Video Description Research and Development Center
Grant: Video Description Research and Development Center
Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Division: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
Deadline: October 12, 2010
Description: To ensure that children who are blind or visually impaired have access to all educational program content, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) provides competitive grant funds to support the video description of educational television programs.
However, teachers are increasingly using the Internet and other technological devices (e.g., cell phones, smart phones, digital video cameras) rather than television for instruction. Unfortunately, much of the educational program content provided via the Internet or through other technological devices is not accessible to children who are blind or visually impaired. While progress has been made in accessibility – through video description – for television programming that is appropriate for the classroom setting, there is currently no legal requirement or any OSEP-funded project for providing video description for educational program content delivered via the Internet (e.g., YouTube, YouTube EDU, Second Life and virtual online courses) or through technological devices (e.g., smart phones, cell phones and digital video cameras). The technology needed to provide description for educational program content delivered via the Internet or through other technological devices is either just beginning to emerge or yet to be developed.
It is essential to develop methods for providing video description that can be used in conjunction with the Internet and other technological devices in order to ensure that all students who are blind or visually impaired have access to educational program content delivered through those methods. In addition, it is important to explore emerging alternatives to video description that could improve the accessibility of educational program content.
The purpose of this funding announcement is to fund a cooperative agreement to support the establishment and operation of the Video Description Research and Development Center. The purpose of the Center is to advance the research and development of video description, as well as alternative approaches to video description, to improve the accessibility of educational program content delivered via the Internet or through other technological devices (other than television) for students who are blind or visually impaired.
The Center must, at a minimum, conduct the following activities:
- Complete a systematic review and synthesis of existing research on technology that provides accessibility to educational program content that is delivered via the Internet or through other technological devices for children who are blind or visually impaired.
- Develop methods for providing video description that can be used in conjunction with the Internet and other technological devices in order to ensure that students who are blind or visually impaired have access to educational program content delivered through these methods.
- Conduct research on emerging alternatives to video description that could improve the accessibility of educational program content.
- Collaborate with researchers and technology experts to enhance or develop new open source technologies that make educational program content – appropriate for use in the classroom and delivered via the Internet or through other technological devices – accessible through video description.
- Systematically field-test and evaluate the efficacy of the technologies developed.
- Ensure that all technology will be available as open source materials.
- Develop and implement – upon review and approval from OSEP – a strategy for disseminating research and development findings, in open source format, to key stakeholders, including educators, technology developers, vendors, researchers and federally-funded technical assistance and dissemination projects.
Fit for public broadcasting: This grant program provides funding to establish a center that researches and develops technology and strategies for making all educational media accessible to visually impaired people. Because public broadcasting stations have experience with closed captioning, video description and educational media, they may be capable of establishing a Video Description Research and Development Center with funding from this opportunity. Only one award will be made, but public broadcasters have unique and relevant experience that makes them well-qualified.
Eligibility: State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), public charter schools that are LEAs under state law, institutions of higher education, other public agencies, private nonprofit organizations, outlying areas, freely associated States, Indian tribes or tribal organizations and for-profit organizations are all eligible to apply.
The projects funded under this competition must make positive efforts to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities. Additionally, 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 projects.
Anticipated funding: An estimated $1,000,000 is available for this competition, and approximately one award will be distributed. The project period is up to 24 months, but any application that proposes a budget exceeding $1,000,000 for a single budget period of 12 months will be rejected.
How to apply: Applications may be submitted electronically using e-Application, or in paper format by mail or hand delivery.
Resources:
Program notice
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services website
