Everything you wanted to know about Florida Instructional Materials Center

for the Visually Impaired

1

• Statewide resource center for Florida’s students, birth through 12th grade, who are visually impaired and enrolled in public or private educational programs

• Operates under the Department of Education Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services (BEESS) on an annual grant. Leanne Grillot is the DOE Program Specialist Leanne.Grillot@fldoe.org

• Hillsborough County School District is the fiscal agent• Specialized FDLRS Center

2

• Established by the Florida Legislature in 1972 to provide accessible instructional materials to students in public and private schools.

• Provides materials and training to teachers of the visually impaired, classroom teachers, agency personnel, volunteer braillists, and families of students with visual impairments.

• No charge for FIMC-VI services for eligible students• Textbooks and materials are loaned and expected to

be returned for recirculation • Authorized user for National Instructional Materials

Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)

3

Enhance opportunities for achievement for Florida’s students with visual impairments by:

Providing free, appropriate, high-quality, accessible instructional materials in a timely fashion; Advancing the competencies of students, teachers, administrators, families, and agency personnel through professional learning, disability-specific events, resources, support; andServing our patrons with efficiency, courtesy, respect, and expertise.

4

1. Procurement or production and distribution of accessible instructional materials

2. Professional Learninga) Working with the Experts b) Quality Programs for Students with Visual Impairments (QPVI)c) Webinar Seriesd) Sensory Learning Kit workshops

3. Braille FCAT, Florida Standards Assessment, and EOC development

4. Volunteer services for braille and audio 5. Professional Loan Library6. NIMAS Florida7. Braille Challenge and Cane Quest

5

6

• National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) suitable for conversion to specialized formats

• Specialized formats – braille, audio or digital text

• Publishers are mandated to have accessible formats available or deposit a NIMAS file in NIMAC for state adopted books

• Due to copyright issues, only qualifying students can use materials that are NIMAS derived

7

• IEP• Blind or visually impaired• Print disabilities - unable to access print in a

standard manner◦ Physically impaired◦ Reading disability due to an organic brain dysfunction as

determined by a medical doctor◦ Certified by “competent authority”

8

9

How do you feel about technology???

• Assistive technology meets the individual needs of the student by providing access to the learning environment and materials in appropriate formats

• Emphasis on technology skills in classrooms and on standardized tests increases the need for “tech literacy” for all students

• AT allows access in real time • AT provides access to career and post-

secondary opportunities

10

11

• The FVLMA documents the conditions that enhance access and the conditions that impede access to the curriculum:

• Each assessment begins with a review of records including medical information

• Each assessment includes interviews with parents, classroom teachers, and student (if appropriate)

• Each assessment includes observations in familiar and unfamiliar environments with different lighting, clutter, surfaces, etc.

12

• Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI) assesses the following functional vision skills:1. Peripheral fields2. Color vision3. Distance acuity4. Near acuity5. Depth perception6. Contrast sensitivity7. Developmental Visual Perceptual Skills (as needed)8. Light sensitivity

13

• Learning media assessment is a systematic assessment that contains the following:1. Review of current literacy function – near and distance2. Basic Reading Inventory (BRI) comparing oral and silent

reading for words per minute, comprehension, reading behaviors, and miscues in the following reading modes:

a. Regular print with and without magnificationb. Large printc. Braille d. Computer/digital media

3. Listening comprehension levels 4. Inventory of literacy tools needed

14

• Based on the strengths and needs identified in the FVLMA, features of assistive technology should be identified that will enhance access to the learning environment and materials.

15

• Johnny is a 9th grader with RP and has experienced a recent dramatic loss of vision. The FVLMA has identified the following strengths and skills:◦ Reading regular print on grade level with fluency◦ Excellent computer skills and can type 45 wpm◦ Has his own iPad and has been introduced to the

accessibility settings of Zoom and Voice Over◦ Listening comprehension level is 10th grade◦ Uses a digital book player and listens for long reading

assignments◦ Reads braille at 30 wpm on a fifth grade level

16

• The FVLMA indicates he has the following problems:◦ Extremely reduced visual fields (looking through a straw)◦ Night blindness◦ Lack of depth perception ◦ Resistant to using a screen reader on the computer ◦ Very slow using the 6-Key entry on the braille notetaker ◦ Is expected to continue to lose vision

• Johnny’s needs:◦ Access to textbooks◦ Access to computers, internet, and multi-media content◦ Access to the interactive white board in math and science

17

He Needs Suggested Devices

Braille and tactual access

Visual access with ◦ Plenty of light◦ Portability◦ Near and distance

capabilities Auditory access

iPad with refreshable braille display and standard keyboard

Bookport – digital book player

Laptop with a screen reader such as JAWS or Window Eyes and refreshable braille display

18

1. Carefully review the FVLMA with the TVI2. Identify the strengths, deficits, and needs, of the

student 3. Determine the tasks the student needs (or will

need) to complete efficiently in the learning environment

4. Align the features of the device with the tasks, needs, skills, and preferences of the student

5. Obtain trial device(s) from the AT UDL Loan Library

6. Systematically teach the student to use the device(s)

19

7. Practice, practice, practice with the device(s)8. Determine if the device continues to meet the

needs of the student 9. Purchase the device if appropriate! 10. Oh … return the device(s) to the AT and UDL

