Digital Textbooks Who Qualifies? How Are They Acquired?

Session Objectives Understand the procedures and legal requirements for supplying AIM to students with disabilities. Legal requirements Considerations in determining the need for AIM Documentation on the IEP/IAP How to acquire AIM in JPPSS

Kara Dennison Student at Grace King High School. Received Assistive Technology devices in November, Video made in February, Will receive her first NIMAS textbooks in

What is AIM? (Accessible Instructional Materials) Core and core-related materials which are created to help students who struggle to decode or extract meaning from print-based materials, such as textbooks, worksheets, workbooks, and teacher-printed handouts.

Required by Law Federal law (IDEA 2004) requires State and Local Education Agencies to adopt the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) and to determine efficient approaches to provide core curricular materials in accessible, NIMAS- compliant formats. Local Education Agencies are required to provide accessible formats to all students who are identified as struggling with access to print, whether or not they qualify for NIMAS-derived materials.

NIMAC National Instructional Materials Access Center The NIMAC is a federally-funded, national electronic file repository that makes NIMAS files available for the production of core print instructional materials in specialized formats. The NIMAC receives source files in NIMAS format from textbook publishers, and makes these files available for download to Authorized Users in the United States and its territories through an online database.

NIMAS National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard The term 'National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard' means the standard established to be used in the preparation of electronic files suitable and used solely for efficient conversion into “specialized formats” The NIMAS file sets are provided for the sole, express purpose of producing accessible instructional materials for blind or other persons with print disabilities in elementary and secondary schools as defined in section 674(e)(3) of IDEA.

Specialized Formats “Specialized formats” are Braille, audio, digital text or large type. “Specialized formats” are exclusively for use by: blind students students with print disabilities (other than blind) as defined in the next few slides.

Who Qualifies for Digital Textbooks? 1. Blind persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses, or whose widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees. 2. Persons whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, is certified by competent authority as preventing the reading of standard printed material. Amended Copyright Act 1966 (Chaffee Amendment)

Who Qualifies? (continued) 3. Persons certified by competent authority as unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations. 4. Persons certified by competent authority as having a reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal manner. Amended Copyright Act 1966 (Chaffee Amendment)

Who is the Competent Authority? In cases of eligibility under: (1) blindness (2) visual disability (3) physical limitations "competent authority" is defined to include doctors of medicine, doctors of osteopathy, ophthalmologists, optometrists, registered nurses, therapists, professional staff of hospitals, institutions, and public or welfare agencies (e.g., social workers, case workers, counselors, rehabilitation teachers, and superintendents)

Competent Authority in JPPSS For our district, the LDOE recognized Competent Authority for: (1) blindness (2) visual disability (3) physical limitations is the Assistive Technology Coordinator, Ozala Mazar. Qualified teachers and qualified pupil appraisal personnel are also able to identify students with print disabilities 1, 2, and 3. Verification of Eligibility must be documented and saved must have the signature of the JPPSS Competent Authority.

Competent Authority In the case of a reading disability from organic dysfunction, competent authority is defined as doctors of medicine who may consult with colleagues in associated disciplines.

Organic Dysfunction (found at:

Providing AIM Regardless of whether the Chafee exemption is interpreted narrowly or broadly, its enactment set a precedent in its affirmation of the right of "print disabled" individuals to be provided timely access to the same information as is available to their non-disabled peers, and, pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, that access should be provided in a format most appropriate to their needs. 9 9 The fact that some students with Learning Disabilities may not qualify under existing Chafee guidelines, or that students with attention, cognitive or hearing disabilities are, in fact, excluded collides with the "Access, Participation and Progress" requirements of IDEA and the "Equal Access" requirements of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA. It is precisely this collision that has motivated educators and disability service providers to err on the side of civil rights legislation and federal special education law when determining which students receive accessible materials and when.

Documenting AIM on the IEP (as of 7/1/2009) IEP teams will now document on the Accommodations page the type of format required for AIM Materials Use text/workbooks/worksheets at a modified reading level Alter format of materials on page (type/highlight/spacing) Color code materials Utilize large print Utilize Braille Utilize audio/recorded books Utilize digital formats Utilize graphic/pictorial mode materials Utilize print with magnification Other (specify) BOLD – approved for statewide assessment

Additional IEP Help IEP Help pages Utilize large print: The student may be provided with books/materials that have been printed with enlarged text Utilize Braille: The student may be provided with or books/materials that have been Brailled. On the Accommodations Page under Materials, there are new additions to the IEP: Utilize audio/recorded book: The student may be provided with recordings of print- based media in a recorded, taped, CD, DVD, MP3, SMF, TSP, WAV or other digital file format that provides access to the text by listening. Utilize digital formats: The student may be provided with print-based media in formats such as electronic text (txt), PDF, RTF, DAISY, XML, KSE, HTML, NIMAS or other formats that can be further rendered into specialized modes easily accessible by the user (e.g., Braille, picture-symbols, enlarged text, colored fonts, style sheets), downloaded into the user’s device, or transmitted electronically over distance.

Additional AIM Materials (added as of 7/1/2009) Utilize graphic/pictorial mode materials: The student may be provided with graphical/pictorial mode materials that are a specialized style of re-formatting electronic text to provide a picture representation of the word, similar to a rebus story. Pictures and symbols are typically placed together with the picture above the text or vice-versa to promote association of the picture and text. Utilize print with magnification: The student may be provided with class materials (books, handouts, tests, etc.) and will utilize assistive technology that will magnify the print. The assistive technology device(s) could include, but is not limited to, hand-held magnifiers, stand magnifiers, CCTV, portable magnification device, etc.

