Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstrations for Assistive Technology Reutilization; Notice of proposed priorities [OSERS]

FR Doc 06-3943
[Federal Register: April 26, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 80)]
[Notices]               
[Page 24799-24801]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr26ap06-138]                         


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Part III





Department of Education





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Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstrations for Assistive 
Technology Reutilization; Notice



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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 
Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstrations for 
Assistive Technology Reutilization

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

ACTION: Notice of proposed priorities.

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SUMMARY: The Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education 
and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) proposes priorities under the 
Special Demonstration Programs. The Assistant Secretary may use one or 
more of these priorities for competitions in fiscal year (FY) 2006 and 
in later years. The purpose of Proposed Priority 1 is to support 
projects that will develop models of statewide assistive technology 
(AT) device reutilization systems to meet the AT needs of individuals 
with disabilities. The purpose of Proposed Priority 2 is to support the 
establishment of a National Device Reutilization Coordination and 
Technical Assistance Center (Center) to assist grantees funded under 
Proposed Priority 1 with the establishment or expansion of their 
statewide AT device reutilization systems. This Center would 
disseminate information about promising practices and successful models 
for AT device reutilization systems, facilitate information exchange 
among grantees, and address AT device reutilization issues at the 
national level. While funding for projects under Proposed Priority 1 
would be for a three-year period only, this Center would be funded for 
five years in order to conduct follow-up activities.

DATES: We must receive your comments on or before May 26, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Address all comments about these proposed priorities to 
Jeremy Buzzell, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
room 5025, Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202-2800. If you 
prefer to send your comments through the Internet, use the following 
address: Jeremy.Buzzell@ed.gov.
    You must include the term ``Model Demonstrations for Assistive 
Technology Reutilization'' in the subject line of your electronic 
message.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeremy Buzzell. Telephone: (202) 245-
7319 or via Internet: Jeremy.Buzzell@ed.gov.
    If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may 
call the TDD number at (202) 205-8352.
    Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an 
alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer 
diskette) on request to the contact person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Invitation to Comment

    We invite you to submit comments regarding these proposed 
priorities. To ensure that your comments have maximum effect in 
developing the notice of final priorities, we urge you to identify 
clearly the specific proposed priority that each comment addresses.
    We invite you to assist us in complying with the specific 
requirements of Executive Order 12866 and its overall requirement of 
reducing regulatory burden that might result from these proposed 
priorities. Please let us know of any further opportunities we should 
take to reduce potential costs or increase potential benefits while 
preserving the effective and efficient administration of the program.
    During and after the comment period, you may inspect all public 
comments about these proposed priorities in room 5025, Potomac Center 
Plaza, 550 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC, between the hours of 8:30 
a.m. and 4 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through Friday of each week 
except Federal holidays.

Assistance to Individuals With Disabilities in Reviewing the Rulemaking 
Record

    On request, we will supply an appropriate aid, such as a reader or 
print magnifier, to an individual with a disability who needs 
assistance to review the comments or other documents in the public 
rulemaking record for these proposed priorities. If you want to 
schedule an appointment for this type of aid, please contact the person 
listed under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    We will announce the final priorities in a notice in the Federal 
Register. We will determine the final priorities after considering 
responses to this notice and other information available to the 
Department. This notice does not preclude us from proposing or funding 
additional priorities, subject to meeting applicable rulemaking 
requirements.

    Note: This notice does not solicit applications. In any year in 
which we choose to use these proposed priorities, we invite 
applications through a notice in the Federal Register. When inviting 
applications, we designate each priority as absolute, competitive 
preference, or invitational. The effect of each type of priority 
follows:
    Absolute priority: Under an absolute priority, we consider only 
applications that meet the priority (34 CFR 75.105(c)(3)).
    Competitive preference priority: Under a competitive preference 
priority, we give competitive preference to an application by either 
(1) awarding additional points, depending on how well or the extent 
to which the application meets the competitive preference priority 
(34 CFR 75.105(c)(2)(i)); or (2) selecting an application that meets 
the competitive preference priority over an application of 
comparable merit that does not meet the priority (34 CFR 
75.105(c)(2)(ii)).
    Invitational priority: Under an invitational priority, we are 
particularly interested in applications that meet the invitational 
priority. However, we do not give an application that meets the 
invitational priority a competitive or absolute preference over 
other applications (34 CFR 75.105(c)(1)).

Priorities

    Background: Cost is cited as a major barrier that prevents 
individuals with disabilities from obtaining needed AT devices. One way 
to reduce the cost of AT devices is through reutilization of AT devices 
when current owners no longer have a use for them. There are programs 
in many States that exchange or recycle, refurbish, and redistribute 
used AT devices at low or no cost to consumers. Many of these programs 
are supported under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended 
(AT Act), while others are supported with independent funds by 
organizations that provide services to individuals with disabilities. 
There are limited data available on those programs, but the data that 
exist show that these programs have had some success in increasing the 
number of individuals who obtain needed AT.

