The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
Children's ability to communicate and the quality of their communication
Many young children receiving services under IDEA participate in speech and language interventions. In the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study (NEILS), service providers reported that 53 percent of infants and toddlers received speech and language therapy within the first six months of beginning early intervention services. Additionally, the 2004 IDEA child count data indicate that 47 percent of three through five year olds served under the Part B program of IDEA have speech or language impairments, though the actual number is likely to be much higher because this number does not include children who have speech or language impairments but are identified as having a developmental delay and children with primary disabilities other than speech or language impairments who also have language disorders.
Functional or naturalistic language interventions have been shown to be effective in increasing the overall quantity and quality of children's communication and language skills (Owens, 2004; Warren, Yoder, & Leew, 2002). A functional language approach to intervention is grounded in the principle that language develops for the purpose of communicating within a social environment. Intervention practices or teaching strategies are therefore implemented within the context of children's daily activities and routines to promote their communication and language development. This intervention approach is child-centered in that it focuses on children's interests and supports their attempts to communicate within social interactions. A functional language approach stresses the importance of engaging adults in a child's environment, including family members, childcare providers, and interventionists as language facilitators so that they can use empirically valid strategies to support children's language and communication development across communicative contexts and partners. A functional language approach is different from language interventions that are directed by an adult and target discrete, isolated language skills within artificial situations.
Children with significant language disorders are often served by a variety of professionals, and it is not uncommon for them to receive interventions that are based on one theoretical and empirical framework for the first few years and then transition to a program that emphasizes a very different approach with divergent theoretical underpinnings and empirical support. If this shift in intervention approaches is dramatic, the child may lose skills he or she has acquired under the previous approach and family members may experience confusion and uncertainty about what the child should be learning and how they should support those experiences. Continuity in the interventions that are provided across early intervention and preschool settings could lessen any confusion and uncertainty experienced by families of young children with disabilities as they transition from one program to another.
Children with significant language disorders are at high risk for social and academic difficulties. To support infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with disabilities in developing the skills they will need to communicate competently, there is a need for a scientifically based evaluation of effective functional language intervention models implemented within natural settings. This need is especially critical for young children with significant language disorders who are served across both early intervention and preschool programs. The Department is interested in evaluating functional language intervention models that address the diverse population of infants, toddlers, and preschool children served under both Part C and Part B of IDEA, especially those children who need intensive language interventions as a result of a specific language disorder, or a language disorder that is secondary to other disabilities such as autism or a hearing impairment (including deafness).
The purpose of this priority is to support three (3) Centers to evaluate models that incorporate scientifically based research related to language interventions for children birth through five with significant language disorders served across the Part C and Part B preschool programs under IDEA. Each Center will work with no less than three sites and will implement the same functional language intervention model in each of these sites. Each site must serve children with disabilities ages birth through five, either in separate early intervention and preschool programs within the same community or through a coordinated system that serves children with disabilities ages birth through five. Each site must include both an early intervention component and a preschool component so that critical elements of the language intervention models are consistent as children transition from IDEA Part C to Part B services.
Each Center must implement and evaluate the functional language intervention model in early childhood environments, such as child care settings, Head Start programs, private or public preschools, early childhood special education settings, and home/community-based environments to determine their usefulness, effectiveness, and general applicability to these typical settings.
An applicant must describe, in its application—
(a) The proposed model and the supporting evidence for the model as a whole, including empirical support of the critical components that comprise the model;
(b) The knowledge, experience, and capabilities of the key staff who will be responsible for the development and implementation of the functional language intervention model across the early intervention and preschool programs;
(c) The methods to be used for recruiting and selecting sites, and if the applicant has identified sites that would be willing to participate in the model demonstrations, a description of the population of children typically served by these sites. The final site selection will be determined following the first cross-project meeting; and
(d) The partnership that the Center has established with local early intervention and preschool programs to implement the model and to increase the likelihood that personnel will develop sufficient expertise in order to sustain the model after project completion.
