PKG00253459-instructions.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION & REHABILITATIVE SERVICES

OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202

FISCAL YEAR 2019

APPLICATION FOR NEW GRANTS UNDER THE

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION ACT (IDEA)

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA, AND MATERIALS FOR

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES PROGRAM

(CFDA 84.327)

APPLICATIONS FOR NEW AWARDS;

NATIONAL CENTER ON ACCESSIBLE

EDUCATION MATERIALS FOR LEARNING

(CFDA 84.327Z)

DATED MATERIAL: OPEN IMMEDIATELY

CLOSING DATE: SEPTEMBER 3, 2019

FORM APPROVED—OMB NO. 1820-0028, EXP. DATE: 7/31/2022

http://www.ed.gov/

GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE CFDA 84.327Z

CONTENTS

Applicant Letter ...................................................................................................................... A1

Notice Inviting Applications .................................................................................................. B1

Federal Register Notice ...................................................................................................... B2

Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants ............................................. B30

Priority Description and Selection Criteria........................................................................... C1

National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning (CFDA 84.327Z) .......... C2

Selection Criteria and Format for the Applications for New Awards—National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning (CFDA 84.327Z) Competition .............. C20

General Information on Completing an Application ............................................................ D1

Application Transmittal Instructions and Requirements for Intergovernmental Review ..................................................................................................... E1

Application Transmittal Instructions .................................................................................... E2

Appendix ................................................................................................................................ F1

Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs ................................................................. F2

State Single Points of Contact (SPOCs) ............................................................................. F3

Notice to All Applicants Ensuring Equitable Access and Application Forms and Instructions ......................................................................................................... G1

Part I: Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) ............................................................ G6

Part II: Budget Information (Form 524) ............................................................................. G21

Part III: Application Narrative ............................................................................................ G27

Part IV: Assurances and Certifications .............................................................................. G28

Assurances—Non-Construction Programs ........................................................... G28

Certification Regarding Lobbying .......................................................................... G31

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities ........................................................................... G32

Part V: Additional Information ........................................................................................... G33

DUNS Number Instructions ................................................................................... G33

Grant Application Receipt Acknowledgement ........................................................ G33

Grant and Contract Funding Information ............................................................... G33

PAPERWORK BURDEN STATEMENT

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a currently valid OMB control number.

The valid OMB control number for this collection is 1820-0028. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 45 hours and 40 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to respond to this collection is required to obtain or retain a benefit (P.L. 108-446, Sec. 650 and 682). If you have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission of this form, please contact the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) Discretionary Grant Programs, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, U.S.

Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Potomac Center Plaza, room 5008C, Washington D.C. 20202-5076 or by phone at 202-245-7542.

A1

APPLICANT LETTER

A2

Dear Applicant:

This application packet contains information and the required forms for you to use in submitting a new application for funding under one program authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This packet covers one competition under the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities (CFDA 84.327) program—Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities— National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning (CFDA No. 84.327Z).

Please take the time to review all of the applicable requirements, definitions, selection criteria, and application instructions thoroughly. An application will not be evaluated for funding if the applicant does not comply with all of the procedural rules that govern the submission of the application or if the application does not contain the information required. (EDGAR §75.216 (b) and (c)).

Please note the following:

• GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND SAM REGISTRATION.

Applications for grants under this competition must be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (www.Grants.gov). Please read carefully the Grants.gov Submission Procedures and Tips for Applicants document included on page B-30, which includes helpful tips about submitting electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site. Grants.gov registration involves many steps including registration on SAM (www.sam.gov) which may take approximately one week to complete, but could take as many as several weeks to complete. You may begin working on your application while completing the registration process, but you cannot submit an application until all of the Registration steps are complete. Please note that once your SAM registration is active, it will take 24-48 hours for the information to be available in Grants.gov. You cannot submit an application through Grants.gov until Grants.gov has received your SAM registration information. We strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with SAM and Grants.gov and strongly recommend that you register and submit early.

Applicants are required to upload any narrative sections and all other attachments to your application as files in either Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word.

However, it is recommended that applicants upload files as read-only flattened PDFs.

Information on computer and operating system compatibility with Adobe and links to download the latest version of Adobe are available on Grants.gov. Please note that you must follow the Application Procedures as described in the Federal Register notice announcing this grant competition. Information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically can also be found in section E of this application package, Application Transmittal Instructions and Requirements for Intergovernmental Review.

