1. NIMAS What Teacher Education Faculty Need to Know about the National Instructional Materials Standard Moderator: Bonnie Jones, OSEP Education Research Analyst and NIMAS Project Director Presenters: Chuck Hitchcock, Director, NIMAS TA Center Skip Stahl, Director, NIMAS Dev Center Discussants: Margo Izzo, Ohio State University Elizabeth Kozleski, Arizona State University NIMAS: What Teacher Education Faculty Need to Know about the National Instructional Materials Standard

2. Why is this session important?  Main goal is improving learning outcomes and AYP.  Stimulating the development of new digital tools and content for improving access, participation and access to the general education curriculum.  NIMAS establishes a foundation for electronic educational materials that will be customizable and supportive of diverse student needs and preferences.  All learners will eventually benefit from the NIMAS work in support of students with print disabilities.  You can help us to develop training opportunities for educators that improve knowledge and skills related to accessible educational materials for all learners.

3. NIMAS: What is it?  National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard  A recommendation developed in 2004 by consensus of an expert panel of 40 key stakeholders  Approved by US Dept. of Ed in July 2004  Published in Federal Register on July 19, 2006  Additional regulations published on August 14, 2006  Based on the international DAISY Book Standard  Purpose: timely delivery of high quality accessible specialized formats to students with print disabilities

4. NIMAS Donut Electronic Textbooks: One foundation for the Implementation of UDL.

5. Problems Addressed by NIMAS  Students  Timely delivery of high quality accessible textbooks  Breaks down one barrier to the general education curriculum  Educators  Reduces scanning duplication of effort – saves time and money  Increases likelihood that specialized formats will be available when they are needed by students with print disabilities  Supports the implementation of Universal Design for Learning providing greater support within the general education curriculum  Publishers  50 States and 50 sets of requirements – complexity and cost  Copyright issues – digital rights for text and images – can legally transfer all files directly to the national NIMAS file repository

6. UDL and NIMAS 1. Provide information in multiple formats and media –(Recognition Networks – the “what” of learning) NIMAS supports the development of specialized formats with highlighting of critical features, vocabulary and language alternatives, text and tactile alternatives for images and graphics, transformation from text to speech, etc. 2. Provide multiple pathways for students’ action, expression –(Strategic Networks – the “how” of learning) NIMAS supports the development of specialized formats that may be used to provide executive function tools, scaffolded learning strategy supports, options for expression (writing, drawing, speaking, etc.), options for navigation and use of assistive technologies, etc. 3. Provide multiple ways to engage students –(Affective Networks – the “why” of learning) NIMAS supports the development of electronic formats that implement progress monitoring, adjustable levels of challenge and support, reduced frustration with reading supports, etc.

7. NIMAS Statute Highlights (IDEA 2004)  State Assurances to US Dept. of Education (Part B, Sec. 612)  Agree to adopt NIMAS in timely manner  Agree to coordinate with NIMAC or assure timely delivery of accessible materials  Coordinate with State agency responsible for AT  LEA Assurances to State Departments of Education (Part B, Sec. 613)  Same conditions as above  NIMAC (Part D, Sec. 674)  Establish and support, through the APH, a center to be known as the 'National Instructional Materials Access Center‘  Receive and maintain a catalog of NIMAS print instructional materials  Provide access to source files by accessible media producers  Develop procedures to protect against copyright infringement  Section 121 of title 17, US Copyright Code, is amended– (Title III)  Not a violation of copyright for publishers to transfer files to NIMAC

9. Which Students Qualify? The Library of Congress regulations (36 CFR 701.6(b)(1)) related to the Act to Provide Books for the Adult Blind (approved March 3, 1931, 2 U.S.C. 135a) provide that "blind persons or other persons with print disabilities" include: –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 if visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees. –Persons whose visual disability, with correction and regardless of optical measurement, is certified by competent authority as preventing the reading of standard printed material. –Persons certified by competent authority as unable to read or unable to use standard printed material as a result of physical limitations. –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.

