TRAINING AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

SEC. 202. TRAINING AND DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS. Title II (29 U.S.C. 2231 et seq.) is amended by repealing parts B, C, and D and inserting the following: “Subtitle B—Training and Demonstration Projects “SEC. 211. TRAINING. “(a) Technology Training — “(1) General authority.— The Secretary shall make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, appropriate public or private agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education and community-based organizations, for the purposes of— “(A) conducting training sessions; “(B) developing, demonstrating, disseminating, and evaluating curricula, materials, and methods used to train individuals regarding the provision of technology-related assistance, to enhance opportunities for independence, productivity, and inclusion of individuals with disabilities; and “(C) providing training to develop awareness, skills, and competencies of service providers, consumers, and volunteers, who are located in rural areas, to increase the availability of technology-related assistance in community-based settings for rural residents who are individuals with disabilities. “(2) Eligible activities.— Activities conducted under grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements described in paragraph (1) may address the training needs of individuals with disabilities and their family members, guardians, advocates, and authorized representatives, individuals who work for public agencies, or for private entities (including insurers), that have contact with individuals with disabilities, educators and related services personnel, technology experts (including engineers), employers, and other appropriate individuals. “(3) Uses of funds.— An agency or organization that receives a grant or enters into a contract or cooperative agreement under paragraph (1) may use amounts made available through the grant, contract, or agreement to— “(A) pay for a portion of the cost of courses of training or study related to technology-related assistance; and “(B) establish and maintain scholarships related to such courses of training or study, with such stipends and 108 STAT. 88allowances as the Secretary may determine to be appropriate. “(4) Application.— “(A) In general.— To be eligible to receive a grant or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement under paragraph (1), an agency or organization shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. “(B) Strategies.— At a minimum, any such application shall include a detailed description of the strategies that the agency or organization will use to recruit and train persons to provide technology-related assistance, in order to— “(i) increase the extent to which such persons reflect the diverse populations of the United States; and “(ii) increase the number of individuals with disabilities, and individuals who are members of minority groups, who are available to provide such assistance. “(5) Priorities.— “(A) In general.— Beginning in fiscal year 1994, the Secretary shall— “(i) establish priorities for activities carried out with assistance under this subsection; “(ii) publish such priorities in the Federal Register for the purpose of receiving public comment; and “(iii) publish such priorities in the Federal Register in final form not later than the date on which the Secretary publishes announcements for assistance provided under this subsection. “(B) Explanation of determination of priorities.— Concurrent with the publications required by subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall publish in the Federal Register an explanation of the manner in which the priorities were determined. “(b) Technology Careers.— “(1) In general.— “(A) Grants.— The Secretary shall make grants to assist public or private agencies and organizations, including institutions of higher education, to prepare students and faculty working in specific fields for careers relating to the provision of assistive technology devices and assistive technology services. “(B) Fields.— The specific fields described in subparagraph (A) may include— “(i) engineering; “(ii) industrial technology; “(iii) computer science; “(iv) communication disorders; “(v) special education and related services; “(vi) rehabilitation; and “(vii) social work. “(2) Priority.— In awarding grants under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to the interdisciplinary preparation of personnel who provide or who will provide tech-108 STAT. 89nical assistance, who administer programs, or who prepare other personnel, in order to— “(A) support the development and implementation of consumer-responsive comprehensive statewide programs of technology-related assistance to individuals with disabilities; and “(B) enhance the skills and competencies of individuals involved in the provision of technology-related assistance, including assistive technology devices and assistive technology services, to individuals with disabilities. “(3) Uses of funds.— An agency or organization that receives a grant under paragraph (1) may use amounts made available through the grant to— “(A) pay for a portion of the exist of courses of training or study related to technology-related assistance; and “(B) establish and maintain scholarships related to such courses of training or study, with such stipends and allowances as the Secretary may determine to be appropriate. “(4) Application.— “(A) In general.— To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an agency or organization shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. “(B) Strategies.