Additional instructions for sending applications electronically are provided on page E-2, Application Forms and Instructions for Grants.gov Applications.

http://www.sam.gov/

A3

• MAXIMUM AWARD AMOUNT.

The competition included in this package has a maximum award amount. Please refer to the specific information for the priority/competition to which you are submitting an application (i.e., Section B of this package) for detailed budget information for the total grant period requested.

Please be advised that for the priority in this package, the maximum award amount covers all project costs including indirect costs.

• RECOMMENDED PAGE LIMITS AND LINE SPACING OF APPLICATION NARRATIVE.

The competition included in this package limits the Part III Application Narrative to a recommended number of double-spaced pages. This recommended page limit and double-line spacing applies to all material presented in the application narrative. This recommended double-line spacing applies to all titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, reference citations, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, graphs, and screen shots included in the application narrative. (Please refer to the specific recommendations on page limits for the priority/competition to which you are submitting an application, Section B of this package).

• FORMAT FOR OTHER SECTIONS OF THE APPLICATION.

Additional information regarding formatting applications has been included on Pages D-3 and D-4 of the “General Information on Completing an Application” section of this package.

Appendix A: Reviewers will be instructed to review the content of Appendix A as they do the application narrative. Reviewers will not be required to review any other appendices.

Charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots and logic models that provide information directly relating to the application requirements for the narrative should be the only items included in Appendix A. Appendix A should not be used for supplementary information. Please note that charts, tables, figures, graphs, screen shots, and logic models can be single-spaced when placed in an Appendix A.

Abstract: For the application Abstract, applicants should use the template located at:

https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html

• ABSOLUTE PRIORITY.

This competition includes one absolute priority. The Department will use peer reviewers to review and score applications on the selection criteria.

https://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html

A4

• Prior to the peer review, Department staff will determine if an application has met the absolute priority and is eligible for peer review. An application that has not met the absolute priority will not be considered for funding and may not be reviewed.

• PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS IN RESEARCH.

The discretionary grant Application Form SF-424 requires applicants to indicate whether they plan to conduct research involving human subjects at any time during the proposed project period. The Protection of Human Subjects in Research Attachment is an integral part of the SF-424 form. It includes information that applicants need to complete the protection of human subjects item and, as appropriate, to provide additional information to the Department regarding human subjects research projects. Additional information on completing the protection of human subjects item is also available and can be accessed on the internet at:

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html

• RESPONSE TO GPRA.

As required by the Government Performance and Results Modernization Act (GPRA) of 2010 the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has developed a strategic plan for measuring GPRA performance. The program included in this announcement is authorized under Part D - National Activities to Improve Education of Children with Disabilities of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Projects funded under this competition are required to submit data on GPRA performance measures as directed by OSEP. See Performance Measures included in the Priority Description section of this application package. Applicants are encouraged to consider this information when preparing their applications.

• COPIES OF THE APPLICATION.

Unless you qualify for an exception in accordance with the instructions found in the Notice inviting applications, you must submit your application electronically. Therefore, you do not need to submit paper copies of the application. If you are granted an exception, current Government-wide policy requires that an original and two paper copies need to be submitted. Please note: If an application is recommended for funding and a grant award is issued, we will contact the applicant to request an electronic copy of the application in MS Word or a PDF file. The Department is moving toward an electronic grant filing system and an electronic copy of all applications that are being funded will facilitate this effort.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

OSEP also provides information on developing performance measures and logic models at https://www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel to assist you in preparing a quality application.

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/gcsindex.html http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/humansub.html https://www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel

A5

For information about other U.S. Department of Education grant and contract opportunities, we encourage you to use the Department's grant information web page which can be accessed on the internet at:

http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html

We appreciate your efforts to improve the provision of services for individuals with disabilities.

Sincerely, /s/ Lawrence J. Wexler, Ed.D.

Directory Research to Practice Division Office of Special Education Programs http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocfo/grants/grants.html

B-1

NOTICE INVITING APPLICATIONS

B-2

FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE

4000-01-U

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Applications for New Awards; Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program—National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning

AGENCY:

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Department of Education.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The mission of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is to improve early childhood, educational, and employment outcomes and raise expectations for all people with disabilities, their families, their communities, and the Nation. As such, we are issuing a notice inviting applications for new awards for fiscal year (FY) 2019 for Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities--National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number 84.327Z. This notice relates to the approved information collection under OMB control number 1820-0028.

