 
         CHAPTER 33--EDUCATION OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES
 
SUBCHAPTER IV--NATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH 
                              DISABILITIES
 
     Part B--Coordinated Research, Personnel Preparation, Technical 
          Assistance, Support, and Dissemination of Information
 
 subpart 2--improving early intervention, educational, and transitional 
services and results for children with disabilities through coordinated 
     technical assistance, support, and dissemination of information
 
Sec. 1485. Coordinated technical assistance and dissemination


(a) In general

    The Secretary shall, by competitively making grants or entering into 
contracts and cooperative agreements with eligible entities, provide 
technical assistance and information, through such mechanisms as 
institutes, Regional Resource Centers, clearinghouses, and programs that 
support States and local entities in building capacity, to improve early 
intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for 
children with disabilities and their families, and address systemic-
change goals and priorities.

(b) Systemic technical assistance; authorized activities

                           (1) In general

        In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall carry out or 
    support technical assistance activities, consistent with the 
    objectives described in subsection (a) of this section, relating to 
    systemic change.

                      (2) Authorized activities

        Activities that may be carried out under this subsection include 
    activities such as the following:
            (A) Assisting States, local educational agencies, and other 
        participants in partnerships established under part A of this 
        subchapter with the process of planning systemic changes that 
        will promote improved early intervention, educational, and 
        transitional results for children with disabilities.
            (B) Promoting change through a multistate or regional 
        framework that benefits States, local educational agencies, and 
        other participants in partnerships that are in the process of 
        achieving systemic-change outcomes.
            (C) Increasing the depth and utility of information in 
        ongoing and emerging areas of priority need identified by 
        States, local educational agencies, and other participants in 
        partnerships that are in the process of achieving systemic-
        change outcomes.
            (D) Promoting communication and information exchange among 
        States, local educational agencies, and other participants in 
        partnerships, based on the needs and concerns identified by the 
        participants in the partnerships, rather than on externally 
        imposed criteria or topics, regarding--
                (i) the practices, procedures, and policies of the 
            States, local educational agencies, and other participants 
            in partnerships; and
                (ii) accountability of the States, local educational 
            agencies, and other participants in partnerships for 
            improved early intervention, educational, and transitional 
            results for children with disabilities.

(c) Specialized technical assistance; authorized activities

                           (1) In general

        In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall carry out or 
    support activities, consistent with the objectives described in 
    subsection (a) of this section, relating to areas of priority or 
    specific populations.

                      (2) Authorized activities

        Examples of activities that may be carried out under this 
    subsection include activities that--
            (A) focus on specific areas of high-priority need that--
                (i) are identified by States, local educational 
            agencies, and other participants in partnerships;
                (ii) require the development of new knowledge, or the 
            analysis and synthesis of substantial bodies of information 
            not readily available to the States, agencies, and other 
            participants in partnerships; and
                (iii) will contribute significantly to the improvement 
            of early intervention, educational, and transitional 
            services and results for children with disabilities and 
            their families;

            (B) focus on needs and issues that are specific to a 
        population of children with disabilities, such as the provision 
        of single-State and multi-State technical assistance and in-
        service training--
                (i) to schools and agencies serving deaf-blind children 
            and their families; and
                (ii) to programs and agencies serving other groups of 
            children with low-incidence disabilities and their families; 
            or

            (C) address the postsecondary education needs of individuals 
        who are deaf or hard-of-hearing.

(d) National information dissemination; authorized activities

                           (1) In general

        In carrying out this section, the Secretary shall carry out or 
    support information dissemination activities that are consistent 
    with the objectives described in subsection (a) of this section, 
    including activities that address national needs for the preparation 
    and dissemination of information relating to eliminating barriers to 
    systemic-change and improving early intervention, educational, and 
    transitional results for children with disabilities.

                      (2) Authorized activities

        Examples of activities that may be carried out under this 
    subsection include activities relating to--
            (A) infants and toddlers with disabilities and their 
        families, and children with disabilities and their families;
            (B) services for populations of children with low-incidence 
        disabilities, including deaf-blind children, and targeted age 
        groupings;
            (C) the provision of postsecondary services to individuals 
        with disabilities;
            (D) the need for and use of personnel to provide services to 
        children with disabilities, and personnel recruitment, 
        retention, and preparation;
            (E) issues that are of critical interest to State 
        educational agencies and local educational agencies, other 
        agency personnel, parents of children with disabilities, and 
        individuals with disabilities;
            (F) educational reform and systemic change within States; 
        and
            (G) promoting schools that are safe and conducive to 
        learning.

              (3) Linking States to information sources

        In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary may support 
    projects that link States to technical assistance resources, 
    including special education and general education resources, and may 
    make research and related products available through libraries, 
    electronic networks, parent training projects, and other information 
    sources.

(e) Applications

    An eligible entity that wishes to receive a grant, or enter into a 
contract or cooperative agreement, under this section shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
containing such information as the Secretary may require.

(Pub. L. 91-230, title VI, Sec. 685, as added Pub. L. 105-17, title I, 
Sec. 101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 152; amended Pub. L. 106-402, title 
IV, Sec. 401(b)(1), Oct. 30, 2000, 114 Stat. 1737.)


                            Prior Provisions

    A prior section 1485, Pub. L. 91-230, title VI, Sec. 686, formerly 
Sec. 685, as added Pub. L. 99-457, title I, Sec. 101(a), Oct. 8, 1986, 
100 Stat. 1155; renumbered Sec. 686 and amended Pub. L. 102-119, 
Secs. 20, 21(1), Oct. 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 602, related to authorization 
of appropriations, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105-17, title II, 
Sec. 203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective July 1, 1998.
    A prior section 685 of Pub. L. 91-230 was classified to section 
1484a of this title, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105-17, title II, 
Sec. 203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157, effective July 1, 1998.


                               Amendments

    2000--Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 106-402, which directed the 
substitution of ``the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of 
Rights Act of 2000'' for ``the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and 
Bill of Rights Act'' in section 685(b)(4) of Pub. L. 91-230 (this 
section), could not be executed because the language to be struck does 
not appear and this section does not contain a subsec. (b)(4). Amendment 
was probably intended for prior section 685 of Pub. L. 91-230, which was 
classified to section 1484a of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 
105-17. See Prior Provisions note above.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in sections 1090, 1461, 1482, 1486 of 
this title.
