for one of these
exceptions. Further information regarding calculation of the date that
is two weeks before the application deadline date is provided later in
this section under Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement.
You may access the electronic grant application for the Research
and Development Center on Developing Software to Adapt and Customize
Instruction in Digital Learning Environments to Improve Results for
Children with Disabilities competition at www.Grants.gov. You must
search for the downloadable application package for this competition by
the CFDA number. Do not include the CFDA number's alpha suffix in your
search (e.g., search for 84.327, not 84.327A).
Please note the following:
When you enter the Grants.gov site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site, as well as the hours of operation.
Applications received by Grants.gov are date and time
stamped. Your application must be fully uploaded and submitted and must
be date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system no later than 4:30:00
p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date. Except as
otherwise noted in this section, we will not accept your application if
it is received--that is, date and time stamped by the Grants.gov
system--after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application
deadline date. We do not consider an application that does not comply
with the deadline requirements. When we retrieve your application from
Grants.gov, we will notify you if we are rejecting your application
because it was date and time stamped by the Grants.gov system after
4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the application deadline date.
The amount of time it can take to upload an application
will vary depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the
application and
[[Page 23797]]
the speed of your internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend
that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the
submission process through Grants.gov.
You should review and follow the Education Submission
Procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov that are
included in the application package for this competition to ensure that
you submit your application in a timely manner to the Grants.gov
system. You can also find the Education Submission Procedures
pertaining to Grants.gov under News and Events on the Department's G5
system home page at www.G5.gov. In addition, for specific guidance and
procedures for submitting an application through Grants.gov, please
refer to the Grants.gov Web site at: www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
You will not receive additional point value because you
submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you
if you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, as described elsewhere in this section, and submit your
application in paper format.
You must submit all documents electronically, including
all information you typically provide on the following forms: The
Application for Federal Assistance (SF 424), the Department of
Education Supplemental Information for SF 424, Budget Information--Non-
Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
You must upload any narrative sections and all other
attachments to your application as files in a read-only Portable
Document Format (PDF). Do not upload an interactive or fillable PDF
file. If you upload a file type other than a read-only PDF (e.g., Word,
Excel, WordPerfect, etc.) or submit a password-protected file, we will
not review that material. Please note that this could result in your
application not being considered for funding because the material in
question--for example, the application narrative--is critical to a
meaningful review of your proposal. For that reason it is important to
allow yourself adequate time to upload all material as PDF files. The
Department will not convert material from other formats to PDF.
Additional, detailed information on how to attach files is in the
application instructions.
After you electronically submit your application, you will
receive from Grants.gov an automatic notification of receipt that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number. This notification indicates
receipt by Grants.gov only, not receipt by the Department. Grants.gov
will also notify you automatically by email if your application met all
the Grants.gov validation requirements or if there were any errors
(such as submission of your application by someone other than a
registered Authorized Organization Representative, or inclusion of an
attachment with a file name that contains special characters). You will
be given an opportunity to correct any errors and resubmit, but you
must still meet the deadline for submission of applications.
Once your application is successfully validated by Grants.gov, the
Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you
an email with a unique PR/Award number for your application.
These emails do not mean that your application is without any
disqualifying errors. While your application may have been successfully
validated by Grants.gov, it must also meet the Department's application
requirements as specified in this notice and in the application
instructions. Disqualifying errors could include, for instance, failure
to upload attachments in a read-only PDF; failure to submit a required
part of the application; or failure to meet applicant eligibility
requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that your submitted
application has met all of the Department's requirements.
We may request that you provide us original signatures on
forms at a later date.
Application Deadline Date Extension in Case of Technical Issues
with the Grants.gov System: If you are experiencing problems submitting
your application through Grants.gov, please contact the Grants.gov
Support Desk, toll free, at 1-800-518-4726. You must obtain a
Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number and must keep a record of it.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your
application on the application deadline date because of technical
problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension
until 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to
enable you to transmit your application electronically or by hand
delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing
instructions described elsewhere in this notice.
If you submit an application after 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC
time, on the application deadline date, please contact the person
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT and provide an explanation
of the technical problem you experienced with Grants.gov, along with
the Grants.gov Support Desk Case Number. We will accept your
application if we can confirm that a technical problem occurred with
the Grants.gov system and that the problem affected your ability to
submit your application by 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the
application deadline date. We will contact you after we determine
whether your application will be accepted.
