NIMAS Technically Speaking… What Is It?

The NIMAS Standard Is a subset of the DAISY/NISO Digital Talking Book Standard  Contains only selected structural elements of the DTB standard  Does not contain all of the files required for DTB players and therefore cannot be directly read by standard DTB players. Is a super-set of the DAISY/NISO Standard… contains pictures which appear in the text.

NIMAS File Components OPF File PDF File XML File Graphics Files

NIMAS File Components This number is the ISBN of the book.

OPF (Open eBook Forum Package File) The file that glues all of the elements of a DTB together This is the file that you use to start reading when using a DTB reader

PDF (Portable Document Format) copy of the title page (or whichever page(s) contain(s) ISBN and copyright information)

PDF (Portable Document Format)

XML (Extensible Markup Language) The text of the publication in NIMAS conformant XLM format Contains information about the structure of the text… front matter, back matter chapters, headers, paragraphs, tables, footnotes, etc. Contains information about how the text will be presented (bold, italics, centered, justified, text size etc.) Contains links to pictures

XML (Extensible Markup Language) passive transport Passive transport is the movement of materials from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. Diffusion and osmosis are examples of passive transport.

Graphics Files A full set of the book's images in the following preferred order:  SVG (Scaleable Vector Graphics)  PNG (Portable Network Graphics)  JPG/JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) Show Files

Viewing the Book in a Browser Change.XML to.HTM then double click. Demo

Limitations Text which is part of a picture may not included as part of the XML text.

Limitations Some mathematics may be presented as a picture rather than as text Future versions of NIMAS standard may incorporate Math-ML

Limitations Text in graphic organizers and organizational diagrams may be in picture form and not included in the XML text available to readers.

Using NIMAS Files The grand plan…

The Grand Plan… NIMAS files were not designed for direct use by the student The plan was to use AMPs (Accessible Media Producers) to produce the material in its student useable form. There are, however, current products for use which will use raw NIMAS files for student use or for file conversion.

The Grand Plan… NIAMS files offer students the means to access books or pieces of books in multiple ways depending on preferences and type of material.  Access tables in braille  Access narrative text in audio form  Access intensive materials in a text based study program

Using NIMAS as the input, the output can be a variety of types Braille Large Print Audio (MP3 synthetic voice) Digital Talking Book – on CD or for use on a computer (synthetic voice) HTML for use in a browser Other text forms for use in text reading programs

Student Accessibility Products using raw NIMAS Files

Student Usable Products using NIMAS Files ghPlayer - accessibility.com/index.htmlhttp:// accessibility.com/index.html Kurzweil 1000/3000 – a separate converter will convert NIMAS files (without pictures) for use. Converter is in beta testing.

Student Products – A Prediction Within the next 3 years we will likely see nearly every student reading program have the ability to read raw NIMAS files.  Kurzweil 1000/3000  WYNN  Most DAISY reading programs including those imbedded in note takers

Commercial Conversion Products

EasyConverter - Dolphin Microsoft Word PDFs HTML Text Scanned paper NIMAS Rich Text Format DAISY Digital Talking Books MP3 audio Large Print Braille Text Converts From:Converts To:

Commercial Products - A Prediction Within 3 years there will be a modifications to current tools used to create DAISY files so that they can be used to automatically convert NIMAS files for use on DAISY readers.

NIMAS for Braille and Large Print

Using NIMAS files for Braille Duxbury and MegaDots – conversion tool is currently in development – date of availability unknown Duxbury can open an XML file but not using the BANA textbook template Does not automatically create structures such as tables

Using NIMAS files for Braille Braille 2000 – ability to import XML file is in development All current NIMAS structures will be supported Will provide ability to re-order the XML structures Release date unknown

Work-Arounds for Braille Production Change the file extension from.XML to.HTM Open in browser Select and copy all Paste into MS Word Delete all Graphics using find and replace Apply BANA template (for Duxbury 10.5 or 10.6) and format as usual and/or Save as.DOC or.RTF file for opening in braille translation program Demo

Work-Arounds for Large Print Production Change the file extension from.XML to.HTM Open in browser Select and copy all Paste into MS Word Set font and font size Set page breaks and picture sizes Print

Evolution, NOT Revolution NIMAS files are NOT revolutionary… they are the beginning of an evolution in flexible access to print materials which, in the end, will benefit all students. As new textbooks are adopted the percentage of NIMAS available textbooks will increase… That process may take up to 10 years.

The Goal of NIMAS NIMAS is a curb cut. Curb cuts benefit the mailman and the boy with a wagon as much as the wheelchair user! End Copyright 2007 ©, Jerry Whittaker