1. The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard
Supported by:
United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
Included in Part B and Part D:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
Chuck Hitchcock, Project Director, NIMAS Technical Assistance Center
Skip Stahl, Project Director, NIMAS Development Center

2. Quick View of NIMAS / NIMAC
Collaboration between:
SEAs and LEAs adopt NIMAS in a timely manner
SEAs and LEAs opt into NIMAC
Educational Publishers submit source files to NIMAC
Authorized Entities use files to prepare student-ready versions of core instructional materials
LEAs request and receive accessible instructional materials for students with print disabilities
Devil is in the details!

3. IDEA 2004
Part B, Sec 612 –
…the state submits a plan that provides assurances that…
the State adopts the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard…
…to ensure that children with disabilities who need instructional materials in accessible formats… receive those instructional materials in a timely manner.

4. The Challenge Collaboration between:
State Department of Special Education
State Agency for Assistive Technology
State/Local Agencies involved in Textbook Purchasing

5. The Challenge Assurances for: “Adoption” of the NIMAS
Acquisition of alternate format textbooks:
Coordinate with the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) – Yes/No ?
Purchase materials directly from publishers

6. Why Opt In? When SEAs and LEAs Opt In:
Supports copyright indemnification for publishers
Helps to develop a national bank of source files
More economical
Reduces duplication of effort
Improved quality of accessible student products
Supports existing systems while improving timeliness

7. Access, Participation & Progress
The Goal
Access, Participation & Progress

8. What is the NIMAS? The Solution
The standard for publisher source files established by the Secretary to be used in the preparation of electronic files suitable and used solely for efficient conversion into specialized formats.
NIMAS Source Files:
Not intended to be used
directly by students
with print disabilities.
Student Ready Versions:
Braille, Digital Talking Books, Audio Books and Large Print Versions

9. What is the NIMAC? The Solution
A national repository of NIMAS source files maintained and coordinated by the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville, Kentucky

10. A Possible Distribution Flow
Textbook
Order
XML
NIMAC at
APH
Publisher
Print
Version
Conversion
Entity
Alternate Formats:
Braille, Digital Talking Book, Large Print, etc.

11. NIMAS
Coordination with the NIMAC will address the needs of students who qualify under the “Chafee Amendment” copyright exemption.
Regardless of whether or not a student qualifies under Chafee, SEAs and LEAs have the responsibility to provide all print-disabled students with accessible, alternate format materials in a timely manner.
The NIMAS and the national repository (NIMAC) will support both student populations by making the creation and distribution of these materials more efficient.

12. Implementation Schedule
Without benefit of the final rule – our interpretation:
Once NIMAS final rule is published, SEA and LEA adopt NIMAS in a timely manner.
Publication start date for new and revised versions publishers must consider is likely to be Copyright 2006.
NIMAC established on December 4, 2005 and begins planning for implementation.
On or before December 4, 2006, SEAs and LEAs, when contracting for or purchasing core instructional materials, require publishers to prepare and deliver NIMAS files to the NIMAS.

13. NIMAS
NIMAS Partners:

14. NIMAS Resources
The AFB NIMAS Planning Checklist

15. NIMAS Resources

16. Learn More This Afternoon!
Today’s Afternoon NIMAS Session:
Planning for the future (December, 2006)
State and LEA “Assurances” – What is involved?
What materials are included as “core”?
Why coordinating with the NIMAC is a good idea. (or, if an SEA “opts out” can an LEA still “opt in”?
Which students are eligible for these materials?
Guidelines for state implementation of NIMAS
And more !