Note: The extensions to which we refer in this section apply
only to the unavailability of, or technical problems with, the
Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed
to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before
the application deadline date and time or if the technical problem
you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
Exception to Electronic Submission Requirement: You qualify for an
exception to the electronic submission requirement, and may submit your
application in paper format, if you are unable to submit an application
through the Grants.gov system because--
You do not have access to the internet; or
You do not have the capacity to upload large documents to
the Grants.gov system;
and
No later than two weeks before the application deadline
date (14 calendar days or, if the fourteenth calendar day before the
application deadline date falls on a Federal holiday, the next business
day following the Federal holiday), you mail or fax a written statement
to the Department, explaining which of the two grounds for an exception
prevents you from using the internet to submit your application.
If you mail your written statement to the Department, it must be
postmarked no later than two weeks before the application deadline
date. If you fax your written statement to the Department, we must
receive the faxed statement no later than two weeks before the
application deadline date.
Address and mail or fax your statement to: Tara Courchaine, U.S.
Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5143, Potomac
Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-TBD. FAX: (202) 245-7590.
Your paper application must be submitted in accordance with the
mail or hand-delivery instructions described in this notice.
b. Submission of Paper Applications by Mail.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you may mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a
commercial carrier) your application to the Department. You
[[Page 23798]]
must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before
the application deadline date, to the Department at the following
address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center,
Attention: (CFDA Number 84.327A), LBJ Basement Level 1, 400 Maryland
Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20202-4260.
You must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark.
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
U.S. Postal Service.
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the
U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do
not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark.
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
Note: The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated
postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your
local post office.
We will not consider applications postmarked after the application
deadline date.
c. Submission of Paper Applications by Hand Delivery.
If you qualify for an exception to the electronic submission
requirement, you (or a courier service) may deliver your paper
application to the Department by hand. You must deliver the original
and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the
application deadline date, to the Department at the following address:
U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center, Attention:
(CFDA Number 84.327A), 550 12th Street SW., Room 7039, Potomac Center
Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-4260.
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily
between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30:00 p.m., Washington, DC time, except
Saturdays, Sundays, and Federal holidays.
Note for Mail or Hand Delivery of Paper Applications: If you
mail or hand deliver your application to the Department--
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and--if not provided by
the Department--in Item 11 of the SF 424 the CFDA number, including
suffix letter, if any, of the competition under which you are
submitting your application; and
(2) The Application Control Center will mail to you a
notification of receipt of your grant application. If you do not
receive this notification within 15 business days from the
application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of
Education Application Control Center at (202) 245-6288.
V. Application Review Information
1. Selection Criteria: The selection criteria for this competition
are as follows:
(a) Significance (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the significance of the proposed
project.
(2) In determining the significance of the proposed project, the
Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The potential contribution of the proposed project to
increasing the knowledge or understanding of problems issues or
effective strategies.
(ii) The likely utility of the product (such as information,
materials, processes, or techniques) that will result from the proposed
project, including the potential for it being used effectively in a
variety of settings.
(iii) The extent to which the results of the proposed project are
disseminated in ways that will enable others to use the information or
strategies.
(b) Quality of project design (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the services to be
provided by the proposed project.
(2) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the goals, objectives, and outcomes to be
achieved by the proposed project are clearly specified and measurable.
(ii) The extent to which there are (1) a logic model that depicts,
at a minimum, the project's proposed goals, activities, outputs, and
outcomes; and (2) a conceptual framework underlying the proposed
activities and the quality of that model and framework.
(iii) The extent to which the services to be provided by the
proposed project reflect up-to-date knowledge and understanding of
current research and development in the field; are highly relevant and
useful to educators, children, and parents; and are delivered in a
timely, cost-efficient manner.
(iv) The extent to which the proposed project includes a thorough,
high-quality plan for project implementation, and the use of
appropriate tools to ensure successful achievement of project
objectives.
(v) The extent to which the proposed development efforts include
adequate quality controls, and as appropriate, repeated testing of
products.
