Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals With Disabilities Program—Stepping-Up Technology Implementation

Overview

The purposes of the Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program are to improve results for children with disabilities by: (1) promoting the development, demonstration, and use of technology; (2) supporting educational activities designed to be of educational value in the classroom for children with disabilities; (3) providing support for captioning and video description that is appropriate for use in the classroom; and (4) providing accessible educational materials to children with disabilities in a timely manner.

Priorities: This competition includes one absolute priority and one competitive preference priority.

Absolute Priority: Supporting Early Childhood or K–12 Educators to Deliver Literacy Instruction Based on the Science of Reading to English Learners (ELs) with, and At Risk for, Disabilities. The purpose of this priority is to fund three cooperative agreements to establish and operate projects that achieve, at a minimum, the following expected outcomes:

(a) Improved literacy instruction based on the science of reading for Els with, and at risk for, disabilities through proven strategies that effectively integrate an existing accessible technology-based tool or approach, that is based on at least promising evidence
(b) Increased educators’ use and knowledge of technology to deliver effective reading instruction for ELs
with, or at risk for, disabilities through professional learning and coaching;
(c) Increased educator collaboration and professional learning opportunities to use technology to improve reading outcomes of ELs with, and at risk for, disabilities and to engage families to support their child’s learning in the classroom and at home
(d) Improved engagement in reading instruction and self-regulated learning opportunities leading to improved reading achievement for ELs with, and at risk for, disabilities.
(e) Improved alignment of technologyenhanced instruction with existing curricula, State standards, and school initiatives; and 
(f) Improved parent/family-teacher partnerships to use technology in improving literacy outcomes for ELs by using effective engagement strategies (e.g., recognizing multilingualism and multiculturalism as an asset).

Competitive Preference Priority: Applications from New Potential Grantees (0 or 3 points).
(a) Under this priority, an applicant must demonstrate that the applicant has not had an active discretionary grant under the 84.327S program from which it seeks funds, including through
membership in a group application submitted in accordance with 34 CFR 75.127–75.129, in the five years before the deadline date for submission of applications under the program.
(b) For the purpose of this priority, a grant or contract is active until the end of the grant’s or contract’s project or funding period, including any extensions of those periods that extend the grantee’s or contractor’s authority to obligate funds.

• Estimated Range of Awards: $450,000 to $500,000 per year
• Estimated Average Size of Awards: $475,000 per year
• Maximum Award: We will not make an award exceeding $2,500,000 for the 60-month project period
• Estimated Number of Awards: 3

Several webinars guiding potential applicants on completing a successful application are now available and can be found here.