[blindkid] Elementary School iPad Experience

[DrV]

In California, the embossed textbooks & digital files are provided not by
the district or LEA, but rather the State Dept of Ed in Sacramento.

On 1/29/13 11:48 AM, "Brandon and Sarah" <lanesims at gmail.com> wrote:

>This thread suddenly made me wonder, what does it take to get a voice
>on the committee that makes text/e-text purchasing decisions for the
>local district in order to assure that accessibility becomes and
>remains a top priority?
>
>Perhaps naively, I thought that all texts were required to coordinate
>with NIMAC to provide accessible files of the text (NIMAS files) for
>distibution to blind students. I really don't understand what all is
>involved here and maybe I have it wrong...more research needed.
>
>We've just begun to dabble in assistive tech for Emilia (3rd grade)
>with a Brailliant, ipod, and Voiceover. So far, its been a lonely road
>- no support from school staff to speak of yet. I started the year by
>scanning from the inaccessible spelling/grammar workbook. I have
>realized now that simply typing in the text is tedious, but actually
>more efficient for most of the material. This is do-able in 3rd grade,
>but will be less so in higher grades.
>
>If anyone here knows more about NIMAS/NIMAC, please chime in.
>
>Following is a snippet from an FAQ on NIMAC from the following website:
>http://aim.cast.org/learn/policy/federal/nimas_q_and_a#comply
>
>Question A-8: Instructional materials such as textbooks are typically
>acquired through textbook purchasing offices at the SEA or LEA level.
>Are these offices required to comply with NIMAS requirements in their
>purchase of textbooks and other instructional materials?
>
>Answer: If an SEA chooses to coordinate with the NIMAC, the SEA must,
>as part of any print instructional materials adoption process,
>procurement contract, or other practice or instrument used for
>purchase of print instructional materials, enter into a written
>contract with the publisher of the print instructional materials to--
>1) require the publisher to prepare and, on or before delivery of the
>print instructional materials, provide to the NIMAC electronic files
>containing the contents of the print instructional materials using the
>NIMAS; or 2) ³purchase instructional materials from the publisher that
>are produced in or may be rendered in specialized formats.²  (See 34
>CFR §300.172(c) and 300.210(a).) The SEA must ensure that all public
>agencies take all reasonable steps to provide instructional materials
>in accessible formats to children with disabilities who need those
>instructional materials at the same time as other children who receive
>instructional materials (34 CFR §300.172(b)(4)). Therefore, SEAs
>should inform all relevant offices and parties within the State,
>including LEAs, of their obligation to meet the requirements for
>access to instructional materials. For example, SEAs and LEAs should
>communicate these requirements to textbook adoption committees, as
>well as procurement and contracting offices.
>
>
>Brandon Lane
>
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