§ 3005. National activities
(a)
In general
In order to support activities designed to improve the administration of this chapter, the Secretary, under subsection (b)—
(b)
Authorized activities
(1)
National public-awareness toolkit
(A)
National public-awareness toolkit
The Secretary may award a 1-time grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to an eligible entity to support a training and technical assistance program that—
(B)
Eligible entity
To be eligible to receive the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement, an entity shall develop a partnership that—
(2)
Research and development
(A)
In general
The Secretary may award grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to eligible entities to carry out research and development of assistive technology that consists of—
(B)
Eligible entities
Entities eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this paragraph shall include—
(ii)
institutions of higher education, including University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service authorized under subtitle D of title I of the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15061 et seq.), or such institutions offering rehabilitation engineering programs, computer science programs, or information technology programs;
(C)
Collaboration
An entity that receives a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this paragraph shall, in developing and implementing the project carried out through the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement coordinate activities with the lead agency for the State assistive technology program (or a national organization that represents such programs) and the State advisory council described in section
3003
(c)(2) of this title (or a national organization that represents such councils).
(3)
State training and technical assistance
(A)
Training and technical assistance efforts
The Secretary shall award a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to an entity to support a training and technical assistance program that—
(i)
addresses State-specific information requests concerning assistive technology from entities funded under this chapter and public entities not funded under this chapter, including—
(I)
requests for information on effective approaches to Federal-State coordination of programs for individuals with disabilities, related to improving funding for or access to assistive technology devices and assistive technology services for individuals with disabilities of all ages;
(II)
requests for state-of-the-art, or model, Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, policies, practices, procedures, and organizational structures, that facilitate, and overcome barriers to, funding for, and access to, assistive technology devices and assistive technology services;
(III)
requests for information on effective approaches to developing, implementing, evaluating, and sustaining activities described in sections
3003 and
3004 of this title and related to improving funding for or access to assistive technology devices and assistive technology services for individuals with disabilities of all ages, and requests for assistance in developing corrective action plans;
(IV)
requests for examples of policies, practices, procedures, regulations, or judicial decisions that have enhanced or may enhance access to funding for assistive technology devices and assistive technology services for individuals with disabilities;
(ii)
assists targeted individuals and entities by disseminating information about—
(I)
Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, policies, practices, procedures, and organizational structures, that facilitate, and overcome barriers to, funding for, and access to, assistive technology devices and assistive technology services, to promote fuller independence, productivity, and inclusion in society for individuals with disabilities of all ages; and
(iii)
provides State-specific, regional, and national training and technical assistance concerning assistive technology to entities funded under this chapter, other entities funded under this chapter, and public and private entities not funded under this chapter, including—
(I)
annually providing a forum for exchanging information concerning, and promoting program and policy improvements in, required activities of the State assistive technology programs;
(II)
facilitating onsite and electronic information sharing using state-of-the-art Internet technologies such as real-time online discussions, multipoint video conferencing, and web-based audio/video broadcasts, on emerging topics that affect State assistive technology programs;
(III)
convening experts from State assistive technology programs to discuss and make recommendations with regard to national emerging issues of importance to individuals with assistive technology needs;
(V)
maintaining an accessible website that includes a link to State assistive technology programs, appropriate Federal departments and agencies, and private associations and developing a national toll-free number that links callers from a State with the State assistive technology program in their State;
(VI)
developing or utilizing existing (as of the date of the award involved) model cooperative volume-purchasing mechanisms designed to reduce the financial costs of purchasing assistive technology for required and discretionary activities identified in section
3003 of this title, and reducing duplication of activities among State assistive technology programs; and
(VII)
providing access to experts in the areas of banking, microlending, and finance, for entities funded under this chapter, through site visits, teleconferences, and other means, to ensure access to information for entities that are carrying out new programs or programs that are not making progress in achieving the objectives of the programs; and
(B)
Eligible entities
To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this paragraph, an entity shall have (directly or through grant or contract)—
(C)
Collaboration
In developing and providing training and technical assistance under this paragraph, including activities identified as priorities, a recipient of a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this paragraph shall collaborate with other organizations, in particular—
(4)
National information Internet system
(A)
In general
The Secretary shall award a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement to an entity to renovate, update, and maintain the National Public Internet Site established under this chapter (as in effect on the day before October 25, 2004).
(B)
Features of Internet site
The National Public Internet Site shall contain the following features:
(i)
Availability of information at any time
The site shall be designed so that any member of the public may obtain information posted on the site at any time.
(ii)
Innovative automated intelligent agent
The site shall be constructed with an innovative automated intelligent agent that is a diagnostic tool for assisting users in problem definition and the selection of appropriate assistive technology devices and assistive technology services resources.
(iii)
Resources
(I)
Library on assistive technology
The site shall include access to a comprehensive working library on assistive technology for all environments, including home, workplace, transportation, and other environments.
(II)
Information on accommodating individuals with disabilities
The site shall include access to evidence-based research and best practices concerning how assistive technology can be used to accommodate individuals with disabilities in the areas of education, employment, health care, community living, and telecommunications and information technology.
(iv)
Links to private-sector resources and information
To the extent feasible, the site shall be linked to relevant private-sector resources and information, under agreements developed between the recipient of the grant, contract, or cooperative agreement and cooperating private-sector entities.
(v)
Links to public-sector resources and information
To the extent feasible, the site shall be linked to relevant public-sector resources and information, such as the Internet sites of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services of the Department of Education, the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the Department of Labor, the Small Business Administration, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Jobs Accommodation Network funded by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the Department of Labor, and other relevant sites.
(vi)
Minimum library components
At a minimum, the site shall maintain updated information on—
(I)
State assistive technology program demonstration sites where individuals may try out assistive technology devices;
(II)
State assistive technology program device loan program sites where individuals may borrow assistive technology devices;
(C)
Eligible entity
To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this paragraph, an entity shall be a nonprofit organization, for-profit organization, or institution of higher education, that—
(iii)
has demonstrated expertise in—
(I)
working with assistive technology and intelligent agent interactive information dissemination systems;
(III)
delivering to individuals with disabilities education, information, and referral services, including technology-based curriculum-development services for adults with low-level reading skills;
(5)
Data-collection and reporting assistance
(A)
In general
The Secretary shall award grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to entities to assist the entities in carrying out State assistive technology programs in developing and implementing effective data-collection and reporting systems that—
(ii)
measure the outcomes of the required activities described in section
3003 of this title that are implemented by the States and the progress of the States toward achieving the measurable goals described in section
3003
(d)(3) of this title;
(B)
Eligible entities
To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this paragraph, an entity shall have personnel with—
(ii)
experience in collecting and analyzing data associated with implementing required and discretionary activities;
(c)
Application
To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement under this section, an entity shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
(d)
Input
With respect to the activities described in subsection (b) to be funded under this section, including the national and regionally based training and technical assistance efforts carried out through the activities, in designing the activities the Secretary shall consider, and in providing the activities providers shall include, input of the directors of comprehensive statewide programs of technology-related assistance, directors of alternative financing programs, and other individuals the Secretary determines to be appropriate, especially—
(1)
individuals with disabilities who use assistive technology and understand the barriers to the acquisition of such technology and assistive technology services;
(3)
individuals employed by protection and advocacy systems funded under section
3004 of this title;