Documenting AIM on IAP

How Do I Acquire Digital Textbooks For My Students? The referring teacher must: 1. Refer the student identified (or suspected of having a qualifying print disability) to the AT Team by using the AIM 1 and supporting evidence (IEP, evaluation, standardized test scores, grades, etc.) 2. Send these in the pony-mail to: Ozala Mazar Admin. Bldg. (501 Manhattan Blvd.)

How Do I Acquire Digital Textbooks For My Students? 3. An AT Team Member will contact you and/or see the referred student. 4. Forms and instructions will be sent by the AT Team to the referring teacher. 5. Referring teacher will complete the forms (AIM 2 and AIM 3), place copies of the forms in the student’s SPED files at school and send the originals to the AT Coordinator. 6. Requests for NIMAS files will be sent to the Textbook Specialist who will order the files from the School Book Supply Company of Louisiana.

Competent Authority signs eligibility forms and keeps file for documentation of eligibility. AIM Liaison reviews info and sends Eligibility form (AIM 2) and Textbook Request form (AIM 3) to teacher for completion. Student demonstrates print disability. Teacher collects supporting data and submits AIM referral (AIM 1) form to AIM Liaison. Alternate format textbook order is submitted to Textbook Specialist for ordering through SBSC. Teacher: (1) submits completed forms to AIM Liaison and (2) files copies of forms in student IEP/IAP folders. How Do Teachers Acquire Digital Textbooks For Students? Authorized User converts files to user ready file. District Personnel supplies student with all needed for access to digital textbooks. Authorized User notifies AIM Liaison when textbook files are available. District Personnel trains student, teachers, parents, etc. on use of device and/or software. Need Shown Step 1Step 2Step 3Step 4Step 5Step 6Step 7Step 8Step 9

Difficulties Encountered As a condition of a textbook series being adopted, LaDOE has written language into the contracts of publishers of textbooks, since October, 2006, that textbook and ancillary files be sent to the NIMAC. The publishers have not always sent the textbook files to the NIMAC even though it is required of them since October, JPPSS will also require this of the publishers as a stipulation of a textbook purchase contract. Textbooks adopted before October, 2006 will probably not be in the NIMAC.

Guiding Question for AIM Consideration Given standard *print-based curriculum materials used in the content areas, does the student have difficulty accessing or gaining meaning from these materials. * print-based core materials are textbooks, workbooks, worksheets, basal textbooks and reproducible materials printed on paper, in book, or single sheet format

AIM 1

Factors Have any factors related to the student’s disability been identified? Evidence  Physical  Cognitive  Visual  Reading Disability  Auditory  Perceptual  Attention Deficit Behaviors  Dyslexia  Other

Current Reading Ability Is the student able to read at a sufficient rate and with adequate comprehension in order to complete academic or curricular tasks with success, relative to same-age peers? Evidence  Current performance indicated by data  Reading efficiency  Reading comprehension

Examining Curriculum Barriers How  Goals  Methods  Materials  Assessment What  5 Components of Reading  Comprehension  Learning Differences  Listening

Other Barriers Identify any barriers other than the print-based format that prevent student access to instructional materials. Evidence  Lack of instruction  Inadequate pre-requisite skills  Behaviors  Other:

Strategies List the strategies or accommodations to materials that have already been tried to address reading or access. Have they been successful? Evidence  Typical reading strategies (non-technology related)  Any technology related strategies  Multiple texts or any teacher created texts

AIM 2

AIM 3

Bookshare.org AT Coordinator adds students (members) and teachers (sponsors) as they are identified. Please contact Ozala to be added as a sponsor: JPPSS has an Organization Account. Students must meet same qualifications as the eligibility for NIMAS files in order to get a free membership except that 504 students are included for all downloads (except NIMAS files). Teachers of qualifying students may download books, novels, newspapers, etc. for the student. Qualifying students may open a personal account, as well, through their parents for leisure reading.

How to Download from Bookshare.org Teachers must be enrolled as a Sponsor for the JPPSS Organization Account. Teachers must sign to agree to abide by legal requirements by Bookshare.org (Copyright Laws). More information about Bookshare.org can be found at: Step-by-step directions for downloading from Bookshare.org are available at:

Devices and Software Software Kurzweil 3000 Microsoft Word Devices VictorStream Classmate Reader Fusion MP3 Player

File Formats FILE FORMAT SOFTWAREDEVICE.DOC,.RTF, HTML,.TXT WORD, KURZWEIL, WYNN, R&W GOLD, READ PLEASE, READ OUTLOUD, NATURAL READER.KESIKURZWEIL.TXTNOTEBOOKFUSION.PDF (ACCESSIBLE) ACROBAT, ADOBE READER, WYNN, CLAROREAD, KURZWEIL, READ OUTLOUD KINDLE.XML (DAISY FORMAT) DOLPHIN EASY READER(?)CLASSMATE READER, VICTOR STREAM, PLEXTALK.XML (NAVIGATION IS LOST) KURZWEIL, R&W GOLD, WORD MP3ITUNES, LIMEWIRE, ETC.IPOD/MP3 PLAYER, MOBILE PHONES

AIM Guide for Teachers Contains forms, directions and procedures for obtaining Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) for students. AIM Guide and AIM Forms are available at:

Assistive Technology Guide for Teachers/ABIT Teams Contains forms and procedures for identifying students to receive Assistive Technology evaluations and recommendations. AT Guide and AT Forms are available to view, print, and download at:

JPPSS AT Team Members Ozala Mazar, AT Coordinator, Judy Nodurft, EB Coordinator of SHL Services, Michele Norris, VI Itinerant and AT Specialist, Ida Richards, OT, Donna St.Romain, AAC-SLP, Pat Almquist, Job-Trainer, Terri Joia, Pupil Appraisal,