Accessible Instructional Materials:
What do they have to do with ME?

Provisions within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 require that specialized formats of
textbooks and related core instructional materials be provided to students with print disabilities in a timely manner. Although is it logical that all students need access to instructional materials in order to reach expected outcomes, the mandate that these materials be provided in accessible formats is raising many questions for state and local education agencies and for families. Frequently heard questions include… What are core instructional
materials? What are specialized formats? What are print disabilities? Which students have print disabilities? Where can we get these specialized formats? Can all students get materials from all sources? What else is needed so that students can use the materials effectively? And, perhaps most confounding, I’m only the “Fill in the Blank”…What does all this have to do with me? In this session, Joy will lead participants through an exploration of these questions built around the information gained, lessons learned and products being developed through the work of the AIM Consortium, the
NIMAS Centers, and other states who are making strong progress toward the provision of instructional
materials in accessible formats. Highlights will include: 

h Steps in a process for identifying students with print disabilities and selecting specialized formats that
meet their individual needs;
hDiscussion of tools and other supports needed for students to use specialized formats well; 
h Exploration of the critical roles that team members play in implementing this mandate; 
h State initiatives that demonstrate a variety of ways to address the provision of accessible materials; and,
hSteps for getting accessible instructional materials into the hands of Oregon students who need them.

Download PDF of Accessible Instructional Materials: What do they have to do with ME?

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Read:OutLoud & Bookshare.org webinar 

December 16, 2008 10:00 –11:00 AM PST

Don Johnston has partnered with Bookshare.org to provide FREE text to speech access to thousands of online educational materials for students with print disabilities. Beginning this fall, many students with a print disability will have free access to Don Johnston’s Read: Out-Loud text reader included with NIMAS electronic textbooks from Bookshare. Learn about the key features of Don Johnston's text reader, Read:OutLoud , ensuring that all of your students receiving special education services have access to accessible instructional materials required under IDEA 2004. See how quickly and easily students can have access to a vast array of content AND built-in comprehension supports.

Presenter: Jason Burke, Don Johnston Inc. Jason Burke is an Educational Support Specialist at Don Johnston Incorporated. He conducts state and national presentations and trainings at all levels of educational organizations and conferences.

To register contact: Jason Burke: jburke@donjohnston.com 800.999.4660 ext 515
Heidi Diskin: hdiskin@donjohnston.com 800.999.4660 ext 564

Download PDF Read:OutLoud & Bookshare.org webinar