5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 NIMAS: Providing Accessible Materials for Students with Print Disabilities Oklahoma ABLE Tech Linda Jaco Tessa Stinnett

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Questions answered in this Session: What is NIMAS? What is NIMAC? Who is eligible to use accessible texts? How do I get accessible texts? How do my students use accessible texts? How can ABLE Tech help?

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 What is NIMAS? NNational IInstructional MMaterials AAccessibility SStandard

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 What is NIMAS? A provision in the ‘04 reauthorization of IDEA Intended to maximize access to the general curriculum for students who have print disabilities due to vision, learning, cognitive, or physical disabilities.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 What is NIMAS? NIMAS is a technical standard for use by book publishers. The standard enables publishers to produce source files (in XML). XML files may be used to develop other specialized formats for students who have print disabilities.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 What is NIMAS? The other specialized formats may include: Audio (MP3) Braille Digital text Large print

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 How does XML work? K-12 book publishers, SEAs, and LEAs submit textbook files to NIMAC. NIMAC is the National Instructional Materials Access Center. NIMAC is a central repository for source files in the NIMAS format.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 How does XML work? Submit textbook files to NIMAC. The book is XML tagged. Result is an XML-tagged file of the book.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Start with the Textbook NICHCY, 2007

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 XML-tagged File NICHCY, 2007

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 NIMAC Responsibilities: Maintain a catalog of print instructional materials prepared in the NIMAS made available by the textbook publishing industry, SEAs, and LEAs.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 NIMAC Responsibilities: Provide access to print instructional materials including textbooks, in accessible media, free of charge, to blind or other persons with print disabilities in elementary and secondary schools.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 NIMAC Responsibilities: Develop, adopt and publish procedures to protect against copyright infringement with respect to the print instructional materials.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Why NIMAS/NIMAC? Specifically: IDEA CFR Access to instructional materials Generally: Students with disabilities need access to instructional materials They need the materials at the same time other children receive their materials.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Why NIMAS/NIMAC Research shows educational programs for students who have disabilities are more effective when teams have high expectations and ensure access to the general education curriculum to the maximum extent possible.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Who is eligible to use NIMAS files? Only available to K-12 students who: Have print disabilities as defined by the Chafee Amendment to copyright law, and Have an IEP.

Eligibility as Defined by Chafee DisabilityQualified/Not Qualified Examples of Certifying Professionals Visual Impairment (VI), such as blind or low vision Qualified A family doctor, ophthalmologist, optometrist, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Special Education teacher Certification from the National Library Service Physical Disability (PD) which affects one’s ability to read print, such as inability to hold a book or turn pages Qualified A family doctor or other medical professional, physical therapist, resource specialist, Special Education teacher Learning or Reading Disability Students with a severe enough disability, and a professional certifying that the disability has a physical basis A neurologist, psychiatrist, learning disability specialist, Special Education teacher, school psychologist, or clinical psychologist with a background in learning disabilities Autism Emotional disabilities ADHD ESL and ELL Not qualified, unless accompanied by a visual or physical disability, or a qualified reading disability that has a physical basis Examples above Record of disability kept at school!

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 The Big Picture 1— SEAs or LEAs “adoption” 2— K-12 publishers submit filesets 3— NIMAC does its magic! 4— Authorized users prepare specialized formats for children NICHCY, 2007

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 How do the XML files help students? NIMAC Authorized Users (AUs) in each state convert the XML files to the format the students can use (audio, Braille, large print, digital text). AUs in Oklahoma: The AIM Center Oklahoma School for the Blind Oklahoma ABLE Tech Contact information on the last slide

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Search the NIMAC You can search the NIMAC even though you’re not an AU. Only AUs can download files or assign them to an AMP (accessible media producer) to be converted to the appropriate format(s) for the students.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 If you Request a NIMAS file through an AU: The AU will deliver a converted XML file to you in the appropriate format for your student (audio, Braille, digital text, large print) AU may charge a fee for conversion. You’ll need the appropriate hardware or software to make the file “usable” for the student.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Examples of Hardware Victor Stream Reader ClassMate Reader Intel Reader BrailleNote Apex MP3 players/iPods Other

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Examples of Software Read:OutLoud Wynn or OpenBook Kurzweil 1000 or 3000 ZoomText Jaws or Window Eyes TextHelp

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 Note about AT Purchase & Transition OSDE’s Assistive Technology Technical Assistance Document describes how to transfer AT to a different agency when a student transitions through a sale of the item at a depreciated cost.

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 What about Non-Textbook Materials? Newspapers Fiction or non-fiction from the library or a teacher’s collection Internet materials

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Where to get them: Bookshare.org Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic Project Gutenberg iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad apps Commercial Vendors Computer with internet access Computer with scanner

How can ABLE Tech help? ABLE Tech is Oklahoma’s Assistive Technology Act Program and is housed at OSU in Stillwater ABLE Tech can serve as an AU for NIMAS files ABLE Tech runs a loan library of assistive technology (AT) so schools may try various hardware and software to find the right match for the student before purchasing.

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 Oklahoma ABLE Tech Assistive Technology Act of 1998 as amended – funded by the U.S. Department of Education Lead agency – OSU Mission is increased access and acquisition of assistive technology All ages…All disabilities…Statewide

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute Activities of ABLE Tech Device Short Term Loan Equipment Demonstration Device Reutilization State Financing Activities

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 Other ABLE Tech Activities Training & technical assistance Public awareness Statewide information & referral Coordination & collaboration

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 ABLE Tech Demonstration Centerr Located at the Seretean Wellness Center 1514 W. Hall of Fame, Stillwater, OK Call (405) / (800) to make an appointment Hundreds of devices available Can do distance demonstrations through Polycom equipment or webinar

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 ABLE Tech Equipment Loans Device short-term loans to individuals or organizations for the purpose of: Try before they buy Assessment/evaluation Allowing individuals/agencies to use interim equipment while waiting on purchase or repair Personnel development activities

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 ABLE Tech Equipment Loans Device loans are provided at no-cost, including shipping Types of AT available is limited Time limited – maximum loan is 42 calendar days (6 weeks) Limit on the number of devices borrowed at one time (3) Some equipment may require a support professional to be identified

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 ABLE Tech Partners Department of Rehabilitation Services – Visual Services Division Hearing Loss Association of Oklahoma City New View Oklahoma The University of Tulsa – Mary K. Chapman Center for Communicative Disorders

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 ABLE Tech Partners Total Source for Hearing Loss and Access (TSHA) Oklahoma Department of Career & Technology Education Department of Human Services, Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD)

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 AU Contact Information Oklahoma ABLE Tech OSU Seretean Wellness Center 1514 W. Hall of Fame Stillwater, OK (800) or (888) Fax (405)

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 AU Contact Information The AIM Center Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped 300 NE 18 th Street Oklahoma City, OK (405) or (405) Fax (405)

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 AU Contact Information Oklahoma School for the Blind 3300 Gibson Muskogee, OK (877) (918)

4 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2009 Other AT/NIMAS Assistance: Oklahoma Assistive Technology Center (OATC) – Stefanie Olson supplied content for this presentation 1600 N. Phillips, Oklahoma City, OK (405) East 41st Street, Tulsa, OK (918) or 3279 (800)

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Resources NIMAS Technical Assistance Center NIMAC Reading for the Blind and Dyslexic

5 th Annual Oklahoma Transition Institute 2010 Resources Bookshare Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped