The NIMAC for Transcribers

November 2008

What we’ll cover today …

• An overview of the NIMAC, its purpose and role

• How AMPs work with the NIMAC

• A brief update on NIMAC operations

• Where to go for additional resources & help

What is the NIMAC?

• The NIMAC is the National Instructional Materials Access Center. Created by IDEA 2004, we are a central repository of electronic source files for accessible media production.

• These files can be used to produce student-ready specialized formats, such as Braille and audio, for students in K-12 with qualifying disabilities.

What does the NIMAC do?

• The NIMAC receives and catalogs publishers' electronic files of print instructional materials in the NIMAS format.

• We provide the searchable web interface.

• We work with states to register State Coordinators and Authorized Users.

• We contract with OverDrive, Inc., who provide the database software and off-site storage for the NIMAC.

How does the NIMAC get files?• States and local education agencies direct

publishers to send us files when they contract for new textbook purchases.

• NIMAC is not authorized to require file submission from publishers.

• The NIMAC is also not “retroactive.” Source files needed for books purchased before the NIMAS effective date (July 19, 2006) may need to be requested directly from the publisher.

Which file formats are in the NIMAC?

• The NIMAC contains only NIMAS format.

• No other file formats can be accepted.

• NIMAC does not distribute student-ready accessible versions. As such, we do not work directly with individual students, parents, teachers or schools.

What is a NIMAS file set?

A NIMAS zip file contains:• An XML file of the textual portion of the

book• A folder containing all of the images (in

JPG, PNG or SVG format)• A package file containing metadata and a

list of image files included in the file set• A PDF of the title page/copyright page of

the print book

What does “source file” mean?

• NIMAS file sets are not a “student ready” format.

• A typical textbook may contain thousands of images. The NIMAS standard does not require alt text for images.

• While many devices can read an XML file, value-added work must be done to make a NIMAS file set a fully-accessible version for a print disabled student.

Which Students Are Eligible?IDEA 2004, PART D, SEC. 674. (e)(3)(A) BLIND OR OTHER PERSONS WITH PRINT

DISABILITIES—The term 'blind or other persons with print disabilities' means children served under this Act and who may qualify in accordance with the Act entitled 'An Act to provide books for the adult blind', approved March 3, 1931 (2 U.S.C. 135a; 46 Stat. 1487) to receive books and other publications produced in specialized formats.

• NIMAC does not determine student eligibility. This task belongs to the state.

What types of materials does NIMAC contain?

(3)(C) PRINT INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS—The term 'print instructional materials' means 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 State educational agency or local educational agency for use by students in the classroom.

What materials are not included?

• Excluded from NIMAC are:

– Teacher’s editions

– Material not published in a print edition

– “Advance copy” file sets (printings that are not ready for use in the classroom)

– Higher education materials

NIMAC: Working with States

What’s a State Coordinator?

• A State Coordinator is a state-level representative who “opts into” the NIMAC on behalf of that state.

• The State Coordinator designates and manages the Authorized Users for the state.

NIMAC: Working with StatesWhat is an Authorized User?

• Each State Coordinator names a small number of Authorized Users such as IRCs and schools for the blind.

• These users can directly download files from the NIMAC, and have them converted into student-ready formats like Braille.

• Authorized Users can also assign files to AMPs who are registered with the NIMAC.

AMPS and the NIMAC

• AMP registration with NIMAC is voluntary—AMPs do not have to be “designated” by anyone.

• Any Authorized User can assign files to any registered AMP.

• AMPs only have access to assigned files.

• Authorized Users are also welcome to use AMPs who are not registered with NIMAC.

The AU and the AMP

• Just as in the past, business arrangements for work to be performed happen directly between the AMP and their customer.

• Any and all negotiations between the AU and AMP are outside of the NIMAC, including cost, timeline and other expectations.

For downloading files, we recommend …

1. A high-speed internet connection

2. 512 RAM (minimum)

3. 1GHz processor (minimum)

4. Sufficient storage for large files

How do AMPs register?

1. Fill out the web form at the NIMAC web site. The system will automatically email you the Limitation of Use Agreement when you submit the online form.

2. Sign the LUA and mail it in.

3. NIMAC activates your account.

Once you’ve mailed in your LUA …

• NIMAC activates your account.

• You will receive two automated emails: one contains your user ID and the other your password.

• You are ready to go!

How does an AU assign a file to an AMP?

1. The Authorized User logs in and does a search for the needed title.

2. At the search results screen, the AU clicks on the option, “Assign title to accessible media producer.”

3. The AU selects the desired AMP from an alphabetical list.

4. The AU then chooses the format they want produced.

5. The system sends an email to notify the AMP that the file is in the AMP’s work queue.

Changing your password …

• As a matter of security—and also because the system-generated passwords are impossible to remember!—we recommend that you change your password the first time you log on.

• Just choose Manage Your User Account and type the new password over the existing “dots.”