DATES:

Applications Available: August 1, 2019.

Deadline for Transmittal of Applications: September 3, 2019.

Pre-Application Webinar Information: No later than August 6, 2019, OSERS will post pre-recorded informational webinars designed to provide technical assistance (TA) to interested applicants. The webinars may be found at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html.

Pre-Application Q & A Blog: No later than August 6, 2019, OSERS will open a blog where interested applicants may post questions about the application requirements for this competition and where OSERS will post answers to the questions received. OSERS will not respond to questions unrelated to the application requirements for this competition. The blog may be found

B-3 at www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/apply/osep/new-osep-grants.html and will remain open until August 20, 2019. After the blog closes, applicants should direct questions to the person listed under

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

ADDRESSES:

For the addresses for obtaining and submitting an application, please refer to our Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs, published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2019 (84 FR 3768) and available at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-02-13/pdf/2019-02206.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Tara Courchaine U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Room 5054E, Potomac Center Plaza Washington, DC 20202-5076.

Telephone: (202) 245-6462.

Email: Tara.Courchaine@ed.gov.

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 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-02-12/pdf/2018-02558.pdf mailto:Tara.Courchaine@ed.gov

B-4

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 children 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 children with disabilities;

(3) provide support for captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the classroom; and

(4) provide accessible educational materials (AEM) to children with disabilities in a timely manner.1

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) and 1481(d)).

Absolute Priority:

For FY 2019 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.

1 Applicants should note that other laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.; 28 CFR part 35) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794; 34 CFR part 104), may require that State educational agencies and local educational agencies provide captioning, video description, and other accessible educational materials to children with disabilities when such materials are necessary to provide children with disabilities with equally integrated and equally effective access to the benefits of the educational program or activity, or as part of a “free appropriate public education” as defined in the Department of Education’s Section 504 regulation.

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This priority is:

National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning.

Background:

The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning (Center). The Center will work with State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and other stakeholders to improve the quality, availability, and timely delivery of AEM and related technologies for use by infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities (hereafter referred to as “individuals with disabilities,” which includes “eligible persons” who are blind, have a visual impairment or perceptual or reading disability or have a physical disability affecting their ability to read2). We intend the Center, in partnership with parents, families, and diverse stakeholders, to improve opportunities and raise expectations for individuals with disabilities to

(1) participate in high-quality early learning programs, (2) meet high expectations through meaningful engagement and progress in the general education curriculum, (3) demonstrate improved outcomes on assessments, (4) meet State academic standards, and (5) transition to postsecondary education or the workforce. In short, we intend the Center to help address the complex issue of access to educational materials and the general education curriculum for individuals with disabilities.

Under section 612(a)(1) of the IDEA, States must ensure that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is made available to all children with disabilities. IDEA also requires that all children with disabilities are included in all general State and districtwide assessment programs (see section 612(a)(16)). Additionally, SEAs and LEAs are responsible for ensuring that individuals with disabilities who need instructional materials in accessible formats, but are not included under the definition of “blind or other persons with print disabilities,”3 receive AEM in a

2 The Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act amended section 121 of the Copyright Act to provide new terms and definitions. The Treaty updates beneficiaries in section 121 from “blind or other persons with disabilities” to “eligible persons”. See www.copyright.gov/legislation/2018_marrakesh_faqs.pdf.

3 The Library of Congress regulations (36 CFR 701.6(b)(1)) related to the Act to Provide Books for the Adult Blind (approved March 3, 1931, 2 U.S.C. 135a) provide that “blind persons or other persons with print disabilities” include: (i) Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses, or whose widest diameter if visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees. (ii) Persons whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, is certified by

B-6 timely manner (34 CFR 300.172(b)(3) and 300.210(b)(3); 20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(23) and 1413(a)(6)). =Accessible educational materials and technologies enable individuals with disabilities to have access to, be involved in, and make progress in the general education curriculum (or for a preschool child, to participate in appropriate activities) and assessments.

