Subdivision 1. Responsibility of commissioner. The commissioner shall coordinate and may pay for support services for persons who are deaf, deafblind, and hard-of-hearing to assure access to educational opportunities. Services may be provided to adult students who are deaf, deafblind, and hard-of-hearing and (1) have been denied access to educational opportunities because of the lack of support services or (2) are presently enrolled or (3) are contemplating enrollment in an educational program and would benefit from support services. The commissioner shall also be responsible for conducting in-service training for public and private agencies regarding the needs of persons who are deaf, deafblind, and hard-of-hearing in the adult education system.

Subd. 2. Support services. The commissioner may pay school districts or public or private community agencies for the following support services:

(1) interpreter services to provide translation for an individual or a group of students; or

(2) notetaker services to convert spoken language to written language when the student must maintain visual contact with other persons such as an interpreter or instructor.

Subd. 3. Programs included. Support services may be provided for:

(1) local school district adult education programs;

(2) adult technical college programs; and

(3) avocational education programs sponsored by public or private community agencies.

History: 1981 c 358 art 3 s 9; 1987 c 258 s 12; 1989 c 246 s 2; 1993 c 224 art 13 s 5; 1998 c 397 art 3 s 2,103; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 55; 2013 c 62 s 2