AT and AIM in Maine Classrooms:
What’s that?
Description
Many students in Maine classrooms use Assistive Technology (AT) and Accessible Instructional Materials
(AIM) to learn, communicate, navigate and access their schools. From children with physical disabilities
to children with learning disabilities, many of these students need AT devices and services to be able to
fully participate in their education. In this clinic, we will discuss some of the common types of AT being
used in Maine classrooms and review some of the free and easy-to-acquire AIM available for students.
Presenter
John E. Brandt, Training Coordinator
Maine CITE Coordinating Center
Augusta, ME
mainecite.org
maine-aim.org
jbrandt@mainecite.org
Welcome and Introductions
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Who is John? John E Brandt, MS.Ed, Training Coordinator, Maine CITE – Worn a lot of hats from
college professor to school psychologist to NYC cab driver. Have been a technology consultant
to Maine CITE since 1999, full time since last December.
Goals and Objectives
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What is Assistive Technology?
What are Accessible Instructional Materials?
Why you should care?
What is Assistive Technology (AT)?
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An AT Device is any item, piece of equipment, or product--whether acquired commercially or
customized--that is used to increase, maintain or improve the functional capabilities of a person
with a disability.
Can be low tech or high tech…
Wheel chairs and ramps to computers software and equipment.
Examples of AT in School
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Mobility devices - wheelchairs
Augmentative Communications devices (ACC)
Cochlear Implants and Hearing Aids
Screen reader software
Enhanced literacy software for e-book readers.
Apps including specialized instructional materials, organizers, timers and feedback systems.
What is Maine CITE?
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Maine’s State AT Program
Created in 1989 by the Federal AT Act
There are AT Act Programs in every state
Visit mainecite.org
Training & Webinars
Partner with direct service providers (AT Consortia)
AT Consortia
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ACTEM – Tech in schools – cooperative purchase
Spurwink ALLTECH – Demos, Equipment Loans, TA
Alpha One – Information & Referral
CARES, Inc. - Demos, Equipment Loans
mPower Loan Program – Flexible Term Loans
Pine Tree Society - Demos, Equipment Loans
University of Maine at Farmington - Demos, Equipment Loans
What is AIM?
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Accessible Instructional Materials are specialized formats of instructional materials (Braille,
Large Print, Audio, or Digital text) for students with “print disabilities.”
These students must receive their instructional materials in “specialized formats” in a “timely
manner” (same as every other student)
Students with a Print Disability
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These may be students who have a disability based upon blindness or low vision (sensory), a
physical disorder (sensory-motor or mobility), or a Specific Learning Disability/Dyslexia
(neurological) who cannot access traditional print-based materials and need Accessible
Instructional Materials.
What is Maine AIM Program?
A program funded through the DOE and US DOE to provide training and technical assistance to schools
to:
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Learn how to Identify students with print disabilities.
Learn how to Select the right kind(s) of AIM.
Learn how to Acquire AIM from various sources or create their own.
Learn how to Use AIM and AT with students in school and at home.
What’s the Legal Stuff?
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amended (IDEA) 2004
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 – Sections 501, 504, 505, 508
Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Act of 1987 – Amended (ESEA – NCLB)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - Amended 2008
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
When the disability prevents the student from being able to learn from printed instructional materials
(e.g., standard print textbooks, trade books, and handouts), schools {may} identify the student as having
a “print disability” and provide the student with the appropriate Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM)
and assistive technology (AT).
IEP Guidance Document – December 2015: “For all children, determine if the child has a print disability
(an individual who experiences barriers to accessing standard printed instructional materials in
nonspecialized formats due to blindness, visual disability, physical limitations, organic dysfunction or
dyslexia) that requires Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) to access the curriculum.”
Parts of the IEP that related to AIM and AT
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Evaluation Results
Present Levels of Performance
Special Factors (Special Education & Related Services, Supplementary Aids & Services,
Program Modifications, and Supports)
Annual Goals
Statewide Assessment Participation
Postsecondary Goals and Transition Services
Students with Section 504 Plans
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Some of these students may also be identified as having a “print disability” and may need AIM.
Some students with physical disabilities or visual disabilities may be able to function at grade
level or higher and only need the Assistive Technology equipment and services.
