National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) refers to a collection of consistent and valid XML-based source files created by K-12 curriculum publishers. From these well structured source files, accessible, student-ready alternate-format versions of textbooks and core materials (e.g., braille, e-text, Digital Talking Book, etc.) can subsequently be created and distributed to qualified students with disabilities. NIMAS files are not student ready versions. IDEA 2004, P.L. 108-446, establishes the NIMAS as a national standard and requires states and local districts to adopt the NIMAS for providing textbooks and instructional materials to students who are blind or print disabled.

The National Instructional Materials Accessible Center (NIMAC) is a central national repository established at the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) to store and to maintain NIMAS file sets. It features an automated system for allowing publishers to deposit NIMAS-conformant files within the repository. Files are checked to confirm that they are valid NIMAS-conformant files and then catalogued in a web-based database. Those who have been authorized for access have user identifications and passwords. These authorized users may search the NIMAC database and directly download the files(s) they need to convert into accessible instructional materials for those students who are in elementary and secondary schools and have qualifying disabilities.

TBA

Promoting Achievement through Technology and Instruction for all Students (PATINS) and the Indiana Educational Resource Center (IERC) under the direction of the Indiana Center for Exceptional Learners coordinate the Indiana Center for Accessible Materials (ICAM). Coordinating agencies are those state and local agencies that have chosen to coordinate with the NIMAC by directing publishers to provide NIMAS-conformant files to the NIMAC.

Article 7 defines a “student with a print disability” as students served under this article who may qualify to receive books and other publications produced in specialized formats in accordance with U.S.C. 135a. This includes students with visual, perceptual, or other physical limitations.

A competent authority is a recognized expert who attests to the physical basis of the visual, perceptual, or other physical disability that limits the student’s use of standard print, in accordance with policies and procedures established by the department of education.

The statement would uphold the findings that the person with print disability is qualifying for services meeting the state and federal guidelines for qualification of services.

Accessible formats for the exclusive use of blind and/or other persons with disabilities are braille, large print, audio or digital textbook files. The NIMAC will deliver the XML file; and it will be the authorized user’s responsibility to transfer the file to the appropriate digital or audio format. For more information regarding Indiana’s special education regulations promulgated in Article 7, please refer to http://www.doe.state.in.us/exceptional/speced/pub_article7_2002.html

This standard defines the format and content of an electronic file set that comprises a digital talking book (DTB) and establishes a limited set of requirement for the DTB playback devices. It uses established and new specifications to delineate the structure of DTBs whose content can range from XML text only, to text with corresponding spoken audio, to audio with little or no text. DTBs are designed to make print materials accessible and navigable for blind or other wise print disabled persons. The ANSI/NISO Z39.86 standard is also known as "DAISY 3"

IDEA 2004 indicated that the term "print instructional materials" include printed textbooks and related printed core materials that are written and published primarily for use in elementary school and secondary school instruction and are required by a SEA or LEA for use by students in a classroom. Some of those print materials might be large print textbooks, Braille, digital and audio instructional materials. Enlarging paper and other tangible items are available to the student through the IERC. Tangible materials are those available on the quota list for the visually impaired students. Any and all materials will be provided at no cost to qualifying students.

Please also refer to http://baby.indstate.edu/iseas/art71.html for additional guidance from Indiana's Article 7.

A Digital Talking Book is envisioned to be, in its fullest implementation, a group of digitally encoded files containing an audio portion recorded in human speech; the full text of the work in electronic form, marked with the tags of descriptive mark up language; and a linking file that synchronizes text and audio portions. In a digital talking book, a reader has random access to book sections via a table of contents. The digitization of books intended for persons with disabilities provide opportunities to increase the quality and availability of information to print disabled persons.

A package file describes a publication. It identifies all other files in the publication and provides descriptive and access information about them. A NIMAS-conformant file set must include a conforming package file using the file extension OPF.

Information Rights Management systems are authorizing technologies implemented by rights holders and/or publishers to limit the distribution and use of proprietary content. Examples of IRM systems are---encryption (securing content as a locked file requiring a hardware or software-based "key" for unlocking), watermarking (the imprinting of identifying information on digital files), fingerprinting (the association of specific user data with a particular file or collection of files). IRM systems can employ one or all these approaches.

A Digital Rights Manager (DRM) is a staff member, designated by the superintendent or their appointee, responsible for requesting, receiving, disseminating and tracking the usage of copyrighted accessible materials for students qualified with print disabilities. The DRM will register electronically with ICAM and sign a Limited Use Agreement Form (indemnity contract) assuring the district will adhere to the terms of IDEIA and current copyright laws with regards to the files received from the ICAM.

Accessible media producers (AMPs) provide braille, audio, digital text, or large print formats of print instructional materials exclusively for use by blind or other persons with print disabilities. Accessible media producers are eligible to download files directly from the NIMAC as agents of authorized users.

According to Article 7, "Timely Manner" means that a public agency will take all reasonable steps to ensure that students who need print instructional materials in specialized formats are provided those materials at the same time as other students receive instructional materials .

Reasonable Steps:
1. Include but are not limited to: (A) Requiring publishers or others to, at minimum, provide the NIMAC with electronic files containing the content of the print instructional using the NIMAS. Such files must be provided to the NIMAC with sufficient time, according to policies and procedures established by the department of education, to ensure that students requiring specialized formats receive the instructional materials at the same time as other students receive the instructional materials. (B) having a means of acquiring print instructional materials in specialized formats according to policies and procedures established by the department of education, including for students who transfer in the public agency after the start of the school year.
2. Would not include withholding print instructional materials from other students until print instructional materials in specialized formats are available.

An authorized user is an agent of an agent of a coordinating agency with access to the NIMAC database who may download NIMAS-conformant files in accordance with established agreements. The authorized users for the state of Indiana are two people. They are the state director of the PATINS Project and the Director of the IERC. They will manage the development of ICAM and the website(s). They are part of the Accessible Learning Materials Coordinating Council. It is the responsibility of the PATINS State Director to monitor and manage the Regional Site in Jasper. All activities of the ICAM and the authorized users is in accordance to the standards set forth by the IDOE.

The file will be made unintelligible or unreadable to an unauthorized party wanting to access the file when being sent to the DRM

The ICAM will declare an expiration date for accessible materials being sent out. The date of expiration will be determined by the specified time of duration needed. The DRM will be notified of the expiration date when requests are being filled.