§ 3014. — Technical assistance program.
[Laws in effect as of January 7, 2003]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 7, 2003 and December 19, 2003]
[CITE: 29USC3014]
TITLE 29--LABOR
CHAPTER 31--ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
SUBCHAPTER I--STATE GRANT PROGRAMS
Sec. 3014. Technical assistance program
(a) In general
Through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements, awarded on a
competitive basis, the Secretary is authorized to fund a technical
assistance program to provide technical assistance to entities,
principally entities funded under section 3011 or 3012 of this title.
(b) Input
In designing the program to be funded under this section, and in
deciding the differences in function between national and regionally
based technical assistance efforts carried out through the program, the
Secretary shall consider the input of the directors of comprehensive
statewide programs of technology-related assistance and other
individuals the Secretary determines to be appropriate, especially--
(1) individuals with disabilities who use assistive technology
and understand the barriers to the acquisition of such technology
and assistive technology services;
(2) family members, guardians, advocates, and authorized
representatives of such individuals; and
(3) individuals employed by protection and advocacy systems
funded under section 3012 of this title.
(c) Scope of technical assistance
(1) National Public Internet Site
(A) Establishment of Internet site
The Secretary shall fund the establishment and maintenance
of a National Public Internet Site for the purposes of providing
to individuals with disabilities and the general public
technical assistance and information on increased access to
assistive technology devices, assistive technology services, and
other disability-related resources.
(B) Eligible entity
To be eligible to receive a grant or enter into a contract
or cooperative agreement under subsection (a) of this section to
establish and maintain the Internet site, an entity shall be an
institution of higher education that emphasizes research and
engineering, has a multidisciplinary research center, and has
demonstrated expertise in--
(i) working with assistive technology and intelligent
agent interactive information dissemination systems;
(ii) managing libraries of assistive technology and
disability-related resources;
(iii) delivering education, information, and referral
services to individuals with disabilities, including
technology-based curriculum development services for adults
with low-level reading skills;
(iv) developing cooperative partnerships with the
private sector, particularly with private sector computer
software, hardware, and Internet services entities; and
(v) developing and designing advanced Internet sites.
(C) Features of Internet site
The National Public Internet Site described in subparagraph
(A) shall contain the following features:
(i) Availability of information at any time
The site shall be designed so that any member of the
public may obtain information posted on the site at any
time.
(ii) Innovative automated intelligent agent
The site shall be constructed with an innovative
automated intelligent agent that is a diagnostic tool for
assisting users in problem definition and the selection of
appropriate assistive technology devices and assistive
technology services resources.
(iii) Resources
(I) Library on assistive technology
The site shall include access to a comprehensive
working library on assistive technology for all
environments, including home, workplace, transportation,
and other environments.
(II) Resources for a number of disabilities
The site shall include resources relating to the
largest possible number of disabilities, including
resources relating to low-level reading skills.
(iv) Links to private sector resources and
information
To the extent feasible, the site shall be linked to
relevant private sector resources and information, under
agreements developed between the institution of higher
education and cooperating private sector entities.
(D) Minimum library components
At a minimum, the Internet site shall maintain updated
information on--
(i) how to plan, develop, implement, and evaluate
activities to further extend comprehensive statewide
programs of technology-related assistance, including the
development and replication of effective approaches to--
(I) providing information and referral services;
(II) promoting interagency coordination of training
and service delivery among public and private entities;
(III) conducting outreach to underrepresented
populations and rural populations;
(IV) mounting successful public awareness
activities;
(V) improving capacity building in service delivery;
(VI) training personnel from a variety of
disciplines; and
(VII) improving evaluation strategies, research, and
data collection;
(ii) effective approaches to the development of
consumer-controlled systems that increase access to, funding
for, and awareness of, assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services;
(iii) successful approaches to increasing the
availability of public and private funding for and access to
the provision of assistive technology devices and assistive
technology services by appropriate State agencies; and
(iv) demonstration sites where individuals may try out
assistive technology.
(2) Technical assistance efforts
In carrying out the technical assistance program, taking into
account the input required under subsection (b) of this section, the
Secretary shall ensure that entities--
(A) address State-specific information requests concerning
assistive technology from other entities funded under this
subchapter and public entities not funded under this subchapter,
including--
(i) requests for state-of-the-art, or model, Federal,
State, and local laws, regulations, policies, practices,
procedures, and organizational structures, that facilitate,
and overcome barriers to, funding for, and access to,
assistive technology devices and assistive technology
services;
(ii) requests for examples of policies, practices,
procedures, regulations, administrative hearing decisions,
or legal actions, that have enhanced or may enhance access
to funding for assistive technology devices and assistive
technology services for individuals with disabilities;
(iii) requests for information on effective approaches
to Federal-State coordination of programs for individuals
with disabilities, related to improving funding for or
access to assistive technology devices and assistive
technology services for individuals with disabilities of all
ages;
(iv) requests for information on effective approaches to
the development of consumer-controlled systems that increase
access to, funding for, and awareness of, assistive
technology devices and assistive technology services;
(v) other requests for technical assistance from other
entities funded under this subchapter and public entities
not funded under this subchapter; and
(vi) other assignments specified by the Secretary,
including assisting entities described in section 3013(b) of
this title to develop corrective action plans; and
(B) assist targeted individuals by disseminating information
about--
(i) Federal, State, and local laws, regulations,
policies, practices, procedures, and organizational
structures, that facilitate, and overcome barriers to,
funding for, and access to, assistive technology devices and
assistive technology services, to promote fuller
independence, productivity, and inclusion in society for
individuals with disabilities of all ages; and
(ii) technical assistance activities undertaken under
subparagraph (A).
(d) Eligible entities
To be eligible to compete for grants, contracts, and cooperative
agreements under this section, entities shall have documented experience
with and expertise in assistive technology service delivery or systems,
interagency coordination, and capacity building and advocacy activities.
(e) Application
To be eligible to receive a grant, contract, or cooperative
agreement under this section, an entity shall submit an application to
the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such
information as the Secretary may require.
(Pub. L. 105-394, title I, Sec. 104, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3648.)
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 3011, 3013, 3015 of this
title.
