How the AIM Consortium is Contributing the Implementation of NIMAS and Beyond

May 5, 2008

The AIM ConsortiumWorking Together at Two Levels

State and Local Systems - Student IEP Teams

Three Goals of the AIM Consortium

1. Facilitate the development of State systems for increasing

the awareness and timely provision of A.I.M. via

NIMAS/NIMAC for qualifying students and other means for

non-qualifying students.

2. Employ high quality procedures and practices for the

identification, acquisition, and use of A.I.M.

3. Produce scalable products and services available to all

States, OAs, and FAS

Highlights of Central Services Activities & Products

• Steering Committee Teleconferences

• Quality Panel

• Quality Indicators for the Provision of A.I.M.

• A.I.M. and AIM Web site

• Internal and External Evaluation Tools

• Graduate Level A.I.M. Course

• Presentations with Slides & Notes for Targeted Groups

• Coordination of Category Three Activities

Sample State Activities and Products

• Advisory Boards

• System Definition

• Legislative Action

• Awareness Presentations

• Training Cadres

• State Conferences

• Collaborative Concerns Identification and Solution-Seeking

• Updated websites

• Awareness brochures

• Decision-making guides

Checklists

• Device demonstrations

• DVDs

• and Fact Sheets

• Flowcharts and FAQs Docs

Best Practices Activities & Products Under Development

• A.I.M. DVD Training and Technical Assistance Series

• A.I.M. Decision-Making Guidelines and Tools Development

• Reader, Content & Conversion (RCC) & AIM Software Project

• User’s Guide to Copyright Exempt Repositories

• AIM Online Course II: Preparing A.I.M. for Students with Print

Disabilities

• Evaluating the Effectiveness of A.I.M. use

• A.I.M. Resource Guide

Key questions to guide Decision-making about Accessible Instructional Materials

• Does this STUDENT need instructional materials in specialized formats to access the curriculum and receive a free, appropriate, public education?

• In which ENVIRONMENTS will specialized materials be used?

• For which TASKS will the student require materials in which specialized format?

• What TOOLS will the student and others need?•Formats? Teaching? Technology? Training? Accommodations? Modifications?

•

Continuing Challenges

• Complexity of legal and practical issues, specifically related to definition of “print disability” and eligibility interpretations

• interpretations of eligibility and State bureaucracy slowdowns• Current availability of A.I.M. for students who are not NIMAC-

eligible (copyright exempt)

• Development issues related to NIMAS file sets• Vendors of Braille translation, etc need access to NIMAS files.

Exceptions are causing difficulties • Need additional category of access for developers and

troubleshooters• Multiple certifications of eligibility impact timely manner

“It is not enough to stare up the steps…We must step up the stairs”

Vaclav Havel