NIMAC “Spring Training” for State Coordinators Nicole Gaines ngaines@aph.org April 2019

Today’s Training NIMAC & NIMAS Coordinating with the NIMAC Authorized Users, “Hybrid” SCs and AMPs Policy Basics Adding and Removing AUs System Demo

The NIMAC Project Created by IDEA 2004, the National Instructional Materials Access Center is the national source file repository for K-12 textbooks and instructional materials. We make NIMAS files available for use in producing accessible formats for K-12 print instructional materials. To date, we have received over 53,000 file sets from 145 publishers. All 50 states plus 7 outlying areas work with the NIMAC.

What is NIMAS? NIMAS is the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard. An XML-based source file format. Designed for use in producing formats such as braille, DAISY, EPUB, large print. It is not intended for distribution directly to students. NIMAS is the only format we receive.

NIMAS eligibility IDEA 2004 requires that students have a qualifying disability (per the NLS guidelines) and an IEP. Determining eligibility is the responsibility of state or the organization/agency designated to produce and distribute the accessible materials. Due to the restrictions in IDEA 2004, 504 students are not eligible, as are most students in private schools.

What does it mean to “coordinate” with NIMAC? IDEA does not require that states work with the NIMAC. States that do coordinate agree to: Require NIMAS from publishers in their textbook adoption contracts Abide by the eligibility requirements of IDEA and copyright law in the use of NIMAS and distribution of materials produced from the files

What is a State Coordinator? Each state that coordinates with the NIMAC designates a State Coordinator. This individual has only two responsibilities: To sign the NIMAC Coordination Agreement on behalf of the state To add and remove Authorized Users on behalf of the state. When the SC changes, NIMAC needs a new agreement for our files.

What is an Authorized User? An Authorized User is someone who has been designated by their State Coordinator to have full access to the NIMAC repository. They can search and download files or assign files to registered Accessible Media Producers (AMPs). AUs are individuals who are involved in some way in the production of accessible formats for students with print disabilities in their state.

Authorized Users AUs may directly work in accessible media production, or they may manage work done by others. Generally staff from within state educational structure (e.g., IRC, school for the blind, SEA). Bookshare can also be designated as an AU. Most states have five or fewer AUs. The system default is a max of 5 AUs per state. We’re happy to add more, if needed.

“Hybrid” State Coordinators State Coordinators may either be involved in accessible media production or not. The State Coordinator account is designed for adding and deleting AUs. For State Coordinators who would like to also be Authorized Users, we can offer you a single sign-on for both.

“Hybrid” SC registration If you wish to have your account upgraded to “hybrid,” all you need to do is send us the Limitation of Use Agreement (LUA). We will make the change for you in the system. The “hybrid” account an extra account and is not a part of the 5 default AU accounts available to your state.

What is an AMP account? An AUs may work as an accessible media producers, but for the purposes of the NIMAC, an AMP is an organization or individual that has an AMP account. This is a limited account that allows the user to download only those files assigned to them for download by an Authorized User. These users do not have to be designated by a state coordinator. AMPs can be for-profit or nonprofit and work with any state.

How we get files Under IDEA 2004, the only mechanism to require NIMAS from the publisher is the print book adoption contract or purchase agreement. Since July of 2006, customers can require NIMAS when they purchase new textbooks. NIMAC is happy to request a file from a publisher for you if we don’t already have it—more about that later!

Sample NIMAS Language

Types of materials we receive NIMAC receives “textbooks and related printed core materials” published primarily for use in K-12 education. Materials we receive include: textbooks, workbooks, supplementary readers, and ancillary materials such as blackline masters. Generally exempt: pre-2006 titles, trade books, college textbooks, reference books. Digital materials are also exempt, but this restriction is currently under discussion at OSEP.

Watchlist Feature If a file you need is not available in the NIMAC, you probably will not have a way to know if it “should” be in the NIMAC or not. Any AU, or “hybrid” SC can add the ISBN to the Watchlist of their account. NIMAC will research the item for you and try to obtain NIMAS for the title. This service to research and expedite needed files was piloted in 2017 and is now an ongoing service of the NIMAC.

Watchlist Requests If the title is within scope for NIMAS, we will request the file from the publisher. If the file is already in production, we may be able to expedite it for you. If you are a “Hybrid” SC, when the ISBN on your Watchlist is available in the NIMAC, you will receive an automated email to let you know. If the title is outside of scope, we will research other accessibility alternatives and provide that information to you.

Managing AU Accounts The primary purpose of the SC account is to provide access for the state to add and remove AUs of the NIMAC, as needed. The process for adding a user is easy—all you need is the name, email address, and organization name for the new user. Once this is entered into the system, the SC part of creating the account is done. The account shows a status of New.

Online Registration When the SC saves the new AU information, the system automatically and immediately emails the new AU the registration link. When the user submits the online registration, the account shows as Pending.

Registration link expiration The link will expire after ten days. If the user does not complete the registration within the time frame, the SC or NIMAC staff can re-send the link.

Limitation of Use Agreement The automated registration email also includes, as an attachment, the NIMAC Limitation of Use Agreement (LUA). The new user must print out the document, initial each page, fill out the Authorized User contact information section and sign the document. They can either mail or email us the completed document.

Account Activation Once both the online registration is completed and the user has emailed us the completed LUA, we can activate the account. The account will then show a status of Active. You’ll receive an automated email notification when the new account is activated.

Login Credentials When the account is activated, the system sends the user the login ID and password in two separate emails. They may need to check their spam filter or “white list” the system email address if their email server is not letting the emails through: noreply-NIMAC@overdrive.com

Deleting AU Accounts AU account system DRM is attached to the individual, not the agency. It’s fine to have more than one AU at the same agency. AU accounts are not transferable. When a user leaves their position or role as AU, please delete the account from the system, and start a new registration for the new person.

Demo Adding a new user Deleting a User Reports Searching “Hybrid” account additional features Download Assign to AMP Watchlist

Any Questions? Questions about how to use NIMAC or the status of users or files: nimac@aph.org 877-526-4622 http://nimac.us Assistance with AEM implementation questions: National AEM Center at CAST Cynthia Curry, Director ccurry@cast.org http://aem.cast.org