[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 144 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18340]
[Federal Register: July 28, 1994]
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Part IV
Department of Education
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Educational Media Research, Production, Distribution, and Training
Program; Notice
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Educational Media Research, Production, Distribution, and
Training Program
AGENCY: Department of Education.
ACTION: Notice of Proposed Funding Priorities.
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SUMMARY: The Secretary proposes priorities under the Educational Media
Research, Production, Distribution, and Training Program. The Secretary
takes this action to focus Federal financial assistance on those areas
of greatest need. These priorities are intended to ensure the continued
availability of closed-captioned daytime television programming,
provide cultural experiences to deaf and hard of hearing individuals,
continue to provide educational books on audiotapes to people who are
visually or print disabled, continue the operation of the captioned
films/video distribution system, and support video description of
national television programming.
DATES: Comments must be received on or before August 29, 1994.
ADDRESSES: All comments concerning these proposed priorities should be
addressed to Ernest E. Hairston, U.S. Department of Education, 400
Maryland Avenue, SW., Room 4629, Switzer Building, Washington, DC
20202-2731.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ernest E. Hairston Telephone: (202)
205-9172; Users of telecommunications devices for the deaf (TDDs) may
call (202) 205-8169; or the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at
1-800-877-8339 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Eastern time, Monday through
Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice contains five proposed
priorities under the Educational Media Research, Production,
Distribution, and Training Program authorized under Part F of the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purposes of the
program are to promote the general welfare of deaf and hard of hearing
individuals and individuals with visual impairments, and to promote the
educational advancement of individuals with disabilities.
The priorities proposed in this notice would ensure the continued
availability of closed-captioned daytime television programming. In
addition, the proposed priorities would support activities that provide
cultural experiences to enrich the lives of deaf and hard of hearing
individuals, including children and youth, as well as adults. The
proposed priorities would provide educational reading materials and
textbooks on audiotape to persons who are visually or print disabled.
Additional proposed priorities would support a captioned films/
videos distribution system to provide hearing impaired and other
qualified individuals with access to captioned educational and general
interest films and videos on a nonprofit free loan basis, and video
description of national television programming in order to make
television more accessible to persons with visual impairments.
This program supports the National Education Goals by assisting
those with disabilities in school readiness and adult literacy.
The Secretary will announce the final priorities in a notice in the
Federal Register. The final priorities will be determined by comments
received in response to this notice, available funds, and other
considerations of the Department. Funding of particular projects
depends on the availability of funds, the content of the final
priorities, and the quality of the applications received. The
publication of these proposed priorities does not preclude the
Secretary from proposing additional priorities, nor does it limit the
Secretary to funding only these priorities, subject to meeting
applicable rulemaking requirements.
Note: This notice of proposed priorities does not solicit
applications. A notice inviting applications under these
competitions will be published in the Federal Register concurrent
with or following publication of the notice of final priorities.
Priorities
Under 34 CFR 75.105(c)(3) the Secretary proposes to give an
absolute preference to applications that meet the following priorities.
The Secretary proposes to fund under these competitions only those
applications that meet these absolute priorities:
Proposed Absolute Priority 1--Closed-Captioned Daytime Television
Programs
Background
This proposed priority would continue and expand closed-captioning
of a variety of daytime television programs broadcast nationally for
persons who are deaf or hard of hearing during this segment of the day
that has proven to be the most difficult in terms of private sector
support.
Priority: To be considered for funding under this proposed
priority, a project must--
(1) Include the criteria used to determine which programs are
proposed for captioning. These criteria must take into account the
preference of consumers for particular programs, the diversity of
programming available, and the contribution of programs to the general
educational and cultural experiences of individuals with hearing
impairments;
(2) Determine the total number of hours and the projected cost per
hour for each program to be captioned;
(3) For each proposed program to be captioned, identify the source
of private or other public support and the projected dollar amount of
that support;
(4) Identify the methods of captioning to be used for each hour and
the projected cost per hour for each method used;
(5) Provide and maintain back-up systems that would ensure
successful, timely captioning service;
(6) Demonstrate the willingness of major national television
networks and companies to permit captioning of their programs; and
(7) Implement procedures for monitoring the extent to which full
and accurate captioning is provided and use this information to make
refinements in captioning operations.
