A. AIM, Accessible Instructional Materials
- AIM is specialized formats of textbooks and curricular content for use by students who have print disabilities due to visual, physical or learning differences. Formats are Braille, Large Print, Audio and Digital text.
- For students currently using Large Print, teams should consider introducing Digital Text. Fonts can be greatly enlarged; text and background colors can be manipulated to make it easier to read. Text-to-speech can be turned off for students who don't need the book read to them.
2. Who needs AIM?
- Print disability- student has trouble reading/understanding standard printed text can be blindness, low or no vision; motor/physical disability making it difficult to hold book, turn pages or maintain eye focus; or specific learning disability, keeping student from comprehending text- don't see it right or can't stay focused.
- Eligibility for books from the NIMAC (National Instructional Materials Access Center) a “competent authority” must certify. For visual or physical disability, this means MD, D. of Osteopathy, Ophthalmologists, optometrists, registered nurses, therapists, professional staff of hospitals, institutions, and public or welfare agencies.
- Print disability due to learning disability must be certified by MD who may consult with colleagues in associated disciplines. IEP or Transition Team should write up recommendation of print disability certification to give to doctor.
3. What format is needed?
- Blind- braille, braille ready format (brf), digital text or audio
- Low vision- large print, digital text or audio (braille or brf if they can read it.)
- Physical disability- digital text or audio
- Learning disability- digital text or audio
- Best source for Digital Format is Bookshare. We are an authorized user of NIMAC and an Accessible Media Producer (AMP) so we can also get books and convert, but Bookshare is doing it on a more regular, large scale basis and can do it more quickly.
- For Braille and Large Print, we recommend Liberty Braille.
- For Audio Format, we recommend Learning Ally. LA's has individual and organizational memberships, schools can get textbooks, or students can get their own. ABLE Tech is in the process of getting an organizational membership and can get materials on behalf of students if necessary.
B. Assistive Technology Devices and Services
ABLE Tech loans AT for up to 6 weeks, up to 3 devices at a time. Trial program allows individuals to try a variety of technology ideas to compare features and benefits so they can make an informed choice. ABLE Tech has devices for many disability categories, low tech to high tech.
1. Specialized devices
- Refreshable braille displays (read braille ready format), scanner/text-to-speech devices, Audio players, such as Victor reader stream, DAISY players such as Classmate Reader, magnification devices.
- Specialized devices will play books and not do much else. They are generally well constructed and rugged.
- Students can use either a pc/mac or laptop in combination with a DAISY reader software application. Can be viable option, especially if student already has access to hardware.
- iPads and other tablet computers are more portable and versatile. iPad can be loaded with multiple textbooks, multiple apps. Games can be used as built-in rewards system. Device can grow with student.
4. DAISY Reader Applications
- There are a number of free and low cost DAISY readers on the market. Natural Reader is one that has been getting good reviews. Read:OutLoud Bookshare Edition can be downloaded free on the Bookshare website. Read2Go is the iPad version of Read:OutLoud and it is $19.99 in the app store.
- These generally just read the books and have bookmarking and customizable voices, colors and fonts.
5. Literacy Suites, Literacy Suites combine book reading features with note taking, research and writing features. They cost about $750 and up.
- Beneficial for students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia and aphasia. (Also for ELL)
- Common Products: Solo 6, Read & Write Gold and Kurzweil are some of the most popular literacy suites on the market.
- Reading Features
- Read DAISY/NIMAS Books Read text aloud Highlight words, sentences Add bookmarks Customizable fonts, colors, backgrounds Work with multiple document file types Read text in web pages
- Reads digital textbooks and books aloud. Can also save the digital textbook as mp3 to save to a phone, mp3 player, iPod, iPhone.
- Writing Features
- Speak as you type Dictionary Thesaurus Spell Checker Homonym/homophone checker Word Prediction Outlining and Report Organization
- Funding for AT should be considered on case by case basis. Under IDEA, schools are responsible to purchase AT if the need is documented in the student’s IEP. As student nears end of high school, the transition team should consider whether AT is needed for employment goals. If so, DRS can consider purchasing.
The Oklahoma Secondary Transition Planning Folder contains services and contact information for Elementary, Middle School/Jr. High School, and High School. The Oklahoma Rehabilitation Council and DRS have copies of the folder or view online at http://www.ok.gov/orc/Transition_Folder_2012.html or http://www.ok.gov/abletech/AIM/
Oklahoma ABLE Tech, Assistive Technology, Accessible Instructional Materials. http://www.ok.gov/abletech/AIM/
Bookshare, free books in digital, synthetic audio and braille ready format www.bookshare.org
National Instructional Materials Access Center, repository for textbooks files available to students with certified print disability. www.nimac.us
National AIM Center, resource for information regarding accessible instructional materials. www.aim.cast.org
Learning Ally, books recorded with human voice available to individuals with print disability. www.learningally.org
Oklahoma Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, AIM Center, repository of instructional materials in braille and large print. www.library.okstate.us
Liberty Braille, instructional materials in braille and large print. www.libertybraille.com