Transcript Slide 1

The National Instructional Materials
Accessibility Standard
Supported by:
United States Department of Education, Office of
Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Included in Part B and Part D:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education
Improvement Act of 2004
Chuck Hitchcock, Project Director, NIMAS Technical Assistance Center
Skip Stahl, Project Director, NIMAS Development Center
Quick View of NIMAS / NIMAC
Collaboration between:
SEAs and LEAs adopt NIMAS in a timely manner
SEAs and LEAs opt into NIMAC
Educational Publishers submit source files to NIMAC
Authorized Entities use files to prepare student-ready
versions of core instructional materials
LEAs request and receive accessible instructional
materials for students with print disabilities
Devil is in the details!
IDEA 2004
Part B, Sec 612 –
…the state submits a plan that provides assurances
that…
•the State adopts the National Instructional Materials
Accessibility Standard…
• …to ensure that children with disabilities who need
instructional materials in accessible formats… receive
those instructional materials in a timely manner.
The Challenge
Collaboration between:
State Department of Special Education
State Agency for Assistive Technology
State/Local Agencies involved in Textbook Purchasing
The Challenge
Assurances for:
•“Adoption” of the NIMAS
•Acquisition of alternate format textbooks:
-Coordinate with the National Instructional Materials
Access Center (NIMAC) – Yes/No ?
-Purchase materials directly from publishers
Why Opt In?
When SEAs and LEAs Opt In:
•Supports copyright indemnification for publishers
•Helps to develop a national bank of source files
•More economical
•Reduces duplication of effort
•Improved quality of accessible student products
•Supports existing systems while improving timeliness
The Goal
Access, Participation & Progress
The Solution
What is the NIMAS?
The standard for publisher source files established
by the Secretary to be used in the preparation of
electronic files suitable and used solely for efficient
conversion into specialized formats.
NIMAS Source Files:
Not intended to be used
directly by students
with print disabilities.
Student Ready Versions:
Braille, Digital Talking
Books, Audio Books and
Large Print Versions
The Solution
What is the NIMAC?
A national repository of NIMAS source files
maintained and coordinated by the American Printing
House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky
A Possible Distribution Flow
Textbook
Order
Publisher
NIMAC at
APH
XML
Print
Version
Conversion
Entity
Alternate Formats:
Braille, Digital Talking Book,
Large Print, etc.
NIMAS
Coordination with the NIMAC will address the needs of
students who qualify under the “Chafee Amendment”
copyright exemption.
Regardless of whether or not a student qualifies under
Chafee, SEAs and LEAs have the responsibility to provide
all print-disabled students with accessible, alternate format
materials in a timely manner.
The NIMAS and the national repository (NIMAC) will
support both student populations by making the creation
and distribution of these materials more efficient.
Implementation Schedule
Without benefit of the final rule – our interpretation:
•Once NIMAS final rule is published, SEA and LEA
adopt NIMAS in a timely manner.
•Publication start date for new and revised versions
publishers must consider is likely to be Copyright 2006.
•NIMAC established on December 4, 2005 and begins
planning for implementation.
•On or before December 4, 2006, SEAs and LEAs,
when contracting for or purchasing core instructional
materials, require publishers to prepare and deliver
NIMAS files to the NIMAS.
NIMAS
NIMAS Partners:
NIMAS Resources
The AFB NIMAS Planning Checklist
NIMAS Resources
http://NIMAS.cast.org
Learn More This Afternoon!
Today’s Afternoon NIMAS Session:
•Planning for the future (December, 2006)
•State and LEA “Assurances” – What is involved?
•What materials are included as “core”?
•Why coordinating with the NIMAC is a good idea. (or, if
an SEA “opts out” can an LEA still “opt in”?
•Which students are eligible for these materials?
•Guidelines for state implementation of NIMAS
•And more !