Over the past 15 years, the reliance on static print curricula and materials has shifted to digital resources, technologies, and open educational resources (OERs). Digital resources and technologies hold promise for personalized and enhanced learning for individuals with disabilities in education and workplace settings. However, when accessibility is not meaningfully considered during the creation, procurement, or curation4 process, these new technologies can become barriers to full access to the general education curriculum. This is also true for children required to use OERs or to access instruction through learning management systems.

Many OERs are in Portable Document Format (PDF), most of which do not meet basic standards for accessibility. Making PDF materials accessible involves the tedious process of rendering and reconstructing the materials. As a result, individuals with disabilities often do not receive materials in a timely manner, or use alternate materials that are different from materials available to their peers without disabilities. Also, far too often, they cannot use their accommodations or assistive technology (AT) on State-mandated tests due to issues with inoperability, privacy, and security concerns. These problems persist even when the AT is an approved device or resource. In addition, individuals responsible for the procurement and curation of materials are sometimes unaware of student accessibility needs and requirements, which may result in inappropriate purchases.

Finally, children who require embossed braille to learn essential early literacy skills often cannot access interactive digital resources. Therefore, States, districts, and educators need support in developing strategies to help children who are blind, while maintaining equal access to high-quality educational materials.

In order to provide equal access and support improved learning opportunities for all children, regardless of ability or need, States, districts, postsecondary institutions, families, publishers, competent authority as preventing the reading of standard printed material. (iii) Persons certified by competent authority as unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations. (iv) Persons certified by competent authority as having a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal manner.

4 “Digital curation is the active involvement of information professionals in the management, including the preservation, of digital data for future use.” See www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/10650750710831466.

B-7 and other stakeholders will benefit from opportunities to increase their capacity to deliver high-quality AEM. State and local systems need TA to develop, procure, curate, and use AEM, including digital educational materials. The Center must be operated in a manner consistent with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the U.S. Constitution and Federal civil rights laws.

Priority:

The purpose of this priority is to fund a cooperative agreement to establish and operate a National Center on Accessible Educational Materials for Learning (Center). Under this priority, the Center, at a minimum, must--

(a) Provide TA to increase the capacity of SEAs, LEAs, stakeholders, and personnel in early learning programs, schools including public charter and nonpublic schools, institutions of higher education (IHEs), and workplaces to provide and support evidence-based practices5 and compliance training to use AEM and related technologies with individuals who need them to access instruction;

(b) Provide TA to SEAs and other stakeholders on accessibility requirements to increase the availability and use of OERs;

(c) Provide TA to SEAs and LEAs on the procurement and curation of print, digital, and born accessible materials, including OERs;

(d) Provide support on the use of AEM and related technologies with State-mandated assessments (including student privacy, interoperability, and the alignment of AEM used for daily instruction and high-stakes assessments);

(e) Increase the capacity of educators to author accessible OERs for individuals with disabilities;

(f) Connect resources and personnel for the blind and visually impaired to the broader AEM community, which includes individuals with high-incidence disabilities (e.g., learning

5 For the purposes of this priority, “evidence-based” means, at a minimum, evidence that demonstrates a rationale (as defined in 34 CFR 77.1), where a key project component included in the project's logic model is informed by research or evaluation findings that suggest the project component is likely to improve relevant outcomes.

B-8 disabilities, mild autism, or mild intellectual disability) and individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing, to align efforts6 and increase the use of accessible materials and resources in schools;

(g) Increase publisher and vendor awareness of the need for accessible digital materials (including Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) web standards, and voluntary product accessibility templates (VPATs));

(h) Build the capacity of IHEs to include instruction on AEM and related technologies in their teacher and administrator preparation programs;

(i) Recommend to the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) necessary revisions or updates to the technical specifications of the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) to ensure that (1) the technical specifications are consistent with current industry standards, and (2) digital files can be easily and efficiently converted into accessible formats that meet the needs of eligible individuals; and

(j) Collaborate with appropriate OSEP-funded projects related to the NIMAS, AEM, literacy, or reading to increase awareness of accessible materials.

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,” how the proposed project will--

(1) Address the need for AEM and related technologies to support equal opportunities in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces. To meet this requirement the applicant must--

(i) Present applicable national, State, regional, or local data demonstrating the need for AEM and related technologies in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces for individuals with disabilities, including those who may be underserved; and

(ii) Demonstrate knowledge of the following:

6 In most SEAs and LEAs, the individuals responsible for providing AEM to children are separated by disability type or need. For example, those responsible for providing AEM to blind and visually impaired children are different than those providing AEM to children who are deaf and hard of hearing, children with high-incidence disabilities, or children with physical disabilities. These providers do not necessarily communicate and work gets done in parallel, rather than collaboratively.

