The goal of the National Deaf-Blind Equipment Distribution Program (NDBEDP) is to ensure that every person with combined hearing and vision loss has access to modern telecommunication tools and the training necessary to use them, granting every individual the opportunity to interact with the world as an involved, contributing member of society.
The program, promoted by iCanConnect, provides outreach, assessments, telecommunications technology, and training at no cost to those who meet federal eligibility guidelines.
The Federal Communications Commission established iCanConnect as a pilot program in 2011. The program became permanent in 2016.
Each state is responsible for implementing and administering its own statewide program. The administrator of Iowa’s program is the Helen Keller National Center, Great Plains Regional Office, in Shawnee Mission, Kansas.