Moving Forward with DIAGRAM Center and NIMAS/NIMAC: NIMAC Moves Forward Julia Myers July 20, 2011

NIMAC and IDEA 2004 The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) of 2004 created the NIMAC repository as the national repository to house NIMAS files. The same legislation named APH as the organization to house the repository and also requires states to adopt the NIMAS file format for source files for accessible materials for their K-12 students.

What NIMAC Does The NIMAC receives and catalogs publishers' electronic files of print instructional materials in the NIMAS format. We provide the searchable database and web interface. We create user accounts for publishers, State Coordinators, Authorized Users, and Accessible Media Producers.

How It Works State and local education agencies direct publishers to submit NIMAS files to the NIMAC by including language to this effect in the purchase agreements and adoption contracts for print books. NIMAC is not authorized to require files from publishers, but we are happy to help users follow up with publishers regarding files users believe should be in the NIMAC.

What is a NIMAS file set? A NIMAS zip file contains: An XML file of the textual portion of the book A folder containing all of the images (in JPG, PNG or SVG format) A package file containing metadata and a list of files included in the file set A PDF of the title page/copyright page of the print book

NIMAS Files NIMAS file sets are not considered a “student- ready” digital format. A typical textbook may contain thousands of images, and the NIMAS standard does not require alt text for images. While many devices can read an XML file, value- added work must be done to make a NIMAS file set a fully-accessible version for a print disabled student.

Which Students Are Eligible? IDEA 2004, PART D, SEC (e) (3)(A) BLIND OR OTHER PERSONS WITH PRINT DISABILITIES—The term 'blind or other persons with print disabilities' means children served under this Act and who may qualify in accordance with the Act entitled 'An Act to provide books for the adult blind', approved March 3, 1931 (2 U.S.C. 135a; 46 Stat. 1487) to receive books and other publications produced in specialized formats. NIMAC does not determine student eligibility. This task belongs to the state.

NIMAC and States What’s a State Coordinator? A State Coordinator is a state-level representative who “opts into” the NIMAC on behalf of that state. The State Coordinator designates and manages the Authorized Users for the state.

NIMAC and States What’s an Authorized User? Each State Coordinator names a small number of Authorized Users such as IRCs and schools for the blind. These users can directly download files from the NIMAC, and have them converted into student- ready formats like Braille. Authorized Users can also assign files to AMPs who are registered with the NIMAC.

NIMAC Statistics States/Outlying Areas Coordinating : 57 (56 a year ago) Authorized Users: 182 (156 a year ago) Accessible Media Producers: 177 (107 a year ago) Publishers: 103 (92 a year ago)

NIMAC Statistics Files available for download: 25,100 (21,096 a year ago) Unique downloads by AMPs: 3,815 (2,536 a year ago) Unique downloads by AUs: 4,282 (2,163) a year ago Total Unique Downloads: 8,097 (4,699 a year ago)

NIMAC Statistics Inventory by Content Type: Textbooks: 26% Other: 7% Consumables: 11% Supplementary reading materials: 56% TOTAL: 100%

Challenges Some Braille translation software programs still unable to import XML Introduction of MathML poses new issues for braille translation software Lack of image descriptions Accessibility of ebook readers and applications

Stepping into the Future Ongoing work on image descriptions MATHML offers potential for accessible formats Ebook readers moving to become more accessible Accessible formats produced by mainstream publishers

NIMAC, APH and Beyond Louis One search locates accessible formats from 140+ agencies and companies Free to list Free to search More than 370,000 accessible formats listed

Louis Sample Search

Variety of Accessible Formats

Stepping into the Future: NIMAC, APH and Beyond LouisPlus One search obtain results from Louis and NIMAC Uses Google for search, indexing Uses SOAP web service so will allow other repositories to participate July 2011

LouisPlus

LouisPlus Search Results

Stepping into the Future: NIMAC, APH and Beyond DAISY ONLINE First US implementation Deliver books to DAISY capable devices

Stepping into the Future: NIMAC, APH and Beyond APH Braille Plus Built in Braille Display Runs Android –Integration with Cloud –Content from multiple sources –Take pictures of text and produce grade 2 Braille

Stepping into the Future: NIMAC, APH and Beyond Google Books and APH Braille Plus Download and read Google Books on Braille Plus

Stepping into the Future: NIMAC, APH and Beyond New Product Research: 3-D Haptic Feedback Controllers Tactile graphics implications for: –Display –Production –Standard production plus display equals improved opportunities for teaching students to use and read tactile graphics

How Far We Have Come 2006: –NIMAC begins operations December 3, 2006 –First files submitted December : –25,100 NIMAS files sets in repository –100% of states participating –8,097 files downloaded –Accessible formats produced more quickly thanks to NIMAS/NIMAC

NIMAC Team Julia Myers, Project Director Nicole Gaines, NIMAC Manager Johanna Argo, NIMAC Support Specialist Tiffany Bradford, NIMAC Support Specialist OverDrive NIMAC Team

APH Research Larry Skutchan, Technology Project Leader

How to Reach Us ( NIMAC)

The Utah State Instructional Materials Access Center (USIMAC) Moving Forward with DIAGRAM Center and NIMAS/NIMAC Vali Ann Kremer July 21, 2011

Before the USIMAC In January, 2009 the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind had in their employ: 3 Braille transcribers -AND- 1 Braille proofreader. These folks had to transcribe student materials for the entire State of Utah. No other accessible format was consistently offered or available for print disabled students.

