1. Instructional Materials for Students with Visual Impairments Kirk Behnke M.Ed, ATP Cecilia Robinson M.Ed State Leadership Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired Network

2. Agenda Texas Road Map for Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Eligibility Print Disability Specialized Formats Acquisition of AIM AIM Navigator Resources Comments and Suggestions 2012 Texas Focus2Region 4 ESC

3. The Texas Road Map for Accessible Instructional Materials Developed to help give a visual GPS to help you navigate the way through accessible instructional material acquisition Provides 2 routes: Eligibility and acquisition routes 2012 Texas Focus3Region 4 ESC

4. 2012 Texas Focus4Region 4 ESC

5. Eligibility 1.Blind persons: visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction or visual field no greater than 20° 2.Persons certified by competent authority: even with correction, visual disability is preventing the reading of standard printed materials 2012 Texas Focus5Region 4 ESC

6. Eligibility 3.Persons certified by competent authority: unable to read or use standard printed materials due to physical limitations 4.Persons certified by competent authority: have reading disability resulting from organic dysfunction and of sufficient severity to prevent their reading of printed materials in a normal manner 2012 Texas Focus6Region 4 ESC

7. Print Disability Student /child is not able to use standard print materials Frequently the result of a visual impairment, physical disability or reading disability Meets copyright criteria for specialized formats Federal definition of “Print Disability” www.texasat.net/default.aspx?name=resources.aim2 www.texasat.net/default.aspx?name=resources.aim2 2012 Texas Focus7Region 4 ESC

8. Accessible Instructional Materials Included in IDEA 2004 Requires that core instructional materials be provided in a timely manner in specialized formats when needed by students with disabilities 4 specialized formats: Braille, large print, audio and digital text 2012 Texas Focus8Region 4 ESC

9. Braille Tactile literacy medium used by learners who are blind Uses six dots, presented in various combinations, to represent text, numbers, punctuation, and special signs and symbols Can be accessed using technology such as a PDA (e.g. note-taker) or braille display 2012 Texas Focus9Region 4 ESC

10. Large Print Enlarged copy of regular-print-sized materials Facilitates ease of reading for learners with low vision At least 18 point and larger Readability depends on font type, use of white space and other features (e.g. bold or underline vs. italicized text) APH Print Guidelines for Document Design www.aph.org/edresearch/lpguide.htm 2012 Texas Focus10Region 4 ESC

11. Audio Sound files Does not include text Includes recorded files, usually saved as Wave or MP3 files Files can be accessed using the computer (e.g. Windows Media Player) or portable media players (e.g. iPod, Book Port Plus, VictorReader Stratus) 2012 Texas Focus11Region 4 ESC

12. Digital Text May be referred to as electronic text or E-text Provides visual and auditory supports Available in various formats such as online HTML or EPub Can be accessed using specialized software (e.g. Read Hear™) or hardware (e.g. Apex, VictorReader Stratus, VictorReader Stream) 2012 Texas Focus12Region 4 ESC

13. http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147487109 2012 Texas Focus13Region 4 ESC

14. Authorized Users for Texas Bookshare http://www.benetech.org/abt http://www.benetech.org/abt Learning Ally http://www.learningally.org/texas http://www.learningally.org/texas 2012 Texas Focus14Region 4 ESC

15. Publishers and Others American Printing House for the Blind is also a federally-funded Accessible Media Provider Accessible materials can also be purchased from publishers (e.g. Pearson) and other commercial resources http://aim.cast.org/learn/practice/acquisitiondi stribution/commercial http://aim.cast.org/learn/practice/acquisitiondi stribution/commercial Top 10 questions to ask publishers: http://www.texasat.net/default.aspx?name=resources.aim 2012 Texas Focus15Region 4 ESC

16. Determination of Materials Things to consider: Learner’s needs Recommendations from personnel Availability Implementation and support Parental involvement Environments Technologies 2012 Texas FocusRegion 4 ESC16

17. AIM Navigator Interactive tool to facilitate the process of decision-making of AIM for individual learners Process consists of 4 major decision points: determination of need selection of format(s) acquisition of format(s) selection of supports for use Useful resources provided to help guide the ARD committee http://aim.cast.org/experience/decision-making_tools/aim_navigator 2012 Texas Focus17Region 4 ESC

18. Resources Texas Education Agency Instructional Materials and Educational Technology www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147487109 www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147487109 Texas Assistive Technology Network www.texasat.net State Leadership Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired Network www.esc11.net/Page/1321 TSBVI: Accessible Textbooks Clearinghouse www.tsbvi.edu/resources/1147-accessible-textbooks- clearinghouse 2012 Texas Focus18Region 4 ESC

19. Resources AIM Consortium http://aimconsortium.cast.org/ http://aimconsortium.cast.org/ National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials http://aim.cast.org DAISY Consortium www.daisy.org Louis Plus from American Printing House for the Blind www.aph.org 2012 Texas Focus19Region 4 ESC

20. Resources National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped www.loc.gov/nls/ Learning Ally: Learning and Listening www.learningally.org/Educators/28/ American Foundation for the Blind: Family Connect® -- Education www.familyconnect.org/parentsitehome.asp?SectionID=72 www.familyconnect.org/parentsitehome.asp?SectionID=72 2012 Texas Focus20Region 4 ESC

21. Comments/Suggestions How can we help you? 2012 Texas Focus21Region 4 ESC

22. Contact Us at Region 4 Kirk Behnke kbehnke@esc4.netkbehnke@esc4.net 713.744.6559 Cecilia Robinson crobinson@esc4.netcrobinson@esc4.net 713.744.6379 2012 Texas Focus22Region 4 ESC