B-9

(A) Benefits, services, or opportunities that are available through the use of AEM and related technologies in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces that are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities, including those who may be underserved;

(B) Standards and technical specifications for the preparation of electronic files and used for efficient conversion into accessible formats;

(C) Accepted accessibility standards and industry-developed specifications for digital materials and technologies used in schools and workplaces;

(D) Implications of being a #GoOpen7 State and considerations needed to ensure equal access to AEM and related technologies in a timely manner for individuals with disabilities; and

(E) TA resources available to stakeholders and personnel in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces to support the design, development, maintenance, distribution, timely delivery, and use of AEM and related technologies, including AEM and related technologies that promote Science, Technology, Engineering, or Math (STEM) Education;

(2) Increase the capacity of stakeholders to design, develop, maintain, and distribute AEM and related technologies that conform to current industry standards and, as appropriate, NIMAS. To address this requirement the applicant must--

(i) Identify current policies, procedures, and practices used by early learning programs, schools, IHEs, workplaces, and other stakeholders to ensure the availability and use of AEM and related technologies;

(ii) Identify systemic barriers, gaps, or challenges, including challenges with the use of OERs and interactive digital resources, faced by early learning programs, schools, IHEs, workplaces, and other stakeholders to ensure the availability and use of AEM and related technologies; and

(iii) Identify the potential impact of the recent Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act on the items in (i) and (ii) above;

(3) Increase knowledge, using identified dissemination strategies, of SEAs, LEAs, and other stakeholders to develop, implement, and sustain efficient, unified procurement, curation, 7 The Department’s #GoOpen initiative supports States and districts in their use of openly licensed educational resources to transform teaching and learning. See https://tech.ed.gov/open/.

B-10 and distribution systems and improve existing systems to ensure the availability and use of AEM and related technologies in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces.

(b) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Quality of project services,” how the proposed project will--

(1) Ensure equal access and treatment for members of groups that have traditionally been underrepresented based on race, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe how it will--

(i) Identify the needs of the intended recipients for TA and information; and

(ii) Ensure that products and services meet the needs of the intended recipients of the grant (e.g., by creating materials in accessible formats);

(2) Achieve its goals, objectives, and intended outcomes. To meet this requirement, the applicant must provide--

(i) Measurable intended project outcomes; and

(ii) In Appendix A, the logic model8 by which the proposed project will achieve its intended outcomes that depicts, at a minimum, the goals, activities, outputs, and intended outcomes of the proposed project;

(3) Use a conceptual framework (and provide a copy in Appendix A) to develop project plans and activities describing any underlying concepts, assumptions, expectations, beliefs, or theories, as well as the presumed relationships or linkages among these variables, and any empirical support for this framework.

Note: The following websites provide more information on logic models and conceptual frameworks: www.osepideasthatwork.org/logicModel and www.osepideasthatwork.org/resources-grantees/program-areas/ta-ta/tad-project-logic-model-and-conceptual-framework.

(4) Be based on current research. To meet this requirement, the applicant must describe--

8 Logic model (also referred to as a theory of action) means a framework that identifies key project components of the proposed project (i.e., the active “ingredients” that are hypothesized to be critical to achieving the relevant outcomes) and describes the theoretical and operational relationships among the key project components and relevant outcomes.

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(i) How the proposed project will align to current research, policies, and practices related to the benefits, services, or opportunities that are available through the use of AEM and related technologies in schools and workplaces;

(ii) How the proposed project will further develop the AEM knowledge base;

(iii) How the proposed project will support the alignment of the SEA distribution systems, including in States and LEAs that have committed to the Department’s #GoOpen initiative, to ensure the quality, availability, and timely delivery of AEM and related technologies to individuals with disabilities, including those who may be underserved;

(iv) Workplace policies, procedures, and practices for the adoption and implementation of accessible workplace technologies; and

(v) The process the proposed project will use to incorporate current research and practices to guide the development and delivery of its products and services; and

