Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Welcome!

Introductions Put introductions here This is an overview only. The follow-up webinars will contain more information on their respective topics.

Housekeeping Put housekeeping items here

Objectives Participants will be able to define accessible instructional materials Participants will be able to list tools and strategies for identifying appropriate and accessible instructional materials for a student Participants will be able to use the “AIM Discussion Guide” to prepare for an IEP meeting

Materials & Resources Presentation Handout AIM & NIMAS TAP Areas of Disabilities Student Scenarios Assessment Tools & Strategies FCAT Sample Tests San Diego Quick Assessment AIM Explorer AIM Discussion Guide Digital Accommodations Tutorials

Instructional Materials

Instructional Materials

Instructional Materials

Copyright Law History Act of 1931 Revised in 1952 to include children. A funding act that provided dollars annually to the Library of Congress for the provision of books for adults who are blind. Revised in 1952 to include children. Revised in 1966 to include “physical handicaps.” Library of Congress 1974 regulations added “reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction.” The Act of 1931 authorized the Library of Congress to establish a national library program that would provide books for adults who were blind. The Chafee Amendment exempts “authorized entities” from copyright infringement in the production of specialized formats exclusively for use by “blind or other persons with disabilities.” IDEA included requirements for all SEAs to adopt the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and choose to coordinate with the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC). Within this language is the discussion and requirements regarding accessible instructional materials.

Copyright Law History Doctrine of Fair Use Chafee Amendment – 1996 codified in section 107 of the copyright law guidelines for the use of a single copyrighted work with many students not restricted to original intent Chafee Amendment – 1996 establishes “authorized entity” identifies “specialized formats” as braille, audio, or digital text

IDEA & Copyright Law IDEA 2004 established accessible instructional materials NIMAC . National Instructional Materials Access Center national repository for electronic files of core print instructional materials NIMAS . National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard flexible digital file format that can be used to create braille, audio, or digital text Blind or visually impaired Physical disability Reading disability due to organic dysfunction

IDEA – AIM – FAPE “Timely access to appropriate and accessible instructional materials is an inherent component of a public agency’s obligation under the Act to ensure that FAPE is available for children with disabilities and that children with disabilities participate in the general curriculum as specified in their IEPs.” Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 156, Pg. 46618

IDEA – AIM – FAPE “ . . the SEA must ensure that all public agencies take all reasonable steps to provide instructional materials in accessible formats to children with disabilities who need those instructional materials at the same time as other children receive instructional materials.” CFR 300.172 (b)(4)

Accessibility & New Technologies June 29, 2010 Letter from U.S. Dept of Justice Addresses accessibility and ebook readers (e.g. Kindle) Includes the language “emerging technologies” States that, in regards to emerging technologies, individuals must be provided accommodations or modifications that permit them to receive all the educational benefits of that technology in an equally effective and equally integrated manner

Instructional Materials

What Are Accessible Materials AIM does not have to be digital text. Braille is not digital text.

What Are Accessible Materials AIM may require consideration of more than just the textbooks. Related instructional materials may need to be taken into account during the discussion. This is a holistic approach.

What Are Accessible Materials AIM does not mean text to speech.

What Are Accessible Materials For some students AIM can include looking at levels of representation. http://www.sc.edu/scatp/aacsymbols.html

What is Accessibility? “Timely access to appropriate and accessible instructional materials is an inherent component of a public agency’s obligation under the Act to ensure that FAPE is available for children with disabilities and that children with disabilities participate in the general curriculum as specified in their IEPs.” Federal Register / Vol. 71, No. 156, Pg. 46618

W3C Principles of Accessibility Perceivable – cannot be invisible Operable – cannot require an action the user cannot do Understandable (information & interface) – cannot be beyond the user’s understanding Understandable – can the student derive meaning from the information?

Assessment Guidelines Content – is it language appropriate and understandable Structure – is the layout and amount of information appropriate Presentation – is the sensory and physical aspect of the format appropriate These are not sequential. Changing one area can have an impact on another area.

Assessment Guidelines Go to full screen for a few slides

Content Different languages. http://www.englishspanishlink.com/stories_and_poems.htm

Content Different reading levels. http://www.windows2universe.org/

Structure Different ways to visually restructure text.

