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Ten Things Educators and Families Need to Know about

Accessible Instructional Materials

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Ten Things Educators and Families Need to Know about

Accessible Instructional Materials

Joy Zabala, Ed.D., ATP Director of Technical Assistance

Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) and the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials

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Big Ideas for this Session

In this session, we will:

•  Review the legal mandate for print access and its implications

•  Explore specialized formats for the delivery of print-based content

•  Emphasize the role of the IEP team in addressing and accommodating students’ print access needs

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1 There’s a lot of vocabulary in the Accessible Instructional

Materials mandate

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Provisions within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 require state and local education agencies to ensure that textbooks and related core instructional materials are provided to students with print disabilities in specialized formats in a timely manner.

Section 300.172, Final Regulations of IDEA 2004

Why Provide AIM? The Legal Connection

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Provisions within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 require state and local education agencies to ensure that textbooks and related core instructional materials are provided to students with print disabilities in specialized formats in a timely manner.

Section 300.172, Final Regulations of IDEA 2004

Why Provide AIM? The Legal Connection

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SEAs and LEAs must adopt the NIMAS and may coordinate with the NIMAC

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State and Local Education Agencies must also:

•  “Adopt the NIMAS” National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard

SEAs and LEAs must include the requirement to produce a NIMAS-compliant file in all purchasing contracts. No statutory requirement is placed on publishers.

Accessible Instructional Materials The Legal Connection

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State and Local Education Agencies must also: •  Decide whether to “coordinate with the NIMAC”

National Instructional Materials Access Center

All 50 states opted to coordinate with the NIMAC as a means for providing specialized formats in a timely manner to qualified students.

Accessible Instructional Materials The Legal Connection

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NIMAS is a source file format that can be readily converted to

four student-ready specialized formats

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XML files that are developed to the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) can be readily

transformed into student-ready specialized formats.

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What are “Specialized Formats”?

•  Exactly the same information as the printed materials

•  Only the presentation

different

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The Techie Bits (Deciphered)

This is NIMAS XML

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The Techie Bits (Deciphered)

Web page from NIMAS XML

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The Techie Bits (Deciphered)

DAISY Book from NIMAS XML

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The Techie Bits (Deciphered)

Braille from NIMAS XML

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Who “qualifies” for NIMAS?

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Need comes before Qualification!

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Who “qualifies” for NIMAS and/or AIM?

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Reframing the Question

“Who NEEDS specialized formats of print-based instructional materials for

educational participation and achievement?

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AIM is not just about NIMAS

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Purpose of AIM

•  To provide students who are unable to obtain information through the use of traditional print materials with accessible materials appropriate to their individual needs

•  To enable students with print disabilities to gain the information they need to complete tasks, master IEP goals, and reach curricular standards

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If all students are: • expected to participate and progress in the general education curriculum • are held accountable for high achievement they need access to the information contained in the print-based instructional materials in formats from which they can gain meaning.

Good Common Sense

Why Provide AIM? The Pedagogical Connection

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For example! The Four Components of UDL The Pedagogical Connection

Goals, Assessment, Methods, and Materials

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Many digital materials are NOT accessible!

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There are multiple sources of Accessible Instructional Materials

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Multiple Sources of AIM

•  NIMAS/NIMAC

•  Accessible Media Producers (AMPs)

•  Commercial Sources

•  Free Sources

•  Do-It-Yourself

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Sources of Accessible Instructional Materials The National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC)

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All sources are not available to all students.

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Eligibility for Accessible Instructional Materials

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Who qualifies for specialized formats converted from NIMAC-sourced files?

•  Students who are eligible under the Copyright Act of 1931 as Amended are those who have been certified by a competent authority as unable to read printed materials because of: !  Blindness !  A visual impairment !  Physical limitations !  An organic dysfunction

!  Students who qualify as a student with a disability under IDEA 2004

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Eligibility for Multiple Sources of AIM

Accessible Media Producers (AMPs)

General Collection: Individuals eligible under copyright statute

NIMAS-Sourced Collection: Same as NIMAC

Commercial Sources

Purchase it for anyone, use it with anyone!

Free Sources

No limitations

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There is a process that can assist with selection, acquisition, and use of AIM.

