§1481. Findings and purposes

(a) In general

The Congress finds as follows:

(1) National technical assistance, support, and dissemination activities are necessary to ensure that subchapters II and III of this chapter are fully implemented and achieve quality early intervention, educational, and transitional results for children with disabilities and their families.

(2) Parents, teachers, administrators, and related services personnel need technical assistance and information in a timely, coordinated, and accessible manner in order to improve early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results at the State and local levels for children with disabilities and their families.

(3) Parent training and information activities have taken on increased importance in efforts to assist parents of a child with a disability in dealing with the multiple pressures of rearing such a child and are of particular importance in-

(A) ensuring the involvement of such parents in planning and decisionmaking with respect to early intervention, educational, and transitional services;

(B) achieving quality early intervention, educational, and transitional results for children with disabilities;

(C) providing such parents information on their rights and protections under this chapter to ensure improved early intervention, educational, and transitional results for children with disabilities;

(D) assisting such parents in the development of skills to participate effectively in the education and development of their children and in the transitions described in section 1474(b)(3)(C) of this title; and

(E) supporting the roles of such parents as participants within partnerships seeking to improve early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for children with disabilities and their families.

(4) Providers of parent training and information activities need to ensure that such parents who have limited access to services and supports, due to economic, cultural, or linguistic barriers, are provided with access to appropriate parent training and information activities.

(5) Parents of children with disabilities need information that helps the parents to understand the rights and responsibilities of their children under subchapter II of this chapter.

(6) The provision of coordinated technical assistance and dissemination of information to State and local agencies, institutions of higher education, and other providers of services to children with disabilities is essential in-

(A) supporting the process of achieving systemic change;

(B) supporting actions in areas of priority specific to the improvement of early intervention, educational, and transitional results for children with disabilities;

(C) conveying information and assistance that are-

(i) based on current research (as of the date the information and assistance are conveyed);

(ii) accessible and meaningful for use in supporting systemic-change activities of State and local partnerships; and

(iii) linked directly to improving early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for children with disabilities and their families; and

(D) organizing systems and information networks for such information, based on modern technology related to-

(i) storing and gaining access to information; and

(ii) distributing information in a systematic manner to parents, students, professionals, and policymakers.

(7) Federal support for carrying out technology research, technology development, and educational media services and activities has resulted in major innovations that have significantly improved early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for children with disabilities and their families.

(8) Such Federal support is needed-

(A) to stimulate the development of software, interactive learning tools, and devices to address early intervention, educational, and transitional needs of children with disabilities who have certain disabilities;

(B) to make information available on technology research, technology development, and educational media services and activities to individuals involved in the provision of early intervention, educational, and transitional services to children with disabilities;

(C) to promote the integration of technology into curricula to improve early intervention, educational, and transitional results for children with disabilities;

(D) to provide incentives for the development of technology and media devices and tools that are not readily found or available because of the small size of potential markets;

(E) to make resources available to pay for such devices and tools and educational media services and activities;

(F) to promote the training of personnel-

(i) to provide such devices, tools, services, and activities in a competent manner; and

(ii) to assist children with disabilities and their families in using such devices, tools, services, and activities; and

(G) to coordinate the provision of such devices, tools, services, and activities-

(i) among State human services programs; and

(ii) between such programs and private agencies.

(b) Purposes

The purposes of this subpart are to ensure that-

(1) children with disabilities, and their parents, receive training and information on their rights and protections under this chapter, in order to develop the skills necessary to effectively participate in planning and decisionmaking relating to early intervention, educational, and transitional services and in systemic-change activities;

(2) parents, teachers, administrators, early intervention personnel, related services personnel, and transition personnel receive coordinated and accessible technical assistance and information to assist such persons, through systemic-change activities and other efforts, to improve early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for children with disabilities and their families;

(3) appropriate technology and media are researched, developed, demonstrated, and made available in timely and accessible formats to parents, teachers, and all types of personnel providing services to children with disabilities to support their roles as partners in the improvement and implementation of early intervention, educational, and transitional services and results for children with disabilities and their families;

(4) on reaching the age of majority under State law, children with disabilities understand their rights and responsibilities under subchapter II of this chapter, if the State provides for the transfer of parental rights under section 1415(m) of this title; and

(5) the general welfare of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals is promoted by-

(A) bringing to such individuals understanding and appreciation of the films and television programs that play an important part in the general and cultural advancement of hearing individuals;

(B) providing, through those films and television programs, enriched educational and cultural experiences through which deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals can better understand the realities of their environment; and

(C) providing wholesome and rewarding experiences that deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals may share.

(Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §681, as added Pub. L. 105–17, title I, §101, June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 146 .)

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1481, Pub. L. 91–230, title VI, §681, as added Pub. L. 99–457, title I, §101(a), Oct. 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 1152 ; amended Pub. L. 100–630, title I, §108(j), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3302 ; Pub. L. 101–476, title IX, §901(b)(181), Oct. 30, 1990, 104 Stat. 1150 ; Pub. L. 102–119, §25(b), Oct. 7, 1991, 105 Stat. 607 , related to nonsubstitution of funds to pay for services which would have been paid for from another source and construction of such provisions so as not to reduce other benefits, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–17, title II, §203(b), June 4, 1997, 111 Stat. 157 , effective July 1, 1998.

Section Referred to in Other Sections

This section is referred to in section 1486 of this title.