OSERS-OSEP: Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities: Stepping-up Technology Implementation CFDA Number 84.327S | ED GRANTS 070318 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for ED GRANTS 070318 001

The OSERS-OSEP grant opportunity titled "Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities: Stepping-up Technology Implementation" (CFDA 84.327S) is a discretionary funding competition run by the U.S. Department of Education under the Office of Special Education Programs. It is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means the Department expects to have substantial involvement in the project during the grant period (for example, through collaboration, technical direction, or ongoing coordination), rather than simply providing funds with minimal federal engagement. The overall focus is on improving educational access and outcomes for students with disabilities by strengthening how technology and accessible media are developed, implemented, and used in real classroom settings.

At its core, the program is designed to improve results for students with disabilities by promoting the development, demonstration, and practical use of technology. That emphasis on "development, demonstration, and use" signals that applicants are expected to move beyond planning documents and into real-world implementation, showing how technology can be adopted effectively in schools and classrooms. The opportunity also supports educational activities that are intended to have clear instructional value for students with disabilities, meaning projects should be tied to learning and classroom participation rather than technology for its own sake. In addition, the program explicitly supports captioning and video description that are appropriate for classroom use, reinforcing that access to audiovisual instructional materials is a key concern. Finally, it prioritizes making accessible educational materials available to students with disabilities in a timely manner, which is often a practical barrier in schools when materials are adopted faster than accessible versions can be provided.

The notice also highlights that separate legal obligations may apply to states and districts regardless of this grant, including requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. In practical terms, that reminder matters because it frames accessibility not as an optional enhancement but as something that may be legally required to ensure equally integrated and equally effective access to educational programs and activities, including as part of a free appropriate public education under Section 504. Projects funded under this competition would likely be expected to align with these broader civil rights and access requirements, especially where captioning, video description, and accessible instructional materials are involved.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of potential applicants: state, county, and local governments (including school districts); special district governments; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status; for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and other eligible entities as clarified in the official notice. This wide eligibility range suggests the competition is open to partnerships and varied implementation models, such as collaborations between districts and universities, state-led initiatives, nonprofit technical assistance organizations, or developers working with school systems to pilot accessible solutions.

Key administrative details in the listing include a creation date of July 3, 2018, with applications available the same day and an application deadline of August 2, 2018. The expected number of awards is three, with an award ceiling of $500,000. Those figures indicate a relatively competitive competition with a small number of sizable awards, where proposals would likely need to present a clear implementation plan, strong evidence of need, and credible capacity to deliver results within budget.

The published description stresses that it is only a synopsis and that the controlling requirements are in the official Federal Register notice. Applicants are directed to consult the Department's Common Instructions for Applicants to Department of Education Discretionary Grant Programs (referenced as published February 12, 2018, 83 FR 6003) for directions on how to obtain and submit applications, along with procedural requirements and submission logistics. The Federal Register notice would also contain the specific priorities, performance measures, and program contact information that applicants would need to align with in order to be considered responsive and competitive.

• The Department of Education in the education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OSERS-OSEP: Educational Technology, Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities: Stepping-up Technology Implementation CFDA Number 84.327S" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 84.327.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 03, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 02, 2018 Applications Available July 3, 2018. Deadline for Transmittal of Applications August 2, 2018.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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