Transcript NIMAS - Urban Schools

NIMAS: What Teacher Education Faculty Need to Know about the National Instructional Materials Standard
NIMAS
What Teacher Education
Faculty Need to Know about
the National Instructional
Materials Standard
Moderator:
Bonnie Jones, OSEP Education Research
Analyst and NIMAS Project Director
Presenters:
Chuck Hitchcock, Director, NIMAS TA Center
Skip Stahl, Director, NIMAS Dev Center
Discussants:
Margo Izzo, Ohio State University
Elizabeth Kozleski, Arizona State University
Why is this session important?
 Main goal is improving learning outcomes and AYP.
 Stimulating the development of new digital tools and
content for improving access, participation and
access to the general education curriculum.
 NIMAS establishes a foundation for electronic
educational materials that will be customizable and
supportive of diverse student needs and preferences.
 All learners will eventually benefit from the NIMAS
work in support of students with print disabilities.
 You can help us to develop training opportunities for
educators that improve knowledge and skills related
to accessible educational materials for all learners.
NIMAS: What is it?
 National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
 A recommendation developed in 2004 by consensus
of an expert panel of 40 key stakeholders
 Approved by US Dept. of Ed in July 2004
 Published in Federal Register on July 19, 2006
 Additional regulations published on August 14, 2006
 Based on the international DAISY Book Standard
 Purpose: timely delivery of high quality accessible
specialized formats to students with print disabilities
NIMAS
Donut
Electronic Textbooks:
One foundation for the
Implementation of
UDL.
Problems Addressed by NIMAS
 Students
 Timely delivery of high quality accessible textbooks
 Breaks down one barrier to the general education curriculum
 Educators
 Reduces scanning duplication of effort – saves time and money
 Increases likelihood that specialized formats will be available when
they are needed by students with print disabilities
 Supports the implementation of Universal Design for Learning
providing greater support within the general education curriculum
 Publishers
 50 States and 50 sets of requirements – complexity and cost
 Copyright issues – digital rights for text and images – can legally
transfer all files directly to the national NIMAS file repository
UDL and NIMAS
1. Provide information in multiple formats and media
–
(Recognition Networks – the “what” of learning)
NIMAS supports the development of specialized formats with highlighting
of critical features, vocabulary and language alternatives, text and tactile
alternatives for images and graphics, transformation from text to
speech, etc.
2. Provide multiple pathways for students’ action, expression
–
(Strategic Networks – the “how” of learning)
NIMAS supports the development of specialized formats that may be used
to provide executive function tools, scaffolded learning strategy
supports, options for expression (writing, drawing, speaking, etc.),
options for navigation and use of assistive technologies, etc.
3. Provide multiple ways to engage students
–
(Affective Networks – the “why” of learning)
NIMAS supports the development of electronic formats that implement
progress monitoring, adjustable levels of challenge and support,
reduced frustration with reading supports, etc.
NIMAS Statute Highlights (IDEA 2004)
 State Assurances to US Dept. of Education (Part B, Sec. 612)
 Agree to adopt NIMAS in timely manner
 Agree to coordinate with NIMAC or assure timely delivery of accessible
materials
 Coordinate with State agency responsible for AT
 LEA Assurances to State Departments of Education (Part B, Sec. 613)
 Same conditions as above
 NIMAC (Part D, Sec. 674)
 Establish and support, through the APH, a center to be known as the 'National
Instructional Materials Access Center‘
 Receive and maintain a catalog of NIMAS print instructional materials
 Provide access to source files by accessible media producers
 Develop procedures to protect against copyright infringement
 Section 121 of title 17, US Copyright Code, is amended– (Title III)
 Not a violation of copyright for publishers to transfer files to NIMAC
Which Students Qualify?
The Library of Congress regulations (36 CFR 701.6(b)(1)) related to
the Act to Provide Books for the Adult Blind (approved March 3, 1931,
2 U.S.C. 135a) provide that "blind persons or other persons with print
disabilities" include:
–
–
–
–
Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent
authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses, or
whose widest diameter if visual field subtends an angular distance no
greater than 20 degrees.
Persons whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of
optical measurement, is certified by competent authority as preventing
the reading of standard printed material.
Persons certified by competent authority as unable to read or unable to
use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations.
Persons certified by competent authority as having a reading disability
resulting from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent
their reading printed material in a normal manner.