— At a minimum, any such application shall include a detailed description of the strategies that the agency or organization will use to recruit and train persons to provide technology-related assistance, in order to— “(i) increase the extent to which such persons reflect the diverse populations of the United States; and “(ii) increase the number of individuals with disabilities, and individuals who are members of minority groups, who are available to provide such assistance. “(c) Grants to Historically Black Colleges.— In exercising the authority granted in subsections (a) and (b), the Secretary shall reserve an adequate amount for grants to historically black colleges and universities and other institutions of higher education whose minority student enrollment is at least 50 percent. “SEC. 212. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER. “The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with an organization whose primary function is to promote technology transfer from, and cooperation among, Federal laboratories (as defined in section 4(6) of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703(6))), under which funds shall be provided to promote technology transfer that will spur the development of assistive technology devices. “SEC. 213. DEVICE AND EQUIPMENT REDISTRIBUTION INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND RECYCLING CENTERS. “(a) In general.— The Secretary shall make grants to, or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, public agencies, private entities, or institutions of higher education for the purpose of developing and establishing recycling projects. 108 STAT. 90 “(b) Project Activities.— Such recycling projects may include— “(1) a system for accepting, on an unconditional gift basis, assistive technology devices, including a process for valuing the devices and evaluating their use and potential; “(2) a system for storing and caring for such devices; “(3) an information system (including computer databases) by which local educational agencies, rehabilitation entities, local community-based organizations, independent living centers, and other entities, would be informed, on a periodic and timely basis, about the availability and nature of the devices currently held; and “(4) a system that makes such devices available to consumers and the entities listed in paragraph (3), and provides for tracking each device throughout the useful life of the device. “(c) Multiple Providers.— “(1) In general.— With respect to activities funded under this section, an agency, entity, or institution may utilize a single service provider or may establish a system of service providers. “(2) Assurances.— If an agency, entity, or institution uses multiple providers, the agency, entity, or institution shall assure that— “(A) all consumers within a State will receive equal access to services, regardless of the geographic location or socioeconomic status of the consumers; and “(B) all activities of the providers will be coordinated and monitored by the agency, entity, or institution. “(d) Other Laws.— Nothing in this section shall affect the provision of services or devices pursuant to title I of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 720 et seq.) or part B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1411 et seq.). “(e) Existing Programs.— Public agencies, private entities, or institutions of higher education that nave established recycling programs prior to receiving assistance under this section may use funds made available under this section to extend and strengthen such programs through grants, contracts, or agreements under this section. “SEC. 214. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. “The Secretary may make grants to individuals with disabilities to enable the individuals to establish or operate commercial or other enterprises that develop or market assistive technology devices or assistive technology services. “SEC. 215. PRODUCTS OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN. “The Secretary may make grants to commercial or other enterprises and institutions of higher education for the research and development of products of universal design. In awarding such grants, the Secretary shall give preference to enterprises that are owned or operated by individuals with disabilities. “SEC. 216. GOVERNING STANDARDS FOR ACTIVITIES. “Persons and entities that carry out activities pursuant to this subtitle shall— 108 STAT. 91 “(1) be held to the same consumer-responsive standards as the persons and entities carrying out programs under title “(2) make available to individuals with disabilities and their family members, guardians, advocates, and authorized representatives information concerning technology-related assistance in a form that will allow such individuals with disabilities to effectively use such information; “(3) in preparing such information for dissemination, consider the media-related needs of individuals with disabilities who have sensory and cognitive limitations and consider the use of auditory materials, including audio cassettes, visual materials, including video cassettes and video discs, and braille materials; and “(4) coordinate their efforts with the consumer-responsive comprehensive statewide program of technology-related assistance for individuals with disabilities in any State in which the activities are carried out. “Subtitle C—Authorization of Appropriations “SEC. 221. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. “There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through 1998”.