10. What about other Students with Print Disabilities?  To achieve FAPE, IDEA 2004 requires SEAs & LEAs to provide accessible instructional materials to all students with print disabilities – whether or not they qualify for the materials available from the NIMAS/NIMAC production and distribution system.  IDEA 2004 also allows SEAs & LEAs to meet the NIMAS related requirements through the “purchase of instructional materials directly from the publisher that are produced in, or may be rendered in, specialized formats: the “Market Model”

11. What Materials are Included?  Print Instructional Materials: The term 'print instructional materials' means printed textbooks and related printed core materials that are written and published primarily for use in elementary school and secondary school instruction and are required by a State educational agency or local educational agency for use by students in the classroom.  Textbooks and related printed core materials such as workbooks, black line masters, related assessments, etc.  Applies to textbook adoption and open territory states  Applies to print instructional materials published after July 19, 2006 (pending definition of term “publish”)

12. NIMAS TA Center Purpose: provide support to publishers and states to ensure the successful implementation of NIMAS. NIMAS Development Center Purpose: provide national leadership to further the development and maintenance of NIMAS and support its large-scale implementation. NIMAS Center Partners

13. What is the NIMAC ?  A national repository of NIMAS source files maintained and coordinated by the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) in Louisville, Kentucky.  Contracted with Overdrive to administer validation, security and data base files.  Those who have been authorized for access will have user identifications and passwords. These authorized users will be able to search the NIMAC database AND download directly the files they need (with or without sizable image folders). http://nimac.us

14. National Accessible Media Producers (AMPs)  Non-Profit organizations operating under the Chafee Amendment Guidelines  American Printing House for the Blind  Bookshare.org  Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic  Others…

15. A Few Hot Issues Anticipatory Access to NIMAS file sets –AAP/AEP requesting new constraints on national Chafee orgs K-12 access only Evidence (or assurance) that book was purchased Certification documentation Which populations are included? –IDEA only ? What about Section 504 students? –Which LD populations and certification requirements Limitation of Use Agreement – NIMAC and SEAs Meaning of “Adopt NIMAS” – (NIMAS statute requirement for all SEAs) –Multiple file format requests by SEAs (publisher issue)

16. NIMAS Web site: http://nimas.cast.orghttp://nimas.cast.org

17. What can you do with a NIMAS file set? NIMAS to DAISY Conversion –Use with DAISY Players such ghPlayer NIMAS to Proprietary Conversion –Use file sets with DJ Solo, ReadWriteGold, Kurzweil Reader and more File Conversion Utility – NIMAS to HTML –Use with Firefox and Click,Speak (CLC) –Use with ScreenReaders NIMAS to Braille Conversions – import and transcribe »>>>> Skip will address

18. Skip Stahl

19. UDL and NIMAS 1. Provide information in multiple formats and media –(Recognition Networks – the “what” of learning) 2. Provide multiple pathways for students’ action, expression –(Strategic Networks – the “how” of learning) 3. Provide multiple ways to engage students –(Affective Networks – the “why” of learning)

20. UDL and NIMAS NIMAS

21. What is a NIMAS File Set?  XML-based source files  NIMAS conforming XML content files  Images in folders: SVG, PNG or JPEG (order of preference) – 300 dots per inch  PDF of the print materials title page  Package file (metadata about the materials and a manifest or list of submitted files)

22. What is XML?

25. What is NIMAS XML? NIMAS “Tags” –Structure Chapter, Unit, Section, Header, Body Text, Page number, etc. –Semantics Introduction, Key Questions, Summary –The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard defines the tags that must be used.

26. NIMAS Transformations This is NIMAS XML

27. NIMAS Transformations Web page produced by converting XML to XHTML and then referencing a style sheet.

28. NIMAS Transformations DAISY Book created by importing NIMAS files to a Player then exporting as a DAISY Book.

29. NIMAS Transformations A NIMAS source file can be quickly converted into a Braille Ready File

30. http://nimac.us http://nimas.cast.org

31. Margo Vreeburg Izzo

32. What Teacher Education Faculty Need to Know About NIMAS Margo Vreeburg Izzo Nisonger Center Ohio State University Izzo.1@osu.edu

