“This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement”
On July 1, 2017, the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP), also known as "iCanConnect," will become a permanent program. Over the past several weeks, the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (CGB) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has released several Public Notices certifying entities that will be distributing equipment and providing related services to low-income individuals who are deaf-blind in each of the 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Marian Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. CGB released the last of these Public Notices on June 21, 2017. Specifically, CGB certified entities to administer the NDBEDP in these 9 states: for Idaho, the University of Idaho – Center on Disabilities and Human Development; for Kansas, Assistive Technology for Kansans; for Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University; for Maine, Disability Rights Maine; for New Hampshire, Northeast Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, Inc.; for North Dakota, North Dakota Assistive; for Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services; for Tennessee, the Tennessee Public Utility Commission; and for Wyoming, the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities – University of Wyoming.
Links to the Public Notice Announcing Certified Entities:
Weblink: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-certifies-entities-ndbedp-nine-more-states
Word: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-605A1.docx
PDF: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-605A1.pdf
Text: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-605A1.txt
2017-2018 Funding Allocations
On June 23, 2017, CGB released a Public Notice announcing the funding allocations for the NDBEDP for the 2017-2018 Fund year, which begins July 1, 2017 and ends June 30, 2018. The FCC may provide up to $10 million annually for the NDBEDP. For 2017-2018, CGB set aside $250,000 for national outreach and $100,000 towards the development of a centralized database for the NDBEDP. CGB allocated the remaining $9.65 million of available funding among the 56 certified programs.
Links to the Public Notice Announcing 2017-2018 Funding Allocations
Weblink: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-announces-2017-2018-allocations-ndbedp
Word: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-616A1.docx
PDF: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-616A1.pdf
Text: https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-17-616A1.txt
For more information about the NDBEDP, visit http://www.fcc.gov/ndbedp
For more information about the Public Notice, contact Jackie Ellington, Disability Rights Office (DRO), CGB, 202-418-1153, e-mail Jackie.Ellington@fcc.gov; or Rosaline Crawford, DRO, CGB, 202 418 2075, e-mail Rosaline.Crawford@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC's ASL Consumer Support Line at 844-432-2275 (videophone).