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Decision-Making

Need, Selection, Acquisition, and Use

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Responsibilities of Decision-Making Teams

1.  Establish need for instructional materials in specialized format(s)

2.  Select specialized format(s) needed by a student for educational participation and achievement

3.  Commence SEA- and/or LEA-defined steps to acquire needed format(s) in a timely manner

4.  Determine supports needed for effective use for educational participation and achievement.

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“Just in Time” Support is always Available

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AIM Center Web Site at http://aim.cast.org

This site serves as a resource to state- and district-level educators, parents, publishers, conversion houses, accessible media producers, and others interested in learning more about and implementing AIM and NIMAS.

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Taking a Closer Look

Decision-Making Tools And Supports from the

AIM Consortium

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AIM Tools and Supports

•  AIM Navigator •  AIM Explorer •  AIM Product Tutorials •  AIM Guide to Federally-Funded Accessible

Media Producers •  AIMing for Achievement DVD •  AIM Implementation Guide •  AIM 101 and 102 Graduate Level Courses

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Decision-Making Steps Need, Selection, Acquisition, and Use

AIM Consortium Decision-Making Tool arranged by Need, Selection, Acquisition and Use

•  AIM Navigator •  AIMing for Achievement DVD •  AIM Product Tutorials •  AIMAIM Explorer •  Guide to Federally-Funded Accessible Media Producers •  AIM Implementation Guide

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Find out lots more about the AIM Tools at 2:35!

Y’all Come!!!

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“It is not enough to stare up the steps! We must step up the stairs”

Vaclav Havel

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Stepping Up the Stairs

•  Explore the AIM Center website at http://aim.cast.org •  Ask you state NIMAS/NIMAC coordinator about

accessible instruction materials. •  Work with instructional materials personnel to be sure

that the requirement to create NIMAS source files is included in all purchasing contracts.

•  Encourage developers of digital curriculums to design accessibility features into their materials.

•  Ask publishers for accessible formats for purchase.

•  Ask for more than what is available! Ask often!

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Decision-Making

Need, Selection, Acquisition, and Use

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Responsibilities of Decision-Making Teams

1.  Establish need for instructional materials in specialized format(s)

2.  Select specialized format(s) needed by a student for educational participation and achievement

3.  Commence SEA- and/or LEA-defined steps to acquire needed format(s) in a timely manner

4.  Determine supports needed for effective use for educational participation and achievement.

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AIM Center Site Orientation

Major Areas AIM Initiatives • Learn • NIMAS Development • Experience Center • Collaborate • National AIM Center

• AIM Consortium

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AIM Home Page Orientation At the Top •  Navigation, Site Map, Glossary In the Middle •  Upcoming Events, Quick Links, Stakeholder focused

resources On the Right •  Stay connected, AIM in your state, Highlights from the

field Near the Bottom •  BrowseAloud Enabled

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LEARN

Expand your knowledge about AIM and some of the legal aspects of AIM.

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LEARN at a Glance

•  Accessible Media •  Practice •  Policy •  All About AIM •  Research •  History and Archives •  Disability-Specific Resources

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Experience

Interact with AIM through video and other resources.

Decide which students benefit from AIM.

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EXPERIENCE at a Glance

Teaching and Resources •  Webinars, Presentations, Products

Decision-Making Tools and Supports •  AIM Navigator, Explorer, and Products

Technologies for AIM and NIMAS •  Production Supports, Conversion Tool, and

Exemplars AIM Across the Curriculum

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Collaborate

Advance AIM initiatives through active participation. Create and share

knowledge about AIM.

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COLLABORATE at a Glance

Stay Connected •  AIM Connector, Facebook, Twitter

Join a Discussion •  aim.ig and nimas.ig lists Get the Inside Track •  AIM and NIMAS Centers Coming Soon •  Forums and a Wiki

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Taking a Closer Look

Teaching and Training Resources •  Webinars and Presentations •  AIMing for Achievement DVD •  AIM Online Courses •  AIM Implementation Guide

Decision Making Tools and Resources •  AIM Navigator •  AIM Explorer •  AIM Product Tutorials •  AIM Guide to Federally-Funded AMPs

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Questions

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It is not enough to stare up the steps! We must step up the stairs”

Vaclav Havel

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Stepping Up the Stairs

•  Visit the AIM Center web site at http://aim.cast.org •  Build background knowledge in LEARN •  Use the decision-making tools in EXPLORE •  Join the discussions coming in COLLABORATE •  Ask your state’s NIMAS Coordinator about accessible

instruction materials •  Find out about your LEA’s AIM-related policies,

procedures, and practices •  Share information with others!

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