(5) Develop new products and services that are of high quality and sufficient intensity and meet current accessibility standards to achieve the intended outcomes of the proposed project. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) Its proposed activities to identify, develop, or expand the knowledge base of SEAs, LEAs, and other stakeholders on AEM and technologies in early learning programs, schools, and workplaces;

(ii) Its proposed plan to identify dissemination strategies to ensure SEAs, LEAs, and other stakeholders have access to products and services;

(iii) Its proposed plan to identify educational benefits, services, and opportunities for using AEM and related technologies in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces;

(iv) Its proposed plan to address gaps, challenges, or systemic barriers to, and critical components of, efficient, unified, and effective SEA distribution systems including issues around procurement and curation;

(v) Its proposed plan to identify policies, procedures, and practices addressing accessible workplace technologies;

(vi) Its proposed plan to identify technology design criteria that conform to accepted accessibility standards, NIMAS, and, when appropriate, widely used electronic publishing industry standards (EPUB accessibility, WCAG 2.0 AA, W3C web standards, VPATs);

B-12

(vii) Its proposed approach to universal, general TA,9 including the number and type of intended recipients of the products and services under this approach. To address this requirement, the applicant must, at a minimum, describe--

(A) The proposed project’s plan to disseminate information gained from the knowledge development activities;

(B) The intended recipients, including the type and number of recipients, that will receive the products and services under this approach;

(C) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of potential TA recipients to work with the project, assessing, at a minimum, their current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at the local level;

(D) Its proposed plan to provide universal, general TA to meet the needs of multiple audiences (including SEAs, LEAs, early childhood providers, schools including public charter and nonpublic schools, IHEs, workplaces, publishers, vendors, OER creators, parents, and families) using the information described in paragraph (b)(4) of this priority so that the data and information are easily accessible by multiple audiences (e.g., websites, webinars, newsletters, guidebooks, research syntheses, conference presentations, and published articles); and

(E) Its proposed plan to increase access to comprehensive and accurate information on implementing relevant legal requirements and on the use of strategies that result in the project’s intended outcomes by early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces, and, as appropriate, by other stakeholders to support the design, development, maintenance, distribution, procurement, timely delivery, and use of AEM and related technologies;

(viii) Its proposed approach to targeted, specialized TA,10 including the recipients of the products and services under this approach. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

9 “Universal, general TA” means TA and information provided to independent users through their own initiative, resulting in minimal interaction with TA center staff and including one-time, invited or offered conference presentations by TA center staff. This category of TA also includes information or products, such as newsletters, guidebooks, or research syntheses, downloaded from the TA center's website by independent users. Brief communications by TA center staff with recipients, either by telephone or email, are also considered universal, general TA.

10 “Targeted, specialized TA” means TA services based on needs common to multiple recipients and not extensively individualized. A relationship is established between the TA recipient and one or more TA center staff. This category of TA includes one-time, labor-intensive events, such

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(A) Its proposed plan to provide support to, and coordinate with, federally funded projects, national professional organizations, and their State and local affiliates to increase their efficiency and effectiveness in disseminating their products and delivering their services within SEA systems for the development, maintenance, distribution, procurement, and curation of AEM and related technologies in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces;

(B) Its proposed plan to work with SEAs and State assessment developers and vendors to ensure interoperability with AT devices and accessibility for eligible individuals; and

(C) Its proposed plan to facilitate communication and increased collaboration among multiple stakeholders, including publishers, OER producers, and vendors, to solve problems, share information and materials, and deliver a consistent message on the importance of implementing this priority to ensure full benefits, services, and supports to intended audiences, as appropriate, in early learning programs, schools, IHEs, and workplaces; and

(ix) Its approach to intensive, sustained TA,11 including the intended recipients of the products and services under this approach. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(A) The intended recipients, including the type and number of recipients, that will receive the products and services under this approach;

(B) Its proposed approach to measure the readiness of State- and local-level personnel to work with the project, including their commitment to the initiative, alignment of the initiative to their needs, current infrastructure, available resources, and ability to build capacity at the local level;

(C) Its proposed plan for assisting SEAs, LEAs, charter management organizations, and private school organizations to build or enhance training systems that include professional development based on adult learning principles and coaching and ensure their timely delivery;

and as facilitating strategic planning or hosting regional or national conferences. It can also include episodic, less labor-intensive events that extend over a period of time, such as facilitating a series of conference calls on single or multiple topics that are designed around the needs of the recipients. Facilitating communities of practice can also be considered targeted, specialized TA.

