1. NIMAS/Florida Accessible Instructional Materials

2. NIMAS/Florida is about … student achievement!

3. Definitions NIMAS – National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard This standardized electronic file format used by textbook publishers facilitates the creation of accessible core instructional materials for students with disabilities.

4. Purpose of NIMAS Timely delivery of specialized formats to K-12 students Improved student achievement among print disabled students Eliminate duplication of effort by publishers and LEAs Provide greater copyright protection for publishers’ content

5. NIMAS and IDEA LEAs have an obligation to: –provide accessible instructional materials in a timely manner to eligible students with disabilities –provide accessible instructional materials to students with disabilities who may need materials in accessible formats, but who are not eligible to receive materials produced from files obtained through the NIMAC

6. IDEA and the Chafee Amendment to the Copyright Act The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) o In December 2004, Congress passed the recent amendments with final regulations published in August 2006. In order to receive books in specialized formats derived from NIMAS files, the student must have an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) according to IDEA. Students must also meet the eligibility requirements to qualify for exemption to the Copyright Act defined under the Chafee Amendment.

7. Copyright Law of the United States of America The Copyright Law (US Code: Title 17 Section 121) provides that only those defined as “blind or other persons with disabilities” are entitled to copyright exemption! In other words, use of these materials with students that are not eligible according to these definitions would be considered an infringement of copyright.

8. What is a District Digital Rights Manager? Appointed by the District Administrator of Exceptional Student Education (ESE), the District DRM will register with NIMAS/FL and sign an Agreement Form assuring that the district will adhere to the terms of IDEA and current copyright laws with regard to the files received from NIMAS/FL

9. District DRM (Digital Rights Manager) Five Local Assistive Technology Specialists (LATS) Janine Chimera Nancy Frana Kathy Holloway Janice Kelly Susan Lerschlolarn Robin Gipson, FDLRS Technology Resource Teacher Six District DRM’s Responsibilities Order materials Provide professional development and technical assistance

10. SCHOOL DRM (Digital Rights Manager) 1Provide IEP Team with NIMAS eligibility form 2Verify and sign that eligibility information (competent authority and certified professional statements) is fully documented in the audit file 3Submit eligibility information to DISTRICT DRM - completed eligibility form - copy of Statement of Disability by Competent Authority - ordering information for textbooks Responsibilities:

11. School DRM responsibility continued… 4 Gather all information regarding the book or books: ISBN* Publisher Title Author Shipping Location Subject Grade Level Alternate versions Copyright Date 5 In accordance with copyright law, DELETE OR DESTROY NIMAS materials at the completion of the semester/school year or if the student leaves the school district. (These materials cannot be used by another student.)

12. Students Who are Eligible for Specialized Formats

13. BLIND - persons whose visual acuity, as determined by competent authority, is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting lenses, or whose widest diameter of visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees. VISUAL IMPAIRMENT - persons whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, is certified by competent authority as preventing the reading of standard printed material. 1. BLIND / VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

14. 2. PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS Persons unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations. Examples of physical limitations may include - difficulty holding a book or turning a page - difficulty tracking lines of print

15. This MUST be from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading printed material in a normal manner. Access to NIMAS-derived accessible textbooks will allow students with print disabilities to gain the information they need to complete tasks, master IEP goals, and reach curricular standards. 3. READING DISABILITY

16. Certifying Professionals… review the medical information received from competent authorities documenting that students meet the eligibility criteria referenced in the Chafee Amendment, share the medical documentation with IEP teams so NIMAS eligibility can be addressed in the IEP, AND….. are education professionals that have specialized training/experiences with the disability-specific students (blind, visual impairment, physical limitations, or print disabilities) being discussed with the IEP Team.

17. Who Makes the Determination?

18. Blindness and Visual Impairment Competent Authority… Florida licensed ophthalmologists Florida licensed optometrists Certified Professionals… Teachers of Visually Impaired

19. Physical Limitations Competent Authority… Florida licensed Doctor of Medicine Florida licensed Doctor of Osteopathy Florida licensed PT or OT Certified Professionals… Florida licensed PT or OT ESE Teachers

20. Reading Disability from Organic Dysfunction Competent Authority… Florida licensed Doctor of Medicine Florida licensed Doctor of Osteopathy Certified Professionals… Psychologists with background in learning disabilities ESE teachers of students with learning disabilities

21. IMPORTANT!! It should be noted that specific eligibility requirements for students to access instructional materials derived from NIMAS files are more restrictive than special education eligibility requirements. Not all students with IEPs qualify to access these materials in specialized formats.

22. The IEP Team selects from the following specialized formats: To hear text (textbooks on CD). To see text without holding a book (textbook on a computer) To see and hear text read aloud (textbook on a computer) To see and hear text read aloud with highlighting (textbook on a computer)

23. Important Information Specialized formats do not include altering the content (i.e., the complexity) of the print instructional material. Instructional materials with copyrights prior to August 18, 2006, are not required to be placed in NIMAC by publishers. As a result, these titles will not be available through NIMAS/Florida.

24. Available Materials for Students with Print Disabilities

25. What are … “Core Instructional Materials?” Printed textbooks and related printed core materials published with the texts… –Written and published primarily for use in elementary and secondary school instruction –Required by Florida Department of Education or school district for use by students in the classroom (State- Adopted Instructional Materials) –FDOE describes them as “major instructional tools”

26. What Core Instructional Materials are NOT… Excludes materials that are not written and published primarily for use by students in the classroom (e.g., trade books not bundled with the textbook, newspapers and reference works) and ancillary or supplemental materials that are not necessary to meet the curriculum requirements for the intended course

27. State/National Resources NIMAC – www.nimac.uswww.nimac.us –Frequently Asked Questions -- http://www.nimac.us/faq.html http://www.nimac.us/faq.html Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) http://nimas.cast.org –Resources -- http://nimas.cast.org/about/resources/index.html http://nimas.cast.org/about/resources/index.html –Frequently Asked Questions -- http://nimas.cast.org/about/faq/index.html http://nimas.cast.org/about/faq/index.html FDLRS/Tech –http://www.paec.org/fdlrstech/index.htmlhttp://www.paec.org/fdlrstech/index.html

28. FORMS

29. *ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a unique numeric identifier. The ISBN has either 10 or 13 digits. A national edition of a textbook will have a different ISBN than a Florida Edition.

31. Complete IEP with NIMAS supports IEP invitation – invite School DRM IEP participants – School DRM Special Factors – check need for assistive technology devices and services

32. 1.Dropdowns under Effects of Exceptionality : unable to turn pages unable to hold book unable to track print on a page reading fluency below grade level expectation comprehension below grade level expectation Complete IEP with NIMAS supports continued… PLEPs– for all domains utilizing NIMAS textbooks

33. Complete IEP with NIMAS supports continued… 2. Dropdowns under Priority Educational Needs student needs digital text student needs audio student needs digital text with audio student needs large print

34. Complete IEP with NIMAS supports continued… 1. Supports for Personnel/Mods/Accom: Dropdowns - digital text large print audio text digital and audio text Frequency - Dropdowns - available each school day each school day Location - Dropdown - school campus SERVICES PAGE

35. Complete IEP with NIMAS supports continued… 2. Supplementary Aids and Services Dropdown - assistive technology Frequency Dropdown - available each school day Location - Dropdown - school campus

36. QUESTIONS ?

37. NIMAS/Florida is about … student achievement!!!