Presentation Different types of presentation.

Presentation http://www.sc.edu/scatp/aacsymbols.html Different levels of representation. Drop out of full screen mode. http://www.sc.edu/scatp/aacsymbols.html

Make the process holistic Assessment for AIM Make the process holistic Avoid separate assessments Utilize common threads between accommodations, materials, and assessments

Make the process holistic Assessment for AIM Make the process holistic Instructional Environments Instructional Materials Instructional Assessments Instructional environments include the classroom, classroom set-up, media center, science labs, etc. Instructional materials can include core textbooks, related materials, instructional manipulatives, etc. Instructional assessments can include high stakes tests like the FCAT or EOC exams.

Student Scenario Select a student scenario Complete the AIM Analysis Form

Example Tool Add testing guide.

Example Tool AIM Discussion Guide Assessment tools for media comparison Accessibility questions Accommodations Instructional materials questions IEP planning

IEP Information Determination that the student is unable to read standard print material effectively due to the disability / that standard print materials are not accessible Specific format(s), features, and accommodations needed Assistive technologies, related services Eligibility for NIMAS/Florida services Are the materials needed in the home or another setting in addition to the classroom Responsible person

Other Consideration Print – Digital – Web Impact of Change Highlighting Color Overlays Magnification Impact of Change Allowable Testing Accommodations “The use of allowable statewide assessment accommodations must align with current instructional accommodations and accessible instructional materials used regularly by the student in the classroom.” DPS: 2010-92, B-2

Obtaining AIM – Print Simple Technologies Magnification Reading Guides Highlighters Highlighter Tape Color Overlays Post-it Notes Post-it Arrows Magnification If you are able to make standard print accessible with the use of simple technologies, how are you going to support the same types of technologies with digital/web based materials? http://irlen.com/index.php?id=94

Obtaining AIM – Digital CD Based Materials Locked, partial lock, or unlocked pdf Magnification Highlighting Commenting Select text (text-to-speech) Highlighting (commenting) is a needed feature just to provide the basic tool of highlighting. Content copying for accessibility must be allowed for the built-in pdf text to speech to work. With current versions of Acrobat Professional there is a Section 508 compliance warning if you disallow content copying for accessibility.

Obtaining AIM – Web Based McGraw-Hill http://www.mhln.com/Controller?ACTION=GET&MANAGER=ONLINECONTENT&OPERATION=TEMPURL&JSP=oc_urteacher.jsp Pearson http://www.phschool.com/atschool/ Harcourt http://www.eharcourtschool.com/preview/index.html If you are using web based textbooks then you will need to make sure the accessibility features the student needs are available in the web browser. Otherwise you may have digital text but it can still be inappropriate for that student.

Obtaining AIM – NIMAS Core Instructional Materials Specialized Formats Eligibility Categories Blind or visually impaired Physically disabled Reading disabled Competent Authorities NIMAS Florida System National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard National Instructional Materials Access Center The specialized formats required must be noted in the IEP. See the NIMAS training materials.

Obtaining AIM – Other Providers PL 104-197 (1996) based services http://www.loc.gov/nls/reference/factsheets/copyright.html Bookshare RFB&D Same basic eligibility standards as NIMAS except for the IEP requirement.

Obtaining AIM – Scanning – Permission Macmillan/McGraw-Hill/Glenco http://www.mhhe.com/catalogs/cust_serv/permissions.mhtml Pearson/Prentice Hall http://www.phschool.com/about_pearson/rights.html Houghton Mifflin Harcourt http://customercare.hmhco.com/gratis/gratis-cs.html The Pearson site includes a form with questions regarding file security. These would be good questions to have answered in a district policy or set of procedures for digital files.

Obtaining AIM – Scanning – Fair Use The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes The nature of the copyrighted work The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work

Obtaining AIM – Scanning – Fair Use Clear and specific information in the IEP Clear and specific district policies on digital file management

AIM – Section 504 Plans FAPE – appropriate and accessible instructional materials are an inherent component of FAPE Needs should be clearly described in the 504 plan Students with 504 plans are not eligible for NIMAS Florida services May be eligible for PL 104-197 (1996) based services http://www.loc.gov/nls/reference/factsheets/copyright.html