Decisions about these students are made by the local school (section 504) team.
Selection and Acquisition of AIM
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Some students will need more than one form of AIM (e.g., digital text and audio). Decision on
what the needs and are made in the IEP Team (or Section 504 team) meeting – which includes
parent/family and should, when appropriate, include the student.
Acquisition of AIM is the responsibility of the local school. Fortunately, there are some low cost
options.
Bookshare
Bookshare is an online resource that includes a library of many digital textbooks (nearly 369,000) for
people with print disabilities. A grant from the US Department of Education allows Bookshare to offer
FREE organizational memberships for U.S. institutions serving qualifying students, and FREE individual
memberships for qualifying U.S. students of any age. When your school signs up for a free membership,
you can easily acquire these books in accessible formats for your students who need AIM. Bookshare
also provides a service to its members where they can submit a book to be scanned and converted into
an accessible digitized format (includes DAISY, ASCII, HTML, and Braille Digital Format). For member
schools and individuals, there is no cost to request and download the books in Digital Format. Bookshare
has also been designated as a NIMAC Authorized User. bookshare.org
Learning Ally
Formerly Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic - RFB&D, Learning Ally provides human-narrated textbooks,
as well as thousands of other books for individuals with qualifying print disabilities. Learning Ally is the
only resource for school textbooks in human-recorded Audio format.
Acquisition of AIM from Learning Ally requires a School Membership which is fee-based; individual
memberships for qualified students are free. Learning Ally has also been designated by Maine as a
NIMAC Authorized User.
Visit the Membership Section of the Learning Ally website to learn more about school membership and
how to acquire AIM in Audio format. Learningally.org
Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children (ESBVIC) – Catholic Charities
Maine students with disabilities due to blindness or visual impairment and who are eligible, are likely
being provided services from Education Services for Blind and Visually Impaired Children (ESBVIC), a
service of Catholic Charities of Maine. Typically, ESBVIC assigns a Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI)
to work directly with these eligible students, their teachers and their families. The Instructional
Materials Center (IMC) at ESBVIC is a repository of some Braille and large print textbooks available to
students who are eligible. The IMC is also able to research other repositories and order AIM for schools.
For more information about this program, please contact:
Nancy Moulton
Program Director, ESBVIC
P.O. Box 645
Biddeford ME 04005
Tel: (207) 592-4760
Toll Free: 1-888-941-2855 x 5416
e-mail: esbvic@ccmaine.org
How do schools get AT?
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In many cases, the student will come with their own (pre-school), but often we will see these
devices first in the youngest of our students. Students with significant disabilities, may have
been identified by the Early Childhood intervention teams (Child Development Services) and are
receiving therapeutic services from speech pathologists, occupational therapists and other
specialist.
In some cases, the students are identified through “child find” activities in the schools and enter
into the pupil evaluation team process.
In either case, sometimes the cost of the AT is the responsibility of the school to provide.
Sometimes other agencies or insurance will pay for.
In some cases, the AT equipment may already be available – CDS is now employing a
recycle/reuse system that allows them to share AT equipment between regional centers. We
have encouraged K-12 to do likewise.
AIM vs AEM
New term Accessible Educational Materials is being introduced to note an expansion of the mission:
maine-aim.org/content/it-aim-or-aem
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) of the federal Department of Education has expanded the
definition of educational materials to include both print and digital technology-based learning materials.
"Accessible educational materials means print and technology-based materials, including printed and
electronic textbooks and related core materials that are required by SEAs and LEAs for use by all
students, produced or rendered in accessible media, written and published primarily for use in early
learning programs, elementary, or secondary schools to support teaching and learning." (Footnote 10,
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 90 / Friday, May 9, 2014 / Notices, page 26728).
In addition, recent Dear Colleague Letters from the Secretary of Education “remind” schools that they
must “ensure that communication with students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities is as
effective as communication with all other students.”
And while I have your attention…
Schools and universities are obligated to ensure that all communications to the public (including
parents) are fully accessible. This includes all websites, announcements, e-mails, newsletters, video and
audio recordings or broadcasts!
Information about Laws and Policies regarding AT:
mainecite.org/laws-and-policies/
Information about Law and Policies regarding AIM:
maine-aim.org/legal