Proposed Priority 1--Model Demonstrations for Establishing or Expanding 
AT Device Reutilization Systems

    This priority supports projects that propose model demonstrations 
for the establishment or expansion of statewide AT reutilization 
programs in a State, including the replication of a successful existing 
AT device reutilization system from another State. Model AT device 
reutilization projects funded under this priority must--
    (a) Establish an AT device reutilization program, expand an 
existing AT device reutilization program, or coordinate a partnership 
of existing AT device reutilization programs to create a statewide AT 
device reutilization system designed to meet the needs of individuals 
with disabilities regardless of type of disability or type of equipment 
to be reutilized;
    (b) Collaborate with other providers of AT services in the State, 
including providers of AT device demonstrations, AT device loans, and 
alternative financing;

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    (c) Provide and implement a plan for sustaining the AT device 
reutilization system beyond Federal funding;
    (d) Provide the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) with 
input in the development of a standard data collection instrument;
    (e) Use intake interviews and follow-up surveys to determine if the 
recipients of AT devices provided by the system could have obtained the 
devices from another source;
    (f) Determine cost savings by comparing the prices paid by 
recipients of the AT devices to the prices of the same, or similar, AT 
devices if purchased new;
    (g) Collect data as required to address performance measures 
identified by RSA; and
    (h) Demonstrate in their applications that funds would be used to 
supplement, not supplant, funds received under the AT Act, if the 
statewide AT device reutilization system is operated by a grantee or 
subcontractor funded under the AT Act.

Proposed Priority 2--Model Demonstrations for a National Device 
Reutilization Coordination and Technical Assistance Center

    This priority supports a National Device Reutilization Coordination 
and Technical Assistance Center (Center) that will provide technical 
assistance to, and coordinate the activities of, grantees funded under 
the Model Demonstrations for Establishing or Expanding AT Device 
Reutilization Systems (Model Demonstrations) priority described 
elsewhere in this notice.
    1. The Center funded under this priority must--
    (a) Assist model AT device reutilization projects funded under the 
Model Demonstrations priority with the development or expansion of 
their AT device reutilization systems or models by disseminating 
information about promising practices and successful models for 
reutilization programs and facilitating information exchange among 
grantees;
    (b) Conduct follow-up activities that are designed to enable AT 
device reutilization programs to continue beyond the three years of 
Federal funding;
    (c) Address reutilization issues at the national level;
    (d) Provide technical assistance to the statewide AT device 
reutilization systems funded under the Model Demonstrations priority in 
order to improve AT device reutilization practices;
    (e) Coordinate the activities of the statewide AT device 
reutilization systems funded under the Model Demonstrations priority;
    (f) Establish a national network of statewide AT device 
reutilization systems funded under the Model Demonstrations priority 1 
and supported by other entities operating AT device reutilization 
systems; and
    (g) Collect data as required to address performance measures 
identified by RSA.
    2. The Center's activities in support of the national network 
must--
    (a) Promote consistency in quality of services across statewide AT 
reutilization systems funded under the Model Demonstrations priority;
    (b) Encourage interstate activities among the statewide AT device 
reutilization systems funded under the Model Demonstrations priority;
    (c) Address issues on the national level, such as building 
relationships among AT device vendors and manufacturers and programs or 
working on liability and reimbursement issues;
    (d) Nationally market and promote AT device reutilization to 
individuals with disabilities and other stakeholders in the field of 
AT; and
    (e) Forge partnerships among organizations that support AT device 
reutilization and report to RSA on the results of these activities in 
terms of changes in practices or policies of the participating entities 
(including its own).

Executive Order 12866

    This notice of proposed priorities has been reviewed in accordance 
with Executive Order 12866. Under the terms of the order, we have 
assessed the potential costs and benefits of this regulatory action.
    The potential costs associated with the notice of proposed 
priorities are those resulting from statutory requirements and those we 
have determined as necessary for administering this program effectively 
and efficiently.
    In assessing the potential costs and benefits--both quantitative 
and qualitative--of this notice of proposed priorities, we have 
determined that the benefits of the proposed priorities justify the 
costs.
    We have also determined that this regulatory action does not unduly 
interfere with State, local, and tribal governments in the exercise of 
their governmental functions.

Summary of Potential Costs and Benefits

    The potential costs associated with these proposed priorities are 
minimal, while the benefits are significant. Grantees will increase the 
number of individuals with disabilities who obtain the AT they need. 
Grantees may anticipate costs associated with completing the 
application process in terms of staff time, copying, and mailing or 
delivery. The use of e-Application technology reduces mailing and 
copying costs significantly.

Intergovernmental Review

    This program is subject to Executive Order 12372 and the 
regulations in 34 CFR part 79. One of the objectives of the Executive 
order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a strengthened 
federalism. The Executive order relies on processes developed by State 
and local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal 
financial assistance.
    This document provides early notification of our specific plans and 
actions for this program.
    Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR part 373.

Electronic Access to This Document

    You may view this document, as well as all other Department of 
Education documents published in the Federal Register, in text or Adobe 
Portable Document Format (PDF) on the Internet at the following site: 
http://www.ed.gov/news/fedregister.

    To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available 
free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. 
Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1-888-293-6498; or in 
the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512-1530.

    Note: The official version of this document is the document 
published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access to the 
official edition of the Federal Register and the Code of Federal 
Regulations is available on GPO Access at: 
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html
.


    (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number 84.235V Special 
Demonstration Programs)

    Program Authority: 29 U.S.C. 773(b).

    Dated: April 21, 2006.
John H. Hager,
Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.
[FR Doc. 06-3943 Filed 4-25-06; 8:45 am]

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