Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities - Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities
Grant: Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities - Steppingstones of Technology Innovation for Children with Disabilities
Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Division: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
Deadline: April 21, 2011
Description: The purposes of the Technology and Media Services for Individuals with Disabilities program are to:
- Improve results for children with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology.
- Support educational media services activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom setting to children with disabilities.
- Provide support for captioning and video description that are appropriate for use in the classroom setting.
To be eligible for this program, applicants must:
- Describe a technology-based approach for use in early intervention programs, response-to-intervention assessment techniques, or preschool, elementary school, middle school or high school educational programs that is designed to improve results for children with disabilities.
- Present a justification, based on scientifically rigorous research or theory, that demonstrates the potential effectiveness of the technology-based approach.
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Provide a detailed plan for conducting work in one of the following two phases:
- Phase 1: Development projects that develop and refine a technology-based approach and test its feasibility for use with children with disabilities. Activities under Phase 1 may include development, adaptation and refinement of technology, materials or methodologies.
- Phase 2: Research projects that subject technology-based approaches to rigorous field-based research to determine their effectiveness
Competitive preference and an additional three points will be given to applications that meet one or both of the following priorities:
- Competitive Preference Priority 1: Applicants with projects that are designed to improve school readiness and success by using technology-based approaches for children with disabilities from birth through third grade and focus on one or more of the following priority areas: physical well-being and motor development, social-emotional development, language and literacy development, cognition and general knowledge and approaches toward learning.
- Competitive Preference Priority 2: Applicants with projects that are designed to focus on technology-based approaches for instruction in science, mathematics or both for children with disabilities.
Review the Office of Special Education Program's Discretionary Grants Public Database for previously funded projects.
Fit for public broadcasting: This program has a long history of supporting public broadcasters. In the past, WGBH in Boston has been recognized for its closed captioning work for the hearing impaired. WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) was also awarded for their edescription program, a technology designed to adapt broadcast description methodologies for use with classroom media to improve access to and participation in the curricula for students with visual impairments.
The National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) at WGBH provides a number of research and development resources for stations interested in addressing barriers to media and emerging technologies for people with disabilities. Click here to visit the website.
Eligibility: State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), institutions of higher education, other public agencies and nonprofit organizations are all eligible to apply.
Anticipated funding: The U.S. Department of Education has requested $2,400,000 for this program. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. Applications are, however, invited to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Phase 1 awards will range from $100,00 to $200,000, and Phase 2 awards will range from $200,000 to $300,000. The estimated average size of Phase 1 awards is $200,000, $300,000 for Phase 2 awards. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that it will award six Phase 1 awards and four Phase 2 awards. Projects funded under Phase 1 will be funded for upt o 24 months. Projects funded under Phase 2 will be funded for up to 36 months.
How to apply: Applications can be obtained online. Applications may be submitted electronically using Grants.gov or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. Online submission requires registration, a process that usually takes three to five business days but can take as long as four weeks. Be sure to visit Grants.gov and begin registering well in advance of the deadline.
To do business with the U.S. Department of Education, applicants must have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) and must register both numbers with the Central Contractor Registry (CCR), the Government's primary registrant database. Active CCR registration with current information must be maintained while applications are under review and during the project period, if a grant is awarded.
Resources:
Program notice
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services website
Review the Office of Special Education Program's Discretionary Grants Public Database for previously funded projects.
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