NIMAS Development and Technical Assistance Centers Partner American Foundation for the Blind Accompl

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NIMAS Development and Technical Assistance
Centers Partner American Foundation for the
Blind Accomplishments
Mary Ann Siller
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American Foundation for the Blind

• AFB is a national nonprofit organization, formed
  in 1921, whose mission is to expand possibilities
  for people with vision loss.

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AFB NIMAS Centers Partnership

• Build capacity for the blindness field community
  to be part of the solution
• Develop and support state implementation
  strategies for access to instructional materials
  for students who are blind or visually impaired
• Provide technical assistance
• Gain feedback and input to the NIMAS
• The AFB Solutions Forum
• formed in 1998 and is a national collaborative
  effort to ensure equal access to textbooks and
  instructional materials for students who are
  blind or visually impaired
• AFBs organizational partners
• 51 leading national organizations and
  associations in textbook publishing education
  literacy access technology production of
  Braille, large-print, and recorded textbooks and
  services for the blind and visually impaired

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Accomplishments

• Developed a self-evaluation checklist to assist
  in statewide planning for NIMAS implementation
• Organized an advisory committee to provide input
  and momentum for the use of NIMAS files in the
  production of materials
• Designed and held technical assistance seminars
  to states as they comply with IDEA and begin
  working to make NIMAS an effective standard.
  Seven Braille software training seminars have
  been offered in 20072008
• Conducted a national survey in 2008 to states
  about NIMAS implementation planning
• Held two webinar trainings in 2008 State
  planning and IEP Programming

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NIMAS TA Workshops Initiated

• AFB offered technical assistance seminars to
  states as they comply with IDEA and begin working
  to help make NIMAS an effective standard
• Seven seminars for Braille transcribes have been
  offered in 2007/2008 school year that focused on
  Braille software translation training with NIMAS
• Partners CTEVH, FlMC, NBA, Duxbury, Inc., CASC,
  Pearson, MITS, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and
  Susan Christensen
• 225 people in 20072008
• 150 additional people in the Fall of 2008
• 42 states have been represented

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NIMAS Webinars Initiated

• AFB webinars archived at www.afb.org/nimas.asp
• SEA and LEA Critical Practices
• Key Responsibilities
• State Planning
• Local Educational Agencies Planning
• State Response Systems to NIMAS
• Key Considerations for Classroom Integration of
  Specialized Formats

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NIMAS Webinars Initiated (cont)

• Archived at www.afb.org/nimas.asp
• Critical Practices at the State and LEA level
• IndianaVicki Hershman
• FloridaSuzanne Dalton
• Key Considerations for Classroom Programming
• PATTANS/IndianaVicki Hershman
• CASTJoy Zabala
• Future Topicssend topics to siller_at_afb.net
• Key Considerations for Parents
• How to Steps
• Instructional Resource Centers for the Blind and
  VI

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AFB Survey to States (JanuaryMarch 2008)

• 15 states
• Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana,
  Massachusetts, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon,
  Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont,
  Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
• A few AIM states and states who were more likely
  to have begun planning for NIMAS implementation
  and had experience in use of electronic files in
  production of instructional materials

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Preliminary Findings to Winter 2008 Survey

• Use of electronic files were still low
• 87.5 of Braille made from print copies
• 77.5 of requests filled on time
• 100 of large print made from print copies
• 92 of requests filled on time
• At that time (in Winter/2008) some had started to
  work with the NIMAC to download files, but there
  was a lot of hesitancy in knowing what to do next
• Plans varied widely from nothing to well-defined
  structures already in place
• CAST web site is by far the most used and most
  useful for up-to-date resources

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Barriers to using NIMAS filesets

• Timeliness of file availability 23
• Technology needed, training 23
• How to use the files, expertise, training 24
• Codes 6
• Signing the agreement 12
• Open Territory issues 12

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Next Steps

• Webinar seminars
• Parents and SEA and LEA personnel concerning
• implementation of NIMAS
• Advance the partnership with CAST and ATIA
• Support training platform at future ATIA
  conference
• Braille transcribers
• Teachers to discuss IEP programming and the link
  with educational technology
• Develop informative webinars
• Support the NBA speakers bureau to offer
  additional skilled trainers of NIMAS with NIMPRO
  and Braille2000 for schools and states to
  access.
• With funding conduct a second survey in 2009 and
  define next steps with CAST, NIMAC, ATIA, and
  NASDSE
• Support further understanding of effective and
  efficient way to use NIMAS images for tactile
  graphics

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Next Steps

• Teachers need opportunities to know about
  adaptive equipment options that would work with
  e-files for NIMAS
• More state/LEA models are drastically needed that
  have been tried and evaluated and hold promise
  (tracking students equipment, IEP planning, and
  timely manner)

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Issues

• Lack of expertise in the use of image files for
  tactile graphicshigh probability for duplication
  of effort
• States and LEAs report limited use and expertise
  of using NIMAS files from the NIMAC with braille
  software to produce braille books and
  instructional materials
• Growing percent of blind or VI students are being
  put in 504 plans versus IDEA

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Issues

• Feedback loop is needed among AMPs working with
  NIMAS files, vendors, and NIMAC (Nicole has
  offered input)
• Braille Transcriber Software Developers need
  more NIMAS files from publishers to continue
  updating software
• Quality of NIMAS files
• Recognize that a high percent of instructional
  materials produced for braille readers are not
  being produced by certified or trained braille
  transcribers, but by non-skilled staff