[blparent] Bookshare and NIMAC

Sat Feb 21 02:32:50 UTC 2015

I contacted Bookshare regarding access to the NIMAC books by blind parents
who are homeschooling, or blind parents with kids in traditional schools.
Below is the response I received.  Based on this information, Bookshare does
not have the ability to change the rules about NIMAC access, as the
restrictions are established by IDEA 2004 and the Chafee Amendment regarding
copyrighted materials.  To gain access for blind parents, we would have to
dig much deeper.  

Hi Deborah,

Thanks for contacting Bookshare! NIMAC-sourced books are digital K-12
textbooks produced from publisher files deposited in the National
Instructional Materials Accessibility Center (NIMAC), a national repository.
Bookshare converts these books from the NIMAS format (National Instructional
Materials Accessibility Standard) to student-ready formats before placing
them in the Bookshare library.

Access to these books is different than other Bookshare media because of the
terms of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) that
established the NIMAC. As a result, these books are subject to the terms of
the NIMAC's Limitation of Use Agreement
(http://www.nimac.us/2009_Jan_LUA.doc
<http://email.bookshare.org/wf/click?upn=Y7dXPF3Vpz0EzxaNc5H90qC1q8mUrqLWG6s
sw7PHil-2FcY0pczXolAVY35WdRdX2R_RIarz8S8evosp48h4XiYBwqaIiRxqnkolTewJRqf4KFm
3c1HXtGEIdtZDYgi7Dk4PKsryvnjDbuuwAbcD9Ca3A1dK9wdlzKP15lZd-2F0zPgbCQC4YzmHnGd
FbRsqeMPXbeEOd-2FG0rjs4eDeTMmqaOYoZGQe1DOk1VRQP2QsrgKsAhV0EuSZAUUlR-2BVP7Hy9
FkRe7zxupy0LuFzCX3MBres11IrHlagv5CjAQHA1GZkfo-3D> ).

There are two key points to remember about accessing Bookshare's
NIMAC-sourced books:

They are only available for U.S. K-12 students with print disabilities as
defined in the Chafee Amendment to copyright law, AND who have an
Individualized Education Plan (IEP) issued by a public education agency.

Only teachers and staff members of U.S. K-12 education agencies can download
these books for their qualifying students. To ensure that Bookshare complies
with the above limitations, students, parents, transcribers, and non-student
Members cannot download these books. However, if the school or students
aren't able to access those titles you can submit a book request for us to
possibly procure the book as an alternative to the NIMAC file:
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/help-center/request-book
<http://email.bookshare.org/wf/click?upn=xM7w1UDRWKNmdfg08w8rKp-2FAdTzjrJGvN
UOv3xvHYgQemgb0vAX-2BGcyVo-2BN-2BOtlhlGl0PutemCH3GoxZuIg9Mw-3D-3D_RIarz8S8ev
osp48h4XiYBwqaIiRxqnkolTewJRqf4KFm3c1HXtGEIdtZDYgi7Dk4PKsryvnjDbuuwAbcD9Ca3G
TrYv4bG-2FUyWoTNDrk8yyD0JiOZrTfz4bZ0P2RfSpYaEqVZt5WIdDie1kUfHPJIpTR-2FtWfF1s
boJEisvuFMPkhZxC7M5GRa3B4-2BUxOz2sGrcJgexJtQWeKlk4JeLqeU5oBNYPqMWRXVMnDxROrS
47Q-3D> 

Kind Regards,

Jerri Weber Bookshare Membership Team

www.bookshare.org <http://www.bookshare.org>
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/help-center/search/nimac
<http://email.bookshare.org/wf/click?upn=xM7w1UDRWKNmdfg08w8rKp-2FAdTzjrJGvN
UOv3xvHYgQemgb0vAX-2BGcyVo-2BN-2BOtlhOEp7CZHvFriNHXXY33vNuA-3D-3D_RIarz8S8ev
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xQTqCDqau2QTfNkhZ2bEhVvlTLvt1N66IILHFOzQSizIzaAy15a38GiqxaNAgPPUHHZ6BBOHpcs-
3D> 

https://www.bookshare.org/cms/help-center
<http://email.bookshare.org/wf/click?upn=xM7w1UDRWKNmdfg08w8rKp-2FAdTzjrJGvN
UOv3xvHYgTA2Qyokca01FGQ-2FyGDlxB1_RIarz8S8evosp48h4XiYBwqaIiRxqnkolTewJRqf4K
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lEm3SXUzMwci4XeNmpTBEIlaC4Tu9D99ur0K3OJdzG5iPWZpyy3oxmODp5S6mpSUQ-2FEaeeDBVM
W0xRMxQPQymDNqcsDqXG7n0tq-2BHxr2jkImLyR-2Fktefh2E-3D>
https://www.bookshare.org/cms/help-center/user-feedback
<http://email.bookshare.org/wf/click?upn=xM7w1UDRWKNmdfg08w8rKp-2FAdTzjrJGvN
UOv3xvHYgQemgb0vAX-2BGcyVo-2BN-2BOtlhY9k-2FYeR8KSUtLybDiWlFxw-3D-3D_RIarz8S8
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3E7y22LL7x-2Fcs48meQ7WXweRR0bK24lctngf9GSTeNDsiUkAMqHqT2cZymShg453gAGxmPIGtJ
cT3zk-3D>  ------------------------------ Your Original Inquiry: Case
00274666 Information: dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net
<mailto:dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net> 

I chair the Blind Parents Group of the National Federation of the Blind. A
number of parents have raised the question about access to the NIMAC titles
in Bookshare. These books would be valuable to blind parents who are
homeschooling sighted children, or blind parents whose children attend
traditional schools that use NIMAC textbooks. As far as I know, the NIMAC
books are only available to certified teachers or blind students. Is it
possible for blind parents to gain access to these materials? Thank you for
your help!

Deborah Kent Stein dkent5817 at att.net <mailto:dkent5817 at att.net>
773-203-1394

ref:_00D407KKe._50040kIimw:ref

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