NIMAS/NIMAC
Accessible Materials Process For Responsible Public Agencies
January, 2007
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 requires states to address the critical difficulty in obtaining accessible textbooks for students with disabilities by adopting a new file format, the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). This same legislation offers a means to assist states in this responsibility by establishing a national repository to collect and store these files and make them available to states. This repository is the National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), and it is being established at the American Printing House for the Blind, Inc. (APH) with support from the U.S. Department of Education.
NIMAS file sets are supplied by the text book publisher to the NIMAC for textbooks published after July 19, 2006 if specified by districts when purchasing textbooks. NIMAS file sets are not student ready. The files need to be converted to a student ready format. In general there are two conversion paths; hard copy print format for visually impaired (VI) students (such as Braille or large print), or into digital files for use as audio files or for computer display.
As of December 4, 2006, all states were required to have a process by which agencies can access print materials in a timely manner for qualified students with visual impairments. Listed below is the process that all responsible public agencies in Missouri should follow to obtain these materials. For more information about NIMAS/NIMAC, go to the Division of Special Education website at http://dese.mo.gov/divspeced/EffectivePractices/NIMAS_ACpage.html or contact Heike Imler, Interim Assistant Director, Effective Practices, via phone at 573-751-0601 or e-mail at heike.imler@dese.mo.gov.\
Process for obtaining accessible materials for students who are Visually Impaired and need Braille and Large Print (hard copy alternative formats)-----Contact MO School for the Blind (MSB).
1. LEA with blind or low vision student should contact MSB with specific request for Braille or large print (LP) materials.
2. MSB will check student’s APH eligibility and will investigate repository for existing Braille or LP materials, Braille Ready Files (BRF), or other options for obtaining needed Braille or large print hard copy materials.
3. MSB will provide LEA with information regarding what is available which might include:
- Obtaining existing Braille or LP hard copy in student ready form, or
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Obtaining BRF to use with embosser to produce Braille hard copy,
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Utilizing APH or other accessible media producers (AMP) to produce Braille or large print provided enough lead time is available. (An authorized AMP will be able to access the NIMAS file set if available for that text to assist in Braille or LP production).
4. If none of the above are options for the LEA, refer to Missouri Assistive Technology (MoAT) for other alternatives.
Process for obtaining accessible materials for qualified students who have any kind of print disability (visual, physical or learning) and need e-text (to use with assistive technology to obtain alternative formats) and/or hard copy alternative format (not available from existing sources)-----Contact MO Assistive Technology (MoAt). MoAt is Missouri's officially designated "Authorized User (AU)".
1. LEA contacts MoAT with request for e-text to be used with assistive technology to produce audio output, refreshable Braille, enlarged text, and other digital output options or to be used to self-produce alternative format hard copy materials.
2. MoAT will ask LEA for assurance of student’s eligibility to use NIMAS file set (meets NLS criteria) and will have LEA sign some form of limitation of use agreement to obtain NIMAS file set and interface software from MoAT. (MoAT will pursue volume purchase of interface software to be provided to LEAs via cost recovery.) MoAT will ask LEA for --
- assurance of student’s eligibility to use NIMAS file set (meets NLS criteria) and limitation of use agreement ensuring appropriate use of file set,
- affirmation of agreement to coordinate with NIMAC (if didn’t opt in originally can revise assurance to do so), and
- copy of agreement language used in textbook purchasing.
3. If a NIMAS files set is available via NIMAC, MoAT will download file set and provide to the LEA --
- Along with interface software that will allow a student to convert the file set into the needed alternative format(s) including text-to-speech audio, electronically enlarged display text, refreshable Braille and other alternative output options, or
- As a source file for the LEA to produce hard copy alternative format materials, e.g. create a Braille ready file and send to an embosser.
4. If no NIMAS file set is available, MoAT will provide information about AT alternatives that might meet student print access needs such as
- electronic enlarging devices (e.g. CCTV’s) – use hard copy print
scanning text and using enlarging software (e.g. ZoomText, MAGic) or producing hard copy large print - scanning text and using screen reading software (e.g. JAWS, Window Eyes)
- scanning text and sending to refreshable Braille display or embosser
314-773-4320 Ext. 256
Fax: 314-772-1561
email address: yali@msb.k12.mo.usMissouri School for the Blind
3815 Magnolia Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
For digital files for Missouri students contact:
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800-647-8557 (voice, toll-free in Missouri)
800-647-8558 (tty, toll-free in Missouri)
email address: www.at.mo.gov
Specific needs for digital files: Individual person contact --
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816-350-5282
email address: roselieb@swbell.net
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General Information About NIMAS
General Information About NIMAC