Recognizing the Need Meet Keisha –Lack of resources –Lack of options Meet Thomas –Lack of timeliness –Lack of quality and consistency

Creating the USIMAC The Utah legislature provided funding to create the USIMAC in January, The USIMAC was created to serve all students in Utah with print disabilities. Utah was one of thirteen states selected for the AIM (Accessible Instructional Materials) Consortium grant which was provided through CAST ( Center for Applied Special Technology ) and OSEP ( Office of Special Education Projects ).

The USIMAC in 2011 All of our Braille transcriptionists and proofreaders are certified. The USIMAC has developed a network of Braille transcriptionists around the country that we regularly contract with. The USIMAC hired talented graphic designers to produce our tactile graphics. Our alternate format technicians utilize the latest software and cutting-edge procedures to produce high-quality accessible materials.

Working with the NIMAC The USIMAC was one of the first states to sign the NIMAS agreement and support the NIMAC. This provided Utah with: –The ability to become an “Authorized User” –Provided access to AMPs (Accessible Media Producers). The USIMAC has downloaded hundreds of NIMAS files to be used in the production of accessible instructional materials for qualified students.

Moving Ahead Other commonly-used sources Utah utilizes to provide accessible instructional materials: APH Learning Ally (RFB&D) BookShare Other AMPs ( Accessible Media Producers) Some Basic Utah Statistics Number of students served in Number of Students currently receiving USIMAC Services236 Number of Accessible Materials produced by the USIMAC in Number of Accessible Materials produced by the USIMAC in Number of Ordered and produced Accessible Materials in

Some Challenges This year, more than 50% of schools in Utah serving blind students are ordering electronic audio files instead of traditional Braille. Addressing Braille Literacy issues. All e-readers, and new technology touted to provide access for all, are not truly accessible. Continue to address the problems of mathematic formats in the alternate format arena.

Stepping into the Future The USIMAC will: Provide timely access to high-quality accessible material for all students. Provide on-going training to parents, teachers and administrators. Provide new opportunities for student accessibility by offering new formats such as HTML5, e-PUB files and MathML.

Putting it All Together Keisha & Thomas receive their books just like everyone else on the first day of school! + + “Bridging the Accessibility Gap!” Keisha plus Thomas plus USIMAC Equals:

Hollie F. Murdock, ERC/USIMAC Programs Director (801) | Vali Ann Kremer, USIMAC Program Coordinator (801) | Website: Contact Information for the USIMAC:

Moving Forward Discussion Questions What are your examples of "learning from the margins?” Are you benefiting from HTML5? How have you benefited from NIMAS? How, and at what point in process, will image descriptions, including those from DIAGRAM be incorporated into AIM? --Downstream by AIM producers? --Can the image descriptions be incorporated into NIMAS files at NIMAC? How can DIAGRAM impact the timeliness and quality of AIM in the future? What are the key challenges for publishers to deliver more accessible materials beyond the text?

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. Accessible Instructional Materials in 2011 Tom Starbranch Accessibility and Compliance Manager for K-12

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. Building on NIMAS The NIMAS Standard –Drove down the cost of “publisher files while the quality improved. –Publishers know NIMAS, DAISY, EPUB –Encouraged the use of DAISY in our workflows

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. AIM…where are we going? The Market Model

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. AIM…where are we going? The Market Model = accessible general education products

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. Accessible general education products Benefits to students with disabilities –“They won’t ask for it but they’ll use it if it’s there” –Students get their materials with their peers –No quality/coverage gap –Timeliness Benefits to all students –DAISY –MathML –?

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. What does “accessible” mean? Section 508 and WCAG 2.0 Turn off the keyboard, unplug the mouse. –Keyboard navigation –Screen reader access –Text equivalents for all non-text content Support the mobile device High quality learning design

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. Formats not populations A successful market model will let us focus on formats. The digital product may be accessible but a physical specialized format may be needed –Braille –Large print –Tactile graphics Publishers and specialized format producers need to refocus on source formats

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. Consistent standards help students move forward Section 508 and WCAG –Required by K-12 customers –Under consideration in higher education –Required by government employers and their vendors –Adopted by large U.S. employers Similar to the publisher experience with NIMAS

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. Publishers working with customers, vendors, and AIM producers Adobe InDesign to PDF accessibility MathML support for equations editors NIMAS and MathML as source for Braille

Copyright © 2011 Pearson All rights reserved. Resources Questions?