for individuals with disabilities or their families or representatives in— (1) The identification of the need for the project;

(2) Project planning;

(3) The conduct of product activities and management of the project;

(4) The evaluation of the project's accomplishments; and

(5) Dissemination of project findings. (e) Evaluation plan (Weight: 3; Total Points: 15) The project includes a plan for evaluating the extent to which the project has achieved its goal and objectives that

(1) Specifies appropriate indicators of accomplishment for each of the goals and objectives;

(2) Specifies appropriate measures to be used and the data elements needed for these measures;

(3) Specifies sources of data and feasible data collection methods to be used for each measure;

(4) Specifies appropriate methods of data analysis that are likely to yield objective and meaningful evaluation results; and

(5) Allocates sufficient resources, including personnel, funds, and administrative priority, to the evaluation.

(Approved by Office of Management and Budget under control number 1820-0572) (Authority: 29 U.S.C. 2211-2271)

§ 346.33 What selection criteria are used to evaluate applications for income-contingent direct loan demonstration projects under this program?

(a) The Secretary reviews each application to determine that the project includes the required elements of

(1) A method to determine an appropriate process for selecting individual loan recipients;

(2) A method to determine an interest rate, or rates, to be used in the project;

(3) A method to determine an appropriate repayment schedule;

(4) A provision for the use of interest earned on loans and on the loan fund that is consistent with the purposes of this program; and

(5) A provision for the use of grant funds, consistent with the provisions of this program, at the conclusion of the grant period.

(b) The Secretary reviews each application that includes all of the elements in paragraph (a) of this section to determine the degree to which—

(1) Need and Innovativeness (Weight: 4; Total Points: 20) The project

(i) Is responsible to a documented need within a particular target population that is described in the application;

(ii) Demonstrates either a new approach to providing loans for technology-related assistance to individuals with disabilities or reaches a population of individuals with disabilities not previously served;

(iii) Effectively responds to one of the announced priorities of the program, if any; and

(iv) Is capable of being replicated and is applicable to meeting important needs in other settings.

(2) Plan of activities (Weight: 5; Total Points: 25) The project includes an appropriate plan of activities that—

(i) Sets forth measurable goals and objectives based on sound assumptions about the operation of loan programs;

(ii) Includes an appropriate methodology for determining program eligibility that includes an income contingency;

(iii) Includes an appropriate methodology for determining individual loan amounts, considering the individual's need and income, as well as the program's total resources;

(iv) Includes an appropriate repayment schedule, or process for determining a repayment schedule, that includes income as a factor in the repayment schedule;

(v) Includes an appropriate process for selecting specific individuals, families, or employers to be loan recipients;

(vi) Includes an appropriate method for determining the interest rate, or rates, to be used in the project;

(vii) Provides an appropriate method for ensuring that loan funds are not used for obtaining devices or services that can be obtained with funding from public programs or private insurance unless there are adequate provisions to obtain reimbursement from those sources within a reasonable period of time;

(viii) Provides an appropriate method for verifying the suitability of the de

vice or service to be obtained with the loan funds, the reasonableness of the cost of the device or service, and the availability of appropriate warranties and technical support for the product;

(ix) Includes an appropriate method of publicizing the loan program to the target population;

(x) Includes appropriate procedures for collecting amounts due from thirdparty payers and from borrowers;

(xi) Provides procedures to verify that loans are used for the intended purposes;

(xii) Provides a procedure for maintaining documentation of all significant project activities;

(xiii) Provides a method for the collection of relevant data in order to evaluate the success of the model, including information about applicants, borrowers, types of devices and services obtained, financial data, repayment data, and the impact of the loan program on the lives of individuals with disabilities; and

(xiv) Provides an appropriate methodology to assess the extent to which the model is replicable.

(3) Management plan (Weight: 5; Total Points: 25) The project includes a plan for the management of project activities that

(i) Includes an adequate number of staff qualified by training and experience necessary to implement the activities under the project grant;

(ii) Appropriately manages and accounts for the fiscal resources of the project;

(iii) Provides evidence of the fiscal responsibility of the applicant organization and its designated fund managers;

(iv) Provides for appropriate monitoring of the use of project resources and financial audits of the project;

(v) Details internal procedures for the management of the resources under the grant, including the specification of responsibilities and administrative authority and provisions for internal monitoring of progress;

(vi) Includes realistic timelines for the implementation of project activities so as to ensure accomplishment of proposed goals and objectives within

the time period proposed in the application;

(vii) Allots sufficient and appropriate resources from the grant or other sources for the accomplishment of the proposed project activities;

(viii) Provides for the appropriate use of interest earned on loans and on the loan fund; and

(ix) Provides for the appropriate use of grant funds at the conclusion of the grant period.

(4) Involvement of individuals with disabilities (Weight 3; Total Points: 15) The project includes substantive roles for individuals with disabilities or their families or representatives in

(i) The identification and assessment of the needs of the target population; (ii) The design of the loan program; (iii) The conduct of project activities and the management of the project;

(iv) The evaluation of project accomplishments; and

(v) The dissemination of project results.

(5) Evaluation plan (Weight: 3; Total Points: 15) The project includes an effective plan for evaluating the progress made toward accomplishment of the goals and objectives of the project that

(i) Specifies adequate indicators of accomplishment for each of the goals and objectives;

(ii) Specifies appropriate measures to be used and the data elements needed for these measures that will result in an adequate evaluation;

(iii) Specifies appropriate sources of data and feasible and appropriate data collection methods to be used for each measure;

(iv) Specifies appropriate methods of data analysis that are likely to yield objective and meaningful evaluation results; and

(v) Allocates sufficient resources, including personnel, funds, and administrative priority, to the evaluation. (Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 18200572).