11 “Intensive, sustained TA” means TA services often provided on-site and requiring a stable, ongoing relationship between the TA center staff and the TA recipient. “TA services” are defined as negotiated series of activities designed to reach a valued outcome. This category of TA should result in changes to policy, program, practice, or operations that support increased recipient capacity or improved outcomes at one or more systems levels.

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(D) Its proposed plan for working with appropriate levels of the education system (e.g., Part C, SEAs, regional TA providers, IHEs, districts, schools, families, and workforce) to ensure that there is communication between each level and that efficient, effective, and unified procurement, curation, and distribution systems are sustained to ensure the timely delivery of

AEM;

(6) Develop products and implement services that maximize efficiency. To address this requirement, the applicant must describe--

(i) How the proposed project will use technology to achieve the intended project outcomes;

(ii) With whom the proposed project will collaborate and the intended outcomes of this collaboration;

(iii) How the proposed project will use non-project resources to achieve the intended project outcomes; and

(iv) How the proposed project will improve the likelihood that the products and services will be used in a variety of settings;

(7) Ensure effective communication and collaboration between project staff, stakeholders, OSEP, and other OSEP-funded projects. To address this requirement, the applicant must--

(i) Describe how the proposed project will communicate and collaborate on an ongoing basis with other OSEP-funded projects, including OSEP-funded Parent Training and Information Centers (PTIs) and Community Parent Resource Centers (CPRCs), to provide training and informational resources for parents and families;

(ii) Describe how the proposed project will collaborate with publishers, accessible media producers, technology developers, vendors, distributors, and others with expertise in AEM production; and

(iii) Describe how the proposed 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, such as educators, individuals with disabilities, and parents and families of individuals with disabilities.

(c) In the narrative section of the application under “Quality of the project evaluation,” 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 products and services have met the goals for

B-15 reaching the project’s 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), the project director, and the OSEP project officer on the following tasks:

(i) Revise, as needed, the logic model submitted in the application to provide for a more comprehensive measurement of implementation and outcomes and to reflect any changes or clarifications to the model discussed at the kick-off meeting;

(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 assessment of project outcomes; and identify analytic strategies); and

(iii) Revise, as needed, the evaluation plan submitted in the 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;

(B) Delineates the data expected to be available by the end of the second project year for use during the project’s evaluation (3+2 review) for continued funding described under the heading Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project; and

(C) 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.

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(d) Demonstrate, in the narrative section of the application under “Adequacy of resources and quality of project personnel,” 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 and experience to carry out the proposed activities and achieve the project’s intended outcomes;

(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 describe--

(i) Clearly defined responsibilities for key project personnel, consultants, and subcontractors, as applicable; and

(ii) Timelines and milestones for accomplishing the project tasks;

(2) Key project personnel and any consultants and subcontractors that will be allocated and how these allocations are appropriate and adequate to achieve the project’s intended outcomes;

(3) The proposed management plan will ensure that the products and services provided are of high quality, relevant, and useful to recipients; and

(4) The proposed project will benefit from a diversity of perspectives, including those of families, educators, TA providers, researchers, and policy makers, among others, in its development and operation.

(f) Address the following application requirements. The applicant must--

(1) Include, in Appendix A, personnel-loading charts and timelines, as applicable, to illustrate the management plan described in the narrative.

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(2) 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;

(iii) Two annual two-day trips to attend Department briefings, Department-sponsored conferences, and other meetings, as requested by OSEP; and

(iv) A one-day intensive 3+2 review meeting in Washington, DC, during the last half of the second year of the project period;

(3) Include, in the budget, a line item for an annual set-aside of 5 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;

(4) Maintain a website, with an easy-to-navigate design, that meets government or industry-recognized standards for accessibility;

(5) Ensure that annual progress toward meeting project goals is posted on the project website; and

(6) Include, in Appendix A, an assurance to assist OSEP with the transfer of pertinent resources and products and to maintain the continuity of services to States during the transition to this new award period and at the end of this award period, as appropriate.

Fourth and Fifth Years of the Project:

In deciding whether to continue funding the project for the fourth and fifth years, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), as well as--

(a) The recommendation of a 3+2 review team…