(vi) The extent to which the services provided by the proposed
project involve the collaboration of appropriate partners for
maximizing the effectiveness of project services.
(c) Quality of the evaluation plan (15 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the evaluation to be
conducted of the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the evaluation, the Secretary
considers the following factors:
(i) The extent to which the methods of evaluation are thorough,
feasible, and appropriate to the goals, objectives, and outcomes of the
proposed project.
(ii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
data and performance feedback for examining the effectiveness of
project implementation strategies and the progress toward achieving
intended outcomes.
(iii) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will produce
quantitative and qualitative data that provide continuous performance
feedback and demonstrate that the project has met intended outcomes.
(iv) The extent to which the methods of evaluation will provide
timely guidance for quality assurance.
(d) Adequacy of project resources (25 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the adequacy of resources, including
the personnel who will carry out the proposed project.
(2) In determining the adequacy of resources, the Secretary
considers the extent to which the applicant encourages applications for
employment from persons who are members of groups that have
traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national
origin, gender, age, or disability.
(3) In addition, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience,
of key project personnel (i.e., project director, project and staff).
(ii) The qualifications, including relevant training and experience
of project consultants or subcontractors.
(iii) The adequacy of support, including facilities, equipment,
supplies, and other resources, from the applicant organization and key
partners.
(iv) The extent to which the costs are reasonable in relation to
the anticipated results and benefits.
(e) Quality of the management plan (20 points).
(1) The Secretary considers the quality of the management plan for
the proposed project.
(2) In determining the quality of the management plan for the
proposed project, the Secretary considers the following factors:
(i) The adequacy of the management plan to achieve the objectives
of the
[[Page 23799]]
proposed project on time and within budget, including clearly defined
responsibilities, timelines, and milestones for accomplishing project
tasks.
(ii) The extent to which the time commitments of the project
director, project staff, and project consultants or subcontractors are
appropriate and adequate to meet the objectives of the proposed
project.
(iii) The adequacy of mechanisms for ensuring high-quality products
and services from the proposed project.
(iv) How the applicant will ensure that a diversity of perspectives
are brought to bear in the operation of the proposed project, including
those of parents, teachers, the business community, a variety of
disciplinary and professional fields, recipients or beneficiaries of
services, or others, as appropriate.
2. Review and Selection Process: We remind potential applicants
that in reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition,
the Secretary may consider, under 34 CFR 75.217(d)(3), the past
performance of the applicant in carrying out a previous award, such as
the applicant's use of funds, achievement of project objectives, and
compliance with grant conditions. The Secretary may also consider
whether the applicant failed to submit a timely performance report or
submitted a report of unacceptable quality.
In addition, in making a competitive grant award, the Secretary
requires various assurances, including those applicable to Federal
civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or
activities receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department
of Education (34 CFR 100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
3. Additional Review and Selection Process Factors: In the past,
the Department has had difficulty finding peer reviewers for certain
competitions because so many individuals who are eligible to serve as
peer reviewers have conflicts of interest. The standing panel
requirements under section 682(b) of IDEA also have placed additional
constraints on the availability of reviewers. Therefore, the Department
has determined that for some discretionary grant competitions,
applications may be separated into two or more groups and ranked and
selected for funding within specific groups. This procedure will make
it easier for the Department to find peer reviewers by ensuring that
greater numbers of individuals who are eligible to serve as reviewers
for any particular group of applicants will not have conflicts of
interest. It also will increase the quality, independence, and fairness
of the review process, while permitting panel members to review
applications under discretionary grant competitions for which they also
have submitted applications.
4. Risk Assessment and Special Conditions: Consistent with 2 CFR
200.205, before awarding grants under this competition the Department
conducts a review of the risks posed by applicants. Under 2 CFR
3474.10, the Secretary may impose special conditions and, in
appropriate circumstances, high risk conditions on a grant if the
applicant or grantee is not financially stable; has a history of
unsatisfactory performance; has a financial or other management system
that does not meet the standards in 2 CFR part 200, subpart D; has not
fulfilled the conditions of a prior grant; or is otherwise not
responsible.
