Oklahoma ABLE Tech 
Accessible Instructional Materials and Assistive Technology 

Assisting Oklahoma's elementary and secondary schools in providing accessible instructional materials for students with print disabilities.

How can I learn more about Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) and assistive technology in Oklahoma?

What are Accessible Instructional Materials?
AIM is a specialized format of curricular content that can be used by and with learners with a print disability. They include formats such as:

• Braille  
• Audio 
• Large print
• Digital text

Who are Accessible Instructional Materials for?
AIM is for students with sensory, physical, cognitive and learning differences that have difficulty accessing printed materials. Students with print disabilities can include students who have: 

• low vision or are blind, 
• a reading disability such as dyslexia, 
• a physical limitation such as cerebral palsy

Did you know? It’s the law...
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) requires that states and school districts provide accessible versions of instructional materials to students with disabilities in a timely manner, typically at the same time as their peers. For those students who need them, receiving accessible instructional materials in a timely manner is essential for them to receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

What is NIMAS?
The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) is a provision listed in the IDEA 2004. NIMAS is a uniform electronic format for textbooks and related materials from which accessible formats can easily be made. 

What is the NIMAC?
The National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) receives source files in NIMAS format from textbook publishers and makes these files available for download to Authorized Users in the United States through an online database. The public can freely search the NIMAC to find the textbooks they need.  

What will be required of state and local education agencies? 
In addition to ensuring that all students with print disabilities receive appropriate accessible versions of core curriculum materials in a timely manner, state education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) will play an important role in obligating publishers to submit essential source materials to the NIMAC. This will be accomplished by contract or by including appropriate language in purchase orders that require publishers to submit NIMAS-conformant files to the NIMAC, or provide assurances that they have already done so, for a specific title and version that is to be purchased. A sample statement that could be included in a contract or purchase order follows:

How do I request a NIMAS file?
Contact one of the following Authorized Users to request the NIMAS file you need:

1. Oklahoma ABLE Tech AIM and Assistive Technology Center 800.257.1705. Complete and sign the Oklahoma AIM Student Information Form and return to ABLE Tech. If you are interested in requesting a textbook, download and submit the Textbook Request Form. Fax 405-744-2487.
2. Department of Rehabilitation Services AIM Center 405.522.0523
3. Oklahoma School for the Blind for in-house students. 877.229.7136
4. Bookshare: digital text used with text-to-speech software or braille display devices. No cost when registered for K-12 textbooks. www.bookshare.org
5. Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic: audiobooks (CDs and downloadable books). www.rfbd.org

Assistive Technology and AIM
Students may need the additional support of an assistive technology (AT) device in order to access their instructional materials. Examples include, refreshable Braille display devices, a computer with screen reading software or literacy software to read text aloud, a book holder, an MP3 player with audio files, a portable reading device, or screen magnification software.

ABLE Tech Loan Library - Search our AIM assistive technology

Try our short-term loan program. Devices and software are available for 6-week loans. We pay shipping to and from. 

How Do Oklahoma Schools Provide AIM?
When schools order textbooks in April, they also should order materials in the appropriate accessible format for students whom they know will attend the following year. To expedite the acquisition of alternate formats, the school may directly contact one of Oklahoma’s authorized users (AUs) to specify what is needed (see above list of AUs). The State Department of Education also maintains a list of AUs who can provide these services.

Who can I contact for more information?
Oklahoma State Department of Education
2500 North Lincoln Boulevard Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105-4599
(405) 521-3301 Web: sde.state.ok.us/ 

Oklahoma ABLE Tech
OSU Seretean Wellness Center
1514 W. Hall of Fame
Stillwater, OK 74078
1-800-257-1705 or 405-744-9748
http://www.ok.gov/abletech/Our_Programs/NIMAS.html

National Center on AIM at CAST
40 Harvard Mills Square, Suite 3
Wakefield, MA 01880-3233
Telephone: (781) 245-2212 TTY: (781) 245-9320
Web: aim.cast.org