Annette Carey
September 27, 2012
What are Accessible Instructional
Materials?
Presents exactly the same content in a format that makes
the information usable by the widest range of students.
• Content
• The information:
• Print based (textbook) – may require retrofitting
• Digital based (web site)- may be difficult to retrofit if not accessible
from the start
• Technology
• How the content presented must be accessible
The need or preference for instructional materials in
accessible formats goes well beyond students with
identified disabilities and well beyond print.
Do you have students:
• Who are not reading “typical” grade level
instructional materials?
• Whose progress would increase if barriers to
accessing learning from and responding to
instructional materials were lowered?
If more students were successful readers, would that
impact educational, vocational and quality of life
outcomes?
•If any student is unable to read traditional grade level
print instructional materials
•at a sufficient rate and with adequate comprehension to
complete academic tasks with success, relative to sameage peers,
•or cannot do this independently, or cannot do this across
environments and tasks,
•then the student may need AIM.
Need? WV Data Disconnect.
• Data Disconnect: August 2011
– Bookshare - 292 students being served
– WESTEST2 Read Aloud Accommodation (2012) –
17,095
– Statistical Probability (approx 2- 4% of general
pop)– 5,643 - 11,285
– Statistical Probability for Students with IEPs (20% 40%)- 8,852 - 17,703
Why Provide AIM?
The Legal Connection
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
Textbooks and Core Materials?
•Printed textbooks and related printed core materials published with
texts…
– Written and published primarily for use in elementary and
secondary school instruction
– Required by a state education agency or a local education
agency for use by students in the classroom
Print Disability:
Copyright Act of 1931
Library of Congress regulations (36 CFR 701.10(b)(1)) related
to the ACT to Provide Books for the Adult Blind…blind
persons* or other persons with disabilities*:
• Prevented from reading standard printed materials as result
of blindness or visual impairment
• Unable to read or unable to use standard print as result of
physical limitation
• Having a reading disability resulting from organic
dysfunction
(*Certified by Competent Authority)
• What does the Copyright Act of 1931 have to
do with IDEA?
– Addresses Publishers Concerns
– Clarifies “Print Disability” (language found in IDEA)
– IDEA:
• Unified standard for textbooks and core instructional materials: NIMAS
• Centralized location: NIMAC (only accessed by Authorized Users)
• Meeting Copyright definition + IDEA = ease of access to materials
• What about other students who need the instructional
supports of accessible materials?
– School districts have the responsibility to provide learning materials
that are accessible to all students
– Access to the instructional materials from sources other than
NIMAC
Textbooks and Core
Instructional Materials in WV
• Policy 2445.40 – Adoption of Instructional
Resources
• WV Instructional materials Review/Advisory
Committee selects “Instructional Resources”
• Districts choose from this list
• "All materials produced after August 18, 2006,
must comply with the National Instructional
Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS), as
required by the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), and must be submitted to
the National Instructional Materials Accessibility
Center (NIMAC) in NIMAS format.”
What are “specialized
formats”?
Digital text
Braille
Audio
Large Print
NIMAC: Authorized Users
• Allowed access to the NIMAC Center
on behalf of the state
• Five (5) AU allowed per state
• Designated AU in WV
– Instructional Resource Center
– WV School for the Blind
– WVDE
–Bookshare
–Learning Ally
•
•
•
•
•
Must meet copyright criteria
Free for eligible students (IDEA and copyright)
Text-to-speech voice
Access to NIMAC (IDEA and copyright)
Multi-modalities: see and hear words as they are
being read and highlighted
• eBooks on computers, tablets, hones, assistive
technology, MP3 players and more
Membership
Required
Human Voice
Must meet
copyright
criteria
Timely Manner
We always seem to be in a rush…..
• Goal:
Same time as classmates
• Problem: Schedules are determined in the Fall
• Solution: Make sure the IEP Coordinator is aware
Responsibilities of DecisionMaking Teams
1. How do you establish the need for accessible instructional
materials?
2. Once you identify need, how do you select the specialized
format(s) needed by a student?
3. Now that we know the student has the need for accessible
instructional materials, and we have selected the format(s),
who will do what and when to acquire needed format(s) in a
timely manner?
4. How do we determine what supports are needed for
effective use of the specialized format(s)?
So many questions….so little time…..
The AIM Navigator
A process facilitator that assists educators, families and
students with decisions about AIM for an individual student
– Four major decision points
Need, Selection, Acquisition, and Supports for Use
–
–
–
–
Guiding questions and instant feedback
Built-in scaffold supports
Extensive references and resources
Student Summary and To Do List
Not a screening or evaluative tool
http://aim.cast.org/navigator/page/
Step 1: Establish the Need
• The student can read and use the standard printbased materials used by the other students.
(Note: Specialized formats would not be needed
at this time)
• The student needs exactly the same content in
one or more specialized formats.
• The student needs modified content or alternate
materials.
Step 2: Select Specialized
Format
a.
b.
c.
Instructional Context
Specialized Formats Needed
Match formats to Materials
Key Points to Remember:
• Students may require different formats depending on
need, instructional material and environment
• Consider the student’s
–
–
–
–
Access to the information
Ability to work as independently as possible
Development of literacy skills
Participation in educational activities
Step 3: Acquire AIM
• Where do I go for accessible materials?
It depends…
Selecting Acquisition Path
Five basic sources:
• NIMAC (National Instructional Materials Access
Center)
– National repository
– Student meets copyright criteria AND is served under
IDEA
•
AMPs (Accessible media producers)
– Create and produce materials for students who meet
copyright criteria
– Can access NIMAC if student meets copyright criteria
AND is served under IDEA
– Bookshare and Learning Ally are AMPs
Selecting Acquisition Path
(con’t)
• Commercial Sources
– Purchased from publishers
– Tumble Books (story books)
• Free source
– Internet
– Copyright-free
– Open source
• “Locally Created”
– Teacher developed materials
Authorized Users in WV:
Bookshare and
Learning Ally
Step 4: Supports
• Technology
• Training
– Student, staff and family
• Instructional Strategies
– Auditory Listening
– Equipment training
Where is this
information
documented on the
IEP/504 Plan?
• Support Services
– Braille instruction
– OT services for a child with a physical disability
– Case management, equipment management
• Accommodations and/or Modifications
– Outlet, cart specialized table
– Frequent breaks
Handy Information to Share
• AIMing for Achievement Article Series
http://aim.cast.org/learn/accessiblemedia/allaboutaim/aimbasics
• Accessible Instructional Materials: AIM Basics for Families
http://aim.cast.org/learn/aim4families/aim_basics_families
• Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM): A Technical Guide
for Families and Advocates
http://aim.cast.org/learn/aim4families/aim_families_advocates
• AIM Implementation Guide
http://aim.cast.org/experience/training/aim_implementation_guide
Handy Resources
• Advisory Commission on AIM in Postsecondary
Education Report
http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/aim/index.html
• Mike Marotta’s eReader Wiki
http://aim.cast.org/learn/aim4families/aim_basics_families
• Indiana Center for Accessible Instructional Materials
(ICAM)
http://www.icam.k12.in.us/
• MITS: Michigan’s Integrated Technology Supports –
AIM/NIMAS
http://mits.cenmi.org/AIMNIMAS.aspx
Much of this information was provided by:
http://aim.cast.org