Proposed Absolute Priority 2--Cultural Experiences for Deaf and Hard of
Hearing Individuals
Background
This priority supports a variety of cultural activities designed to
enrich the lives of deaf and hard of hearing individuals, including
children and youth, as well as adults. These activities must use an
integrated approach that mixes children, youth, and adults, who are
deaf and hard of hearing with those who can hear while conducting
cultural experiences that will increase public awareness and
understanding of deafness and other hearing impairments and of the
artistic and intellectual achievements of deaf and hard of hearing
individuals.
During FY 1992 the Department funded projects that: (1) provided
theatrical experiences for deaf and hard of hearing individuals, and
(2) used integrated approaches by having among cast members a mixture
of deaf, hard of hearing and hearing performers. During FY 1993
cultural experiences were extended specifically to younger people with
hearing impairments and to the creation of art as well as theatrical
experiences, using the same approaches. Projects under this proposed
priority can include a variety of artistic approaches such as the
creation of works of art (painting, drawing, designing, etc.), dance,
and storytelling, as well as developing and performing dramatic
productions. A grantee may not use funds under this priority for
passive activities such as viewing a play or video, or passively
watching a storyteller or artist at work.
Priority: To be considered for funding under this priority, a
project must--
(1) Use an integrated approach that mixes children, youth, and
adults who are deaf and hard of hearing, with those who are hearing in
carrying out project activities; and
(2) Develop and implement strategies that will increase public
awareness and understanding of deafness and other hearing impairments
and of the artistic and intellectual achievements of deaf and hard of
hearing individuals, including children, youth, and adults. Outreach
activities such as promoting the project to schools, community
organizations, news media, and relevant national organizations are
encouraged.
Invitational Priority
Within this absolute priority 2, the Secretary is particularly
interested in applications that meet the following invitational
priority. However, pursuant to 34 CFR 75.105(c)(i), an application that
meets this invitational priority does not receive competitive or
absolute preference over applications that do not meet this priority:
Projects that include people from a variety of cultural, racial,
and ethnic backgrounds.
Proposed Absolute Priority 3--Captioned Films and Videos Distribution
System
Background
This proposed priority would support the operation of a captioned
films/videos distribution system which provides deaf and hard of
hearing individuals, as well as other eligible individuals with
disabilities, with access to captioned educational and general interest
films and videos on a nonprofit free-loan basis. Activities under this
proposed priority include, but are not limited to: 1) a computerized
user-registration process; 2) circulation of captioned films and
videos; 3) development or updating of a catalog of captioned films and
videos in the collection; and 4) outreach activities. This proposed
priority would provide students and other eligible individuals with
disabilities with captioned films and videos so they may benefit from
the same educational media used to enrich the educational experiences
of students and other individuals who do not have disabilities.
Priority: To be considered for funding under this proposed
priority, the project must--
(1) Develop strategies and procedures to be implemented in
operating a distribution system, consisting of local and regional
centers including depositories, and one central general interest and
educational films/video center. Local and regional centers may include
State schools for disabled individuals, public or private school
systems, public libraries, colleges or universities, or other
distribution points that distribute captioned films/videos.