What about other Students with
Print Disabilities?
 To achieve FAPE, IDEA 2004 requires SEAs & LEAs to
provide accessible instructional materials to all
students with print disabilities – whether or not they
qualify for the materials available from the
NIMAS/NIMAC production and distribution system.
 IDEA 2004 also allows SEAs & LEAs to meet the
NIMAS related requirements through the “purchase of
instructional materials directly from the publisher
that are produced in, or may be rendered in,
specialized formats: the “Market Model”
What Materials are Included?
 Print Instructional Materials: The term 'print
instructional materials' means printed textbooks and
related printed core materials that are written and
published primarily for use in elementary school and
secondary school instruction and are required by a
State educational agency or local educational agency for
use by students in the classroom.
 Textbooks and related printed core materials such as
workbooks, black line masters, related assessments, etc.
 Applies to textbook adoption and open territory states
 Applies to print instructional materials published after
July 19, 2006 (pending definition of term “publish”)
NIMAS TA Center
Purpose: provide support to publishers and states to
ensure the successful implementation of NIMAS.
NIMAS Development Center
Purpose: provide national leadership to further the
development and maintenance of NIMAS and
support its large-scale implementation.
NIMAS Center Partners
What is the NIMAC ?
 A national repository of NIMAS source files maintained
and coordinated by the American Printing House for
the Blind (APH) in Louisville, Kentucky.
 Contracted with Overdrive to administer validation,
security and data base files.
 Those who have been authorized
http://nimac.us
for access will have user
identifications and passwords.
These authorized users will be
able to search the NIMAC
database AND download directly
the files they need (with or without
sizable image folders).
National Accessible Media
Producers (AMPs)
Non-Profit organizations operating under the
Chafee Amendment Guidelines
American Printing House for the Blind
Bookshare.org
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
Others…
A Few Hot Issues
• Anticipatory Access to NIMAS file sets
– AAP/AEP requesting new constraints on national Chafee orgs
K-12 access only
Evidence (or assurance) that book was purchased
Certification documentation
• Which populations are included?
– IDEA only ? What about Section 504 students?
– Which LD populations and certification requirements
• Limitation of Use Agreement – NIMAC and SEAs
• Meaning of “Adopt NIMAS” – (NIMAS statute
requirement for all SEAs)
– Multiple file format requests by SEAs (publisher issue)
NIMAS Web site: http://nimas.cast.org
What can you do with a NIMAS file set?
• NIMAS to DAISY Conversion
– Use with DAISY Players such ghPlayer
• NIMAS to Proprietary Conversion
– Use file sets with DJ Solo, ReadWriteGold, Kurzweil Reader
and more
• File Conversion Utility – NIMAS to HTML
– Use with Firefox and Click,Speak (CLC)
– Use with ScreenReaders
• NIMAS to Braille Conversions – import and transcribe
» >>>> Skip will address
Skip Stahl
UDL and NIMAS
1. Provide information in multiple
formats and media
– (Recognition Networks – the “what” of learning)
2. Provide multiple pathways for students’
action, expression
– (Strategic Networks – the “how” of learning)
3. Provide multiple ways to engage students
– (Affective Networks – the “why” of learning)
UDL and NIMAS
NIMAS
What is a NIMAS File Set?
 XML-based source files
 NIMAS conforming XML content files
 Images in folders: SVG, PNG or
JPEG (order of preference) – 300 dots
per inch
 PDF of the print materials title page
 Package file (metadata about the
materials and a manifest or list of
submitted files)
What is XML?
What is XML?
What is XML?
What is NIMAS XML?
NIMAS “Tags”
– Structure
Chapter, Unit, Section, Header, Body Text, Page number, etc.
– Semantics
Introduction, Key Questions, Summary
– The National Instructional Materials Accessibility
Standard defines the tags that must be used.
NIMAS Transformations
This is NIMAS XML
NIMAS Transformations
Web page produced by
converting XML to XHTML
and then referencing a style
sheet.
NIMAS Transformations
DAISY Book created by
importing NIMAS files to
a Player then exporting
as a DAISY Book.