Download Options

• There are two download options available:

• The “Full” download includes the images folder in the zip file.

• The “XML” download does not include the images.

NIMAC: The Numbers!

• Files Accepted into the NIMAC: 12,183

• Publishers working with NIMAC: 74

• States & Outlying Areas Coordinating: 54

• Authorized Users: 99

• Accessible Media Producers (AMPs): 99

• Unique downloads by AU: 708

• Unique downloads by AMP: 366Statistics as of November 14, 2008

If you experience a technical problem in the portal…

• Please contact the NIMAC at:

nimac@aph.org or 877-526-4622

• If we are unable to resolve the issue, we will refer you to the support team at OverDrive:

nimacsupport@privatereserve.com

Reporting File Problems

Two types of file quality issues that we ask that you please report are:

1. Content problems

2. Tagging or “Best Practices” Issues

File quality matters!

• The NIMAC wants to ensure that the files in the repository are of high quality.

• We also want to assist the NIMAS Technical Assistance Center in compiling “best practices” information which they can share with publishers and vendors who produce NIMAS files.

File quality matters!

• While all files accepted in the NIMAC are required to pass both an automated validation process, and a stringent manual review and quality control process, it is not possible to identify all possible content or coding issues through these processes.

File quality matters!

• To date, the NIMAC and the NIMAS Technical Assistance Center have received very few reports of content or tagging problems in NIMAS file sets.

• Whether a problem should be directed to the NIMAC or to the NIMAS TA Center will depend on the nature of the problem.

Content Issues• We ask that you report content problems

directly to NIMAC at nimac@aph.org.

• Examples:– missing portions of text (not included in either

the XML OR in image files) – missing images– numerous typographical errors– significant portions of text that do not match

the print book with the identical ISBN

Content IssuesPlease email us the following information:

1. Your NIMAC user ID

2. NIMAS Identifier for the file set

3. Title of the book

4. Specific information regarding the problem, including page numbers where problems were found

5. What type of conversion, if any, you have done on the file set

Content Issues

• NIMAC will investigate any reports of content errors and/or forward these to the publisher.

• If the situation warrants, the NIMAC will pull the file from inventory and require the publisher to submit a corrected file set.

Tagging/Best Practices Issues

• “Best practices” issues are tagging or other problems that have an impact on how easily a file can be converted into the accessible format.

• The NIMAS TA Center is involved in developing best practices for NIMAS producers, so feedback on these issues is valuable and important.

Tagging/Best Practices Issues• The NIMAC can also assist in providing

feedback to specific vendors and publishers so they can improve future file sets.

• Examples:

– Page numbers not tagged– Text embedded in images is not also included

in XML– Charts incorrectly tagged as lists

Tagging/Best Practices Issues

• Please report these problems to Chuck Hitchcock at chitchcock@cast.org and copy nimac@aph.org.

• Include the same information as mentioned above for reporting Content problems.

Conversion Software/AT Issues

• The NIMAS TA Center at CAST may also be able to assist if you are experiencing compatibility issues in using conversion software or devices (i.e., problems that may not be related to a problem with the NIMAS file set itself, but rather with the tool).

Conversion Software/AT Issues

• Contact CAST for guidance and support for these issues, or if you are unable to determine whether the problem is with the file set or your conversion tool.

• You may also need to contact the company who produced the device or software and speak with their technical support staff.

Coming soon …

• NIMAC 2.0 is scheduled for release by January 2009!

• This new version of the software will include many new features and enhancements.

NIMAC 2.0• New features will include:

– Search interface improvements (e.g., state edition search)

– “Previously downloaded by” information in the AU brief display

– Publisher contacts list in AU portal

– AMP contacts list in the AU portal

– Mac and non-IE browser compatibility

– Reports functionality

Resources: NIMAS Conversion Tool

• CAST has created a tool that can break the XML in the NIMAS file set into smaller files.

• The tool can be found here: http://nimas.cast.org/about/resources/conversion_tool.html

Resources: Louis and AMP

• Louis will continue to list availability of the specialized formats:

http://www.aph.org/louis.htm

• The Accessible Media Producers Database will continue to provide information on AMPs.

http://www.aph.org/ampdb.htm

Resources: APH File Repository

• The APH File Repository will continue to house non-NIMAS publisher files and embosser-ready Braille files for Braille production only.

• It is separate and distinct from the NIMAC and its mission has not changed. For more information:

http://www.aph.org/louis/reposinf.htm

Resources: Requesting non-NIMAS files

• The AAP also provides contacts for rights and permissions for publishers here:http://www.publisherlookup.org/

Resources: Working in Your State

NIMAS State Contacts can be found here:

http://nimas.cast.org/about/resources/nimas_nimac_contacts.html

How to Reach Us

• http://www.nimac.us (This PowerPoint will be available for download here!)

• 502-899-2230

• 1-877-526-4622 (1-877-52-NIMAC)

• nimac@aph.org