(2) Ensure that the system permits interdepository circulation of
captioned films/videos, allows individuals, depositories, and local and
regional centers to access booking information from the computerized
depositories and the general interest and educational films/video
center via modem and generic communication software, and provides
immediate confirmation or denial of a request;
(3) Establish and describe the computerized registration procedures
that will be used to register users. The current computerized system
configuration may be used as a basis;
(4) Develop and implement criteria and procedures for replacing
irreparable films/videos;
(5) Prepare, update, and distribute copies of a catalog listing all
captioned films/videos available under this project;
(6) Convene an annual meeting of depository managers, librarians,
and audiovisual and other personnel from local, regional, and State
educational agencies for the purpose of training, planning, sharing,
brainstorming, and other activities related to improving the access of
eligible individuals to audiovisual materials. The Washington, D.C.
metropolitan area will be the site of the meeting;
(7) Implement outreach activities, especially activities that reach
out to local school systems to make them aware of the open and closed
captioned materials that are available to them under this program and
from other sources; and
(8) Submit quarterly progress reports to the grants and project
officers.
Proposed Absolute Priority 4--Recorded Audio Cassettes for Visually and
Print Disabled Students
Background
This proposed priority would support recording, producing,
duplicating, and distributing \15/16\ ips (inch per second) four-track
cassette versions of textbooks and other educational reading materials
for students (elementary, secondary, postsecondary & graduate) who are
visually or print disabled. These cassette tapes will help provide
equal educational opportunities to target students and lessen some of
the barriers they face in classrooms.
Priority: To be considered for funding under this priority, the
project must--
(1) Handle all requests for materials, including confirmation of
eligibility by disability;
(2) Arrange for use of copyrights from publishers of supplied
textbooks;
(3) Record or duplicate the books on \15/16\ ips (inch per second),
four-track cassettes of one hour per track recording time. (Publishers
must be provided rights to copies of the master tape and rights to
market the cassettes as they see fit);
(4) Mail the cassettes on a free-loan, postage paid basis; and
(5) Handle returned cassettes, preservative re-recording, and all
other associated administrative and circulation functions.
(6) To the extent that funds are not sufficient to meet the demand
for free materials, place a priority on providing free materials that
are not otherwise required to be provided by educational agencies or
institutions.
Proposed Absolute Priority 5--Video Description Project
Background
This proposed priority supports the description of national
television programming in order to make television more accessible to
persons with visual impairments. The intent of this priority is to
provide access to a diversity of programming available in order to
enhance shared educational, social, and cultural experiences for
persons who are visually impaired. The range of programs proposed for
description may include, but is not limited to, children's programs,
prime time programming, emergency broadcasts, sports programs, and
documentaries.
Priority
To be considered for funding under this proposed priority, a
project must--
(1) For selecting programs to be video described, include criteria
that take into account the preference of consumers for particular
programs, the diversity of programming available, and the contribution
of programs to the general educational, social, and cultural experience
of individuals with visual impairments;
(2) Determine the total number of hours and the projected cost per
hour for each program to be described;
(3) For each program to be described, identify the source of
private or other public support, if any, and the projected dollar
amount of that support;
(4) Identify the methods to be used in the provision of described
video;
(5) Demonstrate the willingness of major national television
networks and companies to permit video description of their programs;
and
(6) Implement procedures for monitoring the extent to which an
accurate description is provided and use this information to make
refinements in the video description operations.
Intergovernmental Review
This program is subject to the requirements of Executive Order
12372 and the regulations in 34 CFR Part 79. The objective of the
Executive order is to foster an intergovernmental partnership and a
strengthened federalism by relying on processes developed by State and
local governments for coordination and review of proposed Federal
financial assistance.
In accordance with the order, this document is intended to provide
early notification of the Department's specific plans and actions for
this program.
Invitation to Comment
Interested persons are invited to submit comments and
recommendations regarding these proposed priorities.
All comments submitted in response to these proposed priorities
will be available for public inspection during and after the comment
period, in Room 4620, Switzer Building, 330 C Street, S.W., Washington,
D.C. between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday through
Friday of each week except Federal holidays.
Applicable Program Regulations: 34 CFR Parts 330, 331, and 332.
Program Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1451, 1452.
(Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 84.026,
Educational Media Research, Production, Distribution, and Training
Program)
Dated: July 22, 1994.
Howard R. Moses,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services.
[FR Doc. 94-18340 Filed 7-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P