(Authority: 29 U.S.C. 2211-2271)

Subpart A-General

$347.1 What is the training and public awareness projects program?

(a) The technology training program provides awards to nonprofit or forprofit entities to develop, demonstrate, disseminate, and evaluate curricula, materials, and methods used to train individuals with disabilities, their family members or representatives, employers, insurers, and persons providing services to or otherwise having contact with persons with disabilities, regarding the provision of technologyrelated assistance. This program also upports the conduct of training sesdons related to technology-related asistance for these entities.

(b) The technology careers program Tovides support to institutions of igher education to prepare personnel or careers relating to the provision of echnology-related assistance to indiiduals with disabilities.

(c) The public awareness program rovides awards to for-profit and nonrofit entities, to carry out national rojects that recognize and build wareness of the importance and effiacy of assistive technology devices and assistive technology services for Individuals of all ages with disabilities unctioning in various settings in daily *ife.

Authority: 29 U.S.C. 2251 and 2252)

$347.2 What are the purposes of the training and public awareness projects program?

(a) The purposes of technology trainng projects are to develop and test curricula, materials, and techniques, and to conduct projects to train individuals with disabilities, their family members or representatives, employers, insurers, and persons providing services to or otherwise having contact with persons with disabilities, on the uses and benefits of technology-related assistance.

(b) The purpose of technology careers projects is to prepare individuals for careers relating to the provision of technology-related assistance to individuals with disabilities through undergraduate and graduate level education, continuing education, and inservice training.

(c) The purpose of public awareness projects is to build awareness of the importance and efficacy of assistive technology devices and services for individuals of all ages with disabilities functioning in various settings of daily life.

(Authority: 29 U.S.C. 2251-2252)

$347.3 Who is eligible for assistance under this program?

(a) Public and private agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education, are eligible to receive awards under the technology training program.

(b) Institutions of higher education are eligible to receive awards under the technology careers program.

(c) Public and private agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education, are eligible to receive awards under the public awareness projects program.

[56 FR 40195, Aug. 13, 1991, as amended at 58 FR 49419, Sept. 22, 1993]

§ 347.4 What regulations apply to this program?

The following regulations apply to the Training and Public Awareness Projects program:

(a) The Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) in 34 CFR part 74 (Administration of Grants to Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Nonprofit Organizations), part 75 (Direct Grant Programs), part 77 (Definitions that Apply to Department Regulations), part 81 (General Education Provisions Act-Enforcement), part 82 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), part 85 (Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for a DrugFree Workplace (Grants)), and part 86 (Drug-Free Schools and Campuses).

(b) The regulations in this part 347. (Authority: 29 U.S.C. 2201-2253)

§ 347.5 What definitions apply to this program?

(a) Definitions in EDGAR. The following terms used in this part are defined in 34 CFR 77.1:

that

Subpart E-What are the Additional Requirements Apply to a Grantee?

§346.40 What are the requirements that apply to a grantee for coordination and information sharing? The Secretary may require each grantee under this program to provide information, including data about program activities and results, to

(a) Grantees under the State Grants for Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities program;

(b) The entity providing technical assistance to the State grants program as prescribed in section 106(b)(1) of the Act;

(c) Agencies designated by Governors to make applications under the State grants program;

(d) Entities conducting evaluations of this program for the Secretary;

(e) The Secretary directly; and

(f) Any other entity designated by the Secretary.

(Approved by Office of Management and Budget and under control number 1820-0572) (Authority: 29 U.S.C. 2211-2271)

§346.41 What is the requirement for cost-sharing under this program? (a) For model delivery projects and research and development projects, the Secretary may require cost-sharing by announcing in the application notice for the program that cost-sharing will be required.

(b) For direct loan demonstration projects, the Secretary may require that the grantee's share of the cost be at least ten percent of the cost of the project by announcing that requirement in the application notice in the FEDERAL REGISTER.

(Authority: 29 U.S.C. 2261(3)(a) and (b))

PART 347-TRAINING AND PUBLIC AWARENESS PROJECTS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE IN TECHASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABIL ITIES

NOLOGY-RELATED

Sec.

Subpart A-General

347.1 What is the training and public aware ness projects program?

347.2 What are the purposes of the trainin and public awareness projects program? 347.3 Who is eligible for assistance unde this program?

347.4 What regulations apply to this pro gram?

347.5 What definitions apply to this pro gram?

Subpart B-What Kinds of Activities Doe the Department Support Under Th Program?

347.10 What types of projects may be su ported under this program?

347.11 What are the priorities under th technology training program? 347.12 What are the priorities under th technology careers program? 347.13 What are the priorities under th public awareness program?

Subpart C-(Reserved) Subpart D-How Does the Secretary Mak a Grant?

347.30 How does the Secretary evaluate a plications under this program? 347.31 What selection criteria are used

evaluate applications for technolo training projects under this program? 347.32 What selection criteria are used

evaluate applications for technology reer development projects under this p gram? 347.33 What selection criteria are used evaluate applications for public awa ness projects under this program? Subpart E-What Conditions Must Be Me After an Award?

347.40 What are the requirements of a gran ee for coordination and information sha ing?

347.41 Whre the reporting requiremen for a 9?