To meet the requirements of this priority, each Center, at a minimum, must—
(1) Conduct a systematic review of the research on evidence-based language interventions that focuses on functional communication within natural settings that are appropriate for young children
(2) Design and implement a language intervention model that: (a) Focuses on language development and readiness skills for young children ages birth through five with significant language disorders; (b) is grounded in a scientifically based functional approach to language intervention that is embedded within the context of practices that are developmentally appropriate and empirically supported; (c) takes into account continuity of interventions by enrolling children in the Part C program and following them through the Part B program until the completion of the model demonstration project; (d) can be adapted based on specific characteristics of the child, such as age and disability; and (e) is designed to lead to improved outcomes for young children with significant language disorders;
(3) Provide initial and ongoing professional development to early interventionists, early childhood special educators, related service providers, and early care and education personnel in the project working with young children with disabilities and who are charged with implementing the model. Ensure that there is a process for providing feedback to personnel participating in the project on their implementation of the language intervention model;
(4) Implement an evaluation plan that includes a detailed description of the full model and the critical elements of the model, a description of the system variables required to implement and sustain the model, and the processes for collecting and analyzing specific project and cross-project data related to: (a) The effectiveness of the language intervention model, including child outcomes; (b) the fidelity of the implementation of the model and acceptable variations; (c) the continuity of the model across the Part C and Part B programs; and (d) the effectiveness of the professional development provided to personnel participating in the model demonstrations. Common cross-site data to be collected will be determined following the first cross-project meeting;
(5) Document the effects of a consistent language intervention approach on the transition process as children move from the IDEA Part C program to the Part B program;
(6) Identify methods for effectively supporting communication and collaboration among families, community agencies, and program/Center staff to implement the language intervention model across the Part C and Part B programs;
(7) Coordinate with the other Centers funded under this competition and the Model Demonstration Coordination Center (MDCC) to determine a cross-project plan for evaluating the impact of these models on children's developmental progress and outcomes. The MDCC is a separate center funded by OSEP that is responsible for coordinating implementation and analyzing data to determine the effectiveness of intervention models. The MDCC is developing a data coordination plan and cross-site data collection instruments and will generate common evaluation questions, synthesize and analyze data, monitor implementation fidelity, ensure data reliability, and foster information dissemination. As part of cross-site coordination, Centers will be asked to collect common measures that may or may not be the same as those proposed by the applicant. Common measures may include observations or assessments of programs, classrooms, or children participating in the language intervention model as well as programs, classrooms, or children who were not part of the language intervention model. The purpose of the data is to provide general information on the contexts in which models are more fully implemented and effective;
(8) Develop regular communication with OSEP's other funded centers, as appropriate, to share information regarding topics such as successful strategies and implementation challenges for language interventions for children with significant language disorders in early childhood environments;
(9) As appropriate, develop and apply strategies for disseminating implementation information to specific audiences, including early interventionists, preschool special educators, related service providers, families, administrators, policymakers, and researchers. These dissemination strategies must involve collaboration with MDCC, and with technical assistance providers, including parent centers funded by OSEP;
(10) Prior to developing any new product, whether paper or electronic, submit for approval a proposal describing the content and purpose of the product to the Project Officer to be designated by OSEP and the document review board of OSEP's Dissemination Center;
(11) Budget for the Center's project director to attend a three-day Project Directors' meeting in Washington, D.C. during each year of the project; and one additional yearly meeting with OSEP and the MDCC (the first meeting to take place within one month of the project's January 1, 2008 start date);
(12) If a Web site is maintained, format the information and documents on the Web site in a manner that meets a government or industry-recognized standard for accessibility.
In deciding whether to continue funding the Center for the fifth year, the Secretary will consider the requirements of 34 CFR 75.253(a), and in addition—
(a) The timeliness and effectiveness with which all requirements of the negotiated cooperative agreement have been or are being met by the Center;
(b) The degree to which the Center recruited and retained a large enough sample of children to allow for meaningful data collection and analysis of where children were served, the type of services they received, and their developmental progress and outcomes once they exited preschool programs.
20 U.S.C. 1463 and 1481(d).
The regulations in 34 CFR part 79 apply to all applicants except federally recognized Indian tribes.
The regulations in 34 CFR part 86 apply only to IHEs.
The Department is not bound by any estimates in this notice.
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(b) Applicants and grant recipients funded under this competition must involve individuals with disabilities or parents of individuals with disabilities ages birth through 26 in planning, implementing, and evaluating the projects (see section 682(a)(1)(A) of IDEA).
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You may also contact ED Pubs at its Web site:
If you request an application from ED Pubs, be sure to identify this competition as follows: CFDA Number 84.326M.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain a copy of the application package in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) by contacting the Grants and Contracts Services Team listed under
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• A “page” is 8.5″ x 11″, on one side only, with 1″ margins at the top, bottom, and both sides.
• Double space (no more than three lines per vertical inch) all text in the application narrative, including titles, headings, footnotes, quotations, references, and captions, as well as all text in charts, tables, figures, and graphs.
• Use a font that is either 12 point or larger or no smaller than 10 pitch (characters per inch).
The page limit does not apply to Part I, the cover sheet; Part II, the budget section, including the narrative budget justification; Part IV, the assurances and certifications; the one-page abstract, the resumes, the bibliography, the references, or the letters of support. However, you must include all of the application narrative in Part III.