Loan Library

20

21

• Hand-held magnifiers –

• Stand magnifiers –

22

• Telescopes and Monoculars

23

But, most schools provide these to students and some of these are available for trial from AT and UDL Loan

Library or from APH through FIMC-VI

24

• Hand Held Video Magnifiers (CCTV)◦ Pico Pocket Video Magnifier◦ Ruby◦ Sapphire◦ Olympia

25

26

Available on Quota Funds from APH with guidelines

1. Student must be in the Florida Low Vision Initiative

2. Low vision specialist must prescribe this device3. Submit the request, including a FVLMA to FIMC-

VI for review4. If approved, parents and teachers must sign the

Equipment Loan Contract and they are responsible for repairs and any damages

27

Use of technology

28

Power Points Overheads Smartboard Worksheets Teacher made tests or quizzes Projects Bulletin Boards Word Walls Maps

29

Low Vision Technology◦ Interactive Whiteboards◦ Magnification

Video Magnifiers Desktop Hand-held

Hand-held Magnifiers◦ iPads/Tablets◦ Computer Access

Screen Enlargement Screen Readers

◦ Audio Presentation Digital Text BookPort Screen Readers

30

• Document camera and interactive whiteboard:•

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVv-fw1T3pY

• Other apps that allow the interactive white board to be displayed on the desktop computer or iPad include Smart Notebook, Reflector, Splashtop Classroom, DisplayNote, or Join.Me

31

• Braille Technology• Mountbatten• Smart Brailler• Refreshable Braille Display• Digital Text• Embossers• Talking Tactile Tablet• Embossers

• Audio Presentation• BookPort• Screen Readers

32

APH Refreshabraille 18

Braille Technology Braille Writers Smart Brailler Mountbatten Refreshable braille displays Braille notetakers

33

MAGic screen enlargement software Braille Notetakers:

◦ BrailleNote APEX BT 18◦ Braille Note APEX Qwerty Keyboard

Refreshable Braille Displays:◦ Braillant BI 32◦ Focus 14◦ Focus 40

34

Audio and Speech Technology ◦ BookPort or digital book players◦ Voice Over – iPad devices screen reader◦ JAWS Screen Readers

35

Book Port desktop or hand-held available from APH on quota

Scanning and conversion to digital text◦ Intel Reader◦ OpenBook Scanning and Reading Software◦ PEARL Portable Scanning and Reading Solution◦ Zoom-Ex◦ Eye-Pal Solo

36

AIM/AT/UDL Implementation Planhttp://

www.tlc-mtss.com/assets/aim-at-udl-implementation-plan-2013-2014.pdf

CPALMShttp://www.cpalms.org/Public/

Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) TAPhttp://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5764/dps-2010-70.pdf

National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) TAP

http://info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-5424/dps-2009-084.pdf

Assistive Technology TAPhttp://

info.fldoe.org/docushare/dsweb/Get/Document-6801/dps-2013-65.pdf

Technology & Learning Connectionshttp://www.tlc-mtss.com/resources.html

National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials◦ OSEP Q&A on NIMAS and AIM:

http://aim.cast.org/learn/policy/federal/nimas_q_and_a#students_eligible

39

http://aim.cast.org Home of the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) http://aim.cast.org/learn/practice/palm/

best_practicesIncludes draft language of Accessible Digital

Learning Materials-Publishers/Developers Best Practices Guidelines; May 2013

http://aim.cast.org/sites/aim.cast.org/files/AIMforDigitalEquity8.13.12.pdf

Article: AIM for Digital Equity, May 2012 http://aim.cast.org/learn/practice/palm/

contract_languageIncludes draft language for purchasing agents, July 2013

American Foundation for the Blind –www.afb.org Assistive Technology for Students Who Are Blind

or Visually Impaired – A Guide to Assessment; AFB Press, 2009

42

Suzanne Dalton – Supervisor Kay Ratzlaff – Coordinator Kathy Kremplewski – District Resource Teacher Open Position– Secretary and NIMAS Florida Kathee Cagle – Order Processing and APH Census Diana Moyer- Large Print Production Vernon Underwood – Braille Production Siew Ng – Braillist Denise Battle – Shipping and Receiving Curtis Nelson - Storekeeper Sue Glaser (part-time) – Braille Challenge and Cane Quest® Jeff Fitterman (part-time) – Tech Support Mary Stoltz (part-time) – Database Manager

43

44

Suzanne Dalton: sdalton@fimcvi.org ◦ Center supervisor◦ Braille testing (FCAT, EOC, FSA)◦ NIMAS Florida◦ Accessible Instructional Materials

Kay Ratzlaff: kratzlaff@fimcvi.org◦ Coordinator◦ Professional Development

QPVI, Working with the Experts, webinars, trainings Professional library Assist with Braille Challenge and Cane Quest

45

Kathy Kremplewski: kkremplewski@fimcvi.org◦ District Resource Teacher◦ Assist with Braille assessment development◦ Online module development ◦ Volunteer braille organizations and training◦ Assist with Braille Challenge, and professional development

Kathee Cagle: kcagle@fimcvi.org◦ Book ordering for students◦ APH Annual Census

Sue Glaser: floridabraillechallenge@gmail.com◦ Braille Challenge◦ Cane Quest®

46

FIMC-VI4201 W. Bay Villa Ave

Tampa, FL 33611

Toll Free: 800-282-9193 Website: www.fimcvi.org Local: 813-837-7826 Fax: 813-837-7979

47