The Secretary shall competitively make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, eligible entities to support activities described in subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall support activities to promote the development, demonstration, and utilization of technology.
Activities that may be carried out under this subsection include activities such as the following:
(A) Conducting research and development activities on the use of innovative and emerging technologies for children with disabilities.
(B) Promoting the demonstration and use of innovative and emerging technologies for children with disabilities by improving and expanding the transfer of technology from research and development to practice.
(C) Providing technical assistance to recipients of other assistance under this section, concerning the development of accessible, effective, and usable products.
(D) Communicating information on available technology and the uses of such technology to assist children with disabilities.
(E) Supporting the implementation of research programs on captioning or video description.
(F) Supporting research, development, and dissemination of technology with universal-design features, so that the technology is accessible to individuals with disabilities without further modification or adaptation.
(G) Demonstrating the use of publicly-funded telecommunications systems to provide parents and teachers with information and training concerning early diagnosis of, intervention for, and effective teaching strategies for, young children with reading disabilities.
In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall support—
(1) educational media activities that are designed to be of educational value to children with disabilities;
(2) providing video description, open captioning, or closed captioning of television programs, videos, or educational materials through September 30, 2001; and after fiscal year 2001, providing video description, open captioning, or closed captioning of educational, news, and informational television, videos, or materials;
(3) distributing captioned and described videos or educational materials through such mechanisms as a loan service;
(4) providing free educational materials, including textbooks, in accessible media for visually impaired and print-disabled students in elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and graduate schools;
(5) providing cultural experiences through appropriate nonprofit organizations, such as the National Theater of the Deaf, that—
(A) enrich the lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adults;
(B) increase public awareness and understanding of deafness and of the artistic and intellectual achievements of deaf and hard-of-hearing persons; or
(C) promote the integration of hearing, deaf, and hard-of-hearing persons through shared cultural, educational, and social experiences; and
(6) compiling and analyzing appropriate data relating to the activities described in paragraphs (1) through (5).
Any eligible entity that wishes to receive a grant, or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement, under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1998 through 2002.
(Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §687, as added Pub. L. 105–17, title I, §101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 154.)
Prior sections 1491 to 1491o, which comprised former subchapter IX of this chapter, were repealed by Pub. L. 105–17, title II, §203(a), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective Oct. 1, 1998.
Section 1491, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §701, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3937, provided that former subchapter IX of this chapter could be cited as the “Families of Children With Disabilities Support Act of 1994”.
Section 1491a, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §702, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3937, related to findings, purposes, and policy.
Section 1491b, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §703, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3939, related to definitions.
Section 1491c, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §704, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3943, related to grants to States.
Section 1491d, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §705, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3944, related to information and assurances required in application for grant.
Section 1491e, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §706, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3946, related to designation of lead entity by State desiring to receive grant.
Section 1491f, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §707, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3946, related to designation or establishment by State of a State Policy Council for Families of Children with Disabilities and its composition, functions, etc.
Section 1491g, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §708, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3949, related to activities authorized for use of grant funds.
Section 1491h, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §709, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3951, related to creation and submission of strategic plan by lead entity of State in conjunction with State Policy Council.
Section 1491i, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §710, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3952, related to progress criteria and reports.
Section 1491j, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §711, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3952, related to administrative provisions.
Section 1491k, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §712, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3953, related to technical assistance.
Section 1491l, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §713, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3954, related to program evaluation by Secretary.
Section 1491m, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §714, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3955, related to projects of national significance.
Section 1491n, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §715, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3955, related to construction of provisions of subchapters I through VIII of this chapter as being inapplicable to subchapter IX of this chapter.
Section 1491o, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §716, as added Pub. L. 103–382, title III, §315, Oct. 20, 1994, 108 Stat. 3955, related to authorization of appropriations.