NIMAS Transformations
A NIMAS source file can
be quickly converted into
a Braille Ready File
http://nimas.cast.org
http://nimac.us
Margo Vreeburg Izzo
What Teacher Education Faculty
Need to Know About NIMAS
Margo Vreeburg Izzo
Nisonger Center
Ohio State University
[email protected]
Teachers Need to Know:
Overview of NIMAS
How to –
1. Incorporate AT into the IEP
2. Integrate accessible materials
3. Leverage AT and IT Specialists
4. Integrate UDL so students will use AT
5. Involve parents in the AT process
1. Incorporate AT into the IEP
• AT Considerations are not optional
• All Special Educators must be
familiar with how to conduct an AT
Assessment or
• How to secure an AT
Specialist
2. Integrate Accessible Materials
• Technological tools are particularly useful for
students with disabilities because they enhance
communication, learning, writing, and task
management.
• Technology and computer use can create equal
opportunities in education and aid in transition
from school to work.
• Teachers and students appreciate the
independent self-directed learning technology
and accessible materials can provide.
3. Leverage AT and IT Specialists
Teachers, Parents, AT and IT Specialists must
work as a TEAM to complete AT tasks:
• Conduct an AT assessment
• Select AT application to meet student needs
• Install on School PC or Server
• Train student & parents to use their AT
• Use AT to gain access to accessible materials!
4. Integrate Universal Design
for Learning (UDL)
Reduce the Stigma of Using AT:
Case Study #1: Tim needed a screen reader
Tim would be the only person in class using
headphones. He refused to use them.
Case Study #2: Ms. Brown let all her
students use headphones while completing
online searches. Shemeka used her
headphones to use AT to complete her work
and LEARN.
5. Involve Parents in the AT
Process
• Parents can support students with
appropriate use of AT outside of school.
• Students need access to AT at home
• Students need access to AT in college or
work
Teachers Need to
Know: Power of
Technology & AT
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Provides access to the general curricula
Is becoming more cost effective
Is available as free open source programs
EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO LEARN
– WHEN IMPLEMENTED USING UDL PRINCIPLES
– WHEN WE ASSIST STUDENTS OVERCOME THE
STIGMA OF USING AT!
Additional Resources
• Our assessment process (Beta):
http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/accesstomorrow/
http://ideal-group.org/initiatives/accesstomorrow/assessments/
• AT Download Link
http://clcworld.net/clcpad_data/clcpak.exe
Teachers Can Not be
Technology Left Behind
Elizabeth B. Kozleski
Implications of NIMAS
for Teacher Educators
Elizabeth B. Kozleski
MLF College of Education
Arizona State University
[email protected]
What NIMAS foreshadows
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Reconceptualization of the roles of special
educators
Development and delivery of technology
supports and materials to general educators to
teach content
Expansion of knowledge and skills around
UDL
Development of special educator identity
Teacher Educator Identities
Program Improvement
Reconceptualizing Special Educator Roles
Individual
Student
Support
Schoolwide
Supports
Classroom
Teacher
Special
Education
Services
Classroom
Teacher
Classroom
Teacher
Development and delivery of
technology supports and materials
to general educators to teach
content
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Systems for identifying materials needs
Time blocks for materials preparation
Coaching for teachers using AT
Assessing student access and usability
Expansion of knowledge and skills
around UDL
• Skilled practice in UDL design of
curricula that meets content standards
• Coplanning with general educators for
UDL
• Assessment of UDL units of study
• Cataloguing materials and units for
future use
Development of special educator
identity
•
•
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Technical Assistance
Coaching
Professional Learning
Family Facilitation across the digital divide
Provider of instruction
Teacher Educator Identities
• What should I be teaching and how?
• What is my role as a member of a team
preparing special educators in a technology
rich world?
• What does this mean about what I need to
learn and be able to demonstrate in my
courses?
• What does this mean about how I use
technology to manage and facilitate learning?
Leading Programmatic Changes
• Leveraging NCATE SPA standards for Special
Education Programs
• Assessment of teacher candidate performance
and impact on P-12 students
• Visiting schools as a faculty to develop shared
knowledge about current classrooms, service
delivery models, research-based instructional
practices and the gaps between practice and
research
NIMAS
What Teacher Education Faculty Need to Know about the
National Instructional Materials Standard
Moderator:
Bonnie Jones, OSEP Education Research Analyst
and NIMAS Project Director
Presenters:
Chuck Hitchcock, Director, NIMAS TA Center
Skip Stahl, Director, NIMAS Dev Center
Discussants:
Margo Izzo, Ohio State University
Elizabeth Kozleski, Arizona State University