5. Integrity and Performance System: If you are selected under this
competition to receive an award that over the course of the project
period may exceed the simplified acquisition threshold (currently
$150,000), under 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2), we must make a judgment about
your integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under
Federal awards--that is, the risk posed by you as an applicant--before
we make an award. In doing so, we must consider any information about
you that is in the integrity and performance system (currently referred
to as the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System
(FAPIIS)), accessible through SAM. You may review and comment on any
information about yourself that a Federal agency previously entered and
that is currently in FAPIIS.
Please note that, if the total value of your currently active
grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from the
Federal Government exceeds $10,000,000, the reporting requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, require you to report certain integrity
information to FAPIIS semiannually. Please review the requirements in 2
CFR part 200, Appendix XII, if this grant plus all the other Federal
funds you receive exceed $10,000,000.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: If your application is successful, we notify your
U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators and send you a Grant Award
Notification (GAN); or we may send you an email containing a link to
access an electronic version of your GAN. We may notify you informally,
also.
If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding,
we notify you.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: We identify
administrative and national policy requirements in the application
package and reference these and other requirements in the Applicable
Regulations section of this notice.
We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of
an award in the Applicable Regulations section of this notice and
include these and other specific conditions in the GAN. The GAN also
incorporates your approved application as part of your binding
commitments under the grant.
3. Reporting: (a) If you apply for a grant under this competition,
you must ensure that you have in place the necessary processes and
systems to comply with the reporting requirements in 2 CFR part 170
should you receive funding under the competition. This does not apply
if you have an exception under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
(b) At the end of your project period, you must submit a final
performance report, including financial information, as directed by the
Secretary. If you receive a multiyear award, you must submit an annual
performance report that provides the most current performance and
financial expenditure information as directed by the Secretary under 34
CFR 75.118. The Secretary may also require more frequent performance
reports under 34 CFR 75.720(c). For specific requirements on reporting,
please go to www.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/appforms/appforms.html.
4. Performance Measures: Under the Government Performance and
Results Act of 1993, the Department has established a set of
performance measures, including long-term measures, that are designed
to yield information on various aspects of the effectiveness and
quality of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for
Individuals with Disabilities Program. These measures are included in
the application package and focus on the extent to which projects are
of high quality, are relevant to improving outcomes of children with
disabilities, contribute to improving outcomes for children with
disabilities, and generate evidence of validity and availability to
appropriate populations. Projects funded under this competition are
required to submit data on these measures as directed by OSEP.
Grantees will be required to report information on their project's
performance in annual performance reports and additional performance
data
[[Page 23800]]
to the Department (34 CFR 75.590 and 75.591).
5. Continuation Awards: In making a continuation award under 34 CFR
75.253, the Secretary considers, among other things: Whether a grantee
has made substantial progress in achieving the goals and objectives of
the project; whether the grantee has expended funds in a manner that is
consistent with its approved application and budget; and, if the
Secretary has established performance measurement requirements, the
performance targets in the grantee's approved application.
In making a continuation award, the Secretary also considers
whether the grantee is operating in compliance with the assurances in
its approved application, including those applicable to Federal civil
rights laws that prohibit discrimination in programs or activities
receiving Federal financial assistance from the Department (34 CFR
100.4, 104.5, 106.4, 108.8, and 110.23).
VII. Other Information
Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this
document and a copy of the application package in an accessible format
(e.g., braille, large print, audiotape, or compact disc) by contacting
the Management Support Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue SW., Room 5113, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC
20202-2500. Telephone: (202) 245-7363. If you use a TDD or a TTY, call
the FRS, toll free, at 1-800-877-8339.
Electronic Access to This Document: The official version of this
document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free
Internet access to the official edition of the Federal Register and the
Code of Federal Regulations is available via the Federal Digital System
at: www.gpo.gov/fdsys. At this site you can view this document, as well
as all other documents of this Department published in the Federal
Register, in text or PDF. To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat
Reader, which is available free at the site.
You may also access documents of the Department published in the
Federal Register by using the article search feature at:
www.federalregister.gov. Specifically, through the advanced search
feature at this site, you can limit your search to documents published
by the Department.
Dated: May 19, 2017.
Ruth E. Ryder,
Deputy Director, Office of Special Education Programs, delegated the
duties of the Assistant Secretary for Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-10663 Filed 5-23-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P