We will reject your application if—
• You apply these standards and exceed the page limit; or
• You apply other standards and exceed the equivalent of the page limit.
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Applications for grants under this competition may be submitted electronically using the Grants.gov Apply site (Grants.gov), or in paper format by mail or hand delivery. For information (including dates and times) about how to submit your application electronically, or by mail or hand delivery, please refer to section IV. 6.
We do not consider an application that does not comply with the deadline requirements.
Individuals with disabilities who need an accommodation or auxiliary aid in connection with the application process should contact the person listed under
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We have been accepting applications electronically through the Department's e-Application system since FY 2000. In order to expand on those efforts and comply with the President's Management Agenda, we are continuing to participate as a partner in the new government wide
If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must use the
You may access the electronic grant application for The Model Demonstration Centers on Early Childhood Language Intervention at:
• Your participation in
• When you enter the
• Applications received by
• The amount of time it can take to upload an application will vary depending on a variety of factors including the size of the application and the speed of your Internet connection. Therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the application process through
• You should review and follow the Education Submission Procedures for submitting an application through
• To submit your application via
• You will not receive additional point value because you submit your application in electronic format, nor will we penalize you if you submit your application in paper format.
• You may submit all documents electronically, including all information typically included on the Application for Federal Education Assistance (ED 424), Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs (ED 524), and all necessary assurances and certifications. If you choose to submit your application electronically, you must attach any narrative sections of your application as files in a .DOC (document), .RTF (rich text) or .PDF (Portable Document) format. If you upload a file type other than the three file types specified above or submit a password protected file, we will not review that material.
• Your electronic application must comply with any page limit requirements described in this notice.
• After you electronically submit your application, you will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. The Department will retrieve your application from Grants.gov and send you a second confirmation by e-mail that will include a PR/Award number (an ED-specified identifying number unique to your application).
• We may request that you provide us original signatures on forms at a later date.
If you are prevented from electronically submitting your application on the application deadline date because of technical problems with the Grants.gov system, we will grant you an extension until 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, the following business day to enable you to transmit your application electronically, or by hand delivery. You also may mail your application by following the mailing instructions as described elsewhere in this notice. If you submit an application after 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, on the deadline date, please contact the person listed elsewhere in this notice under
Extensions referred to in this section apply only to the unavailability of or technical problems with the Grants.gov system. We will not grant you an extension if you failed to fully register to submit your application to Grants.gov before the deadline date and time or if the technical problem you experienced is unrelated to the Grants.gov system.
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If you submit your application in paper format by mail (through the U.S. Postal Service or a commercial carrier), you must mail the original and two copies of your application, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the applicable following address:
or
Regardless of which address you use, you must show proof of mailing consisting of one of the following:
(1) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service postmark,
(2) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the U.S. Postal Service,
(3) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial carrier, or
(4) Any other proof of mailing acceptable to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
If you mail your application through the U.S. Postal Service, we do not accept either of the following as proof of mailing:
(1) A private metered postmark, or
(2) A mail receipt that is not dated by the U.S. Postal Service.
If your application is postmarked after the application deadline date, we will not consider your application.
The U.S. Postal Service does not uniformly provide a dated postmark. Before relying on this method, you should check with your local post office.
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If you submit your application in paper format by hand delivery, you (or a courier service) must deliver the original and two copies of your application by hand, on or before the application deadline date, to the Department at the following address: U.S. Department of Education, Application Control Center,
The Application Control Center accepts hand deliveries daily between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Washington, DC time, except Saturdays, Sundays and Federal holidays.
If you mail or hand deliver your application to the Department:
(1) You must indicate on the envelope and—if not provided by the Department—in Item 4 of ED 424 the CFDA number—and suffix letter, if any—of the competition under which you are submitting your application.
(2) The Application Control Center will mail a grant application receipt acknowledgment to you. If you do not receive the grant application receipt acknowledgment within 15 business days from the application deadline date, you should call the U.S. Department of Education Application Control Center at (202) 245–6288.
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If your application is not evaluated or not selected for funding, we notify you.
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We reference the regulations outlining the terms and conditions of an award in the
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Grantees will be required to provide information related to these measures.
Grantees will also be required to report information on their projects' performance in annual reports to the Department (34 CFR 75.590).
If you use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD), you may call the Federal Relay Service (FRS) at 1–800–877–8339.
Individuals with disabilities may obtain this document in an alternative format (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette) on request by contacting the following office: The Grants and Contracts Services Team, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., Potomac Center Plaza, Washington, DC 20202–2550.
To use PDF you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site. If you have questions about using PDF, call the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), toll free, at 1–888–293–6498; or in the Washington, DC, area at (202) 512–1530.
The official version of this document is the document published in the