33. Teachers Need to Know: Overview of NIMAS How to – 1. Incorporate AT into the IEP 2. Integrate accessible materials 3. Leverage AT and IT Specialists 4. Integrate UDL so students will use AT 5. Involve parents in the AT process

34. 1. Incorporate AT into the IEP AT Considerations are not optional All Special Educators must be familiar with how to conduct an AT Assessment or How to secure an AT Specialist

35. 2. Integrate Accessible Materials Technological tools are particularly useful for students with disabilities because they enhance communication, learning, writing, and task management. Technology and computer use can create equal opportunities in education and aid in transition from school to work. Teachers and students appreciate the independent self-directed learning technology and accessible materials can provide.

36. 3. Leverage AT and IT Specialists Teachers, Parents, AT and IT Specialists must work as a TEAM to complete AT tasks: Conduct an AT assessment Select AT application to meet student needs Install on School PC or Server Train student & parents to use their AT Use AT to gain access to accessible materials!

37. 4. Integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Reduce the Stigma of Using AT: Case Study #1: Tim needed a screen reader Tim would be the only person in class using headphones. He refused to use them. Case Study #2: Ms. Brown let all her students use headphones while completing online searches. Shemeka used her headphones to use AT to complete her work and LEARN.

38. 5. Involve Parents in the AT Process Parents can support students with appropriate use of AT outside of school. Students need access to AT at home Students need access to AT in college or work

39. Teachers Need to Know: Power of Technology & AT Provides access to the general curricula Is becoming more cost effective Is available as free open source programs EMPOWERS STUDENTS TO LEARN –WHEN IMPLEMENTED USING UDL PRINCIPLES –WHEN WE ASSIST STUDENTS OVERCOME THE STIGMA OF USING AT!

40. Additional Resources Our assessment process (Beta): http://www.ideal-group.org/initiatives/access- tomorrow/ http://ideal-group.org/initiatives/access- tomorrow/assessments/ AT Download Link http://clcworld.net/clcpad_data/clcpak.exe http://clcworld.net/clcpad_data/clcpak.exe

41. Teachers Can Not be Technology Left Behind

42. Elizabeth B. Kozleski

43. Implications of NIMAS for Teacher Educators Elizabeth B. Kozleski MLF College of Education Arizona State University elizabeth.kozleski@asu.edu

44. What NIMAS foreshadows Reconceptualization of the roles of special educators Development and delivery of technology supports and materials to general educators to teach content Expansion of knowledge and skills around UDL Development of special educator identity Teacher Educator Identities Program Improvement

45. Reconceptualizing Special Educator Roles Special Education Services Classroom Teacher Classroom Teacher Classroom Teacher Schoolwide Supports Individual Student Support

46. Development and delivery of technology supports and materials to general educators to teach content Systems for identifying materials needs Time blocks for materials preparation Coaching for teachers using AT Assessing student access and usability

47. Expansion of knowledge and skills around UDL Skilled practice in UDL design of curricula that meets content standards Coplanning with general educators for UDL Assessment of UDL units of study Cataloguing materials and units for future use

48. Development of special educator identity Technical Assistance Coaching Professional Learning Family Facilitation across the digital divide Provider of instruction

49. Teacher Educator Identities What should I be teaching and how? What is my role as a member of a team preparing special educators in a technology rich world? What does this mean about what I need to learn and be able to demonstrate in my courses? What does this mean about how I use technology to manage and facilitate learning?

50. Leading Programmatic Changes Leveraging NCATE SPA standards for Special Education Programs Assessment of teacher candidate performance and impact on P-12 students Visiting schools as a faculty to develop shared knowledge about current classrooms, service delivery models, research-based instructional practices and the gaps between practice and research

51. NIMAS What Teacher Education Faculty Need to Know about the National Instructional Materials Standard Moderator: Bonnie Jones, OSEP Education Research Analyst and NIMAS Project Director Presenters: Chuck Hitchcock, Director, NIMAS TA Center Skip Stahl, Director, NIMAS Dev Center Discussants: Margo Izzo, Ohio State University Elizabeth Kozleski, Arizona State University