Ed Awards $3.6 Million for Accessible Tech

The field of accessible technology has just received an infusion of funding. The Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs recently awarded $4.8 million in grants for projects intended to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. The bulk of that — $3.6 million — will be allocated to universities and other organizations to promote the development and use of accessible technology, media services and educational materials. The remaining funding is going to be directed to projects that increase literacy outcomes for students in grades 6-12.

The big award was funded under the Educational Technology, Media and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities Program and spread among eight recipients. Their projects include captioning and video description of educational materials and providing accessible materials to students with disabilities "in a timely manner."

Among the projects:

Other fundees included CaptionMax, Narrative Television Network and Bridge Multimedia, all of which provide services that make content accessible.

About the Author

Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • robot waving

    Copilot Updates Aim to Make AI More Personal

    Microsoft has unveiled a range of updates to its Copilot platform, marking a new phase in its effort to deliver what it calls a "true AI companion" that adapts to individual users' needs, preferences and routines.

  • glowing futuristic laptop with a holographic screen displaying digital text

    New Turnitin Product Brings AI-Powered Tools to Students with Instructor Guardrails

    Academic integrity solution provider Turnitin has introduced Turnitin Clarity, a paid add-on for Turnitin Feedback Studio that provides a composition workspace for students with educator-guided AI assistance, AI-generated writing feedback, visibility into integrity insights, and more.

  • illustration of a futuristic building labeled "AI & Innovation," featuring circuit board patterns and an AI brain motif, surrounded by geometric trees and a simplified sky

    Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center

    In an effort to advance AI innovation, foster community engagement, and prepare students for careers in STEM fields and business, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona has teamed up with AI, cloud, and advisory services provider Avanade to launch a new Avanade AI & Innovation Center.

  • Training the Next Generation of Space Cybersecurity Experts

    CT asked Scott Shackelford, Indiana University professor of law and director of the Ostrom Workshop Program on Cybersecurity and Internet Governance, about the possible emergence of space cybersecurity as a separate field that would support changing practices and foster future space cybersecurity leaders.