The National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC), at the American Printing House for the Blind, is a central repository for National Instructional Materials Access Standards (NIMAS) files. In addition the Center acts as a conduit through which the files are made available to authorized users to convert the files into fully accessible textbooks for students.
The National Center on Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) serves as a resource for stakeholders, including educators, parents, students, publishers, conversion houses, accessible media producers, and others interested in learning more about accessible educational materials. Their services and activities include:
NIMAS refers to the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard. It is a provision of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and was endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education as the preferred approach for publishers to provide accessible curricular materials to students in grades K-12.
AD/HD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention. ADD (Attention-Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) are terms for conditions now included within the diagnosis of AD/HD, which is divided into three subtypes:
Symptoms of inattention include the following:
Some common challenges faced by learners with Dyscalculia, a learning disability that affects performance in mathematics include:
For most of us, reading a web page containing mathematical calculations is simple. As we read, we automatically translate the mathematical expressions into operations and equations. Looking at a formula, we know which operations to perform and in what order. Now imagine, rather than viewing the equation, having it read to you character by character from left to right. Even a simple equation like "One over one plus two plus two" can be interpreted many ways with different results.
A cochlear implant is a small, complex electronic device that can help to provide a sense of sound to a person who is profoundly deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. The implant consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and an internal portion that is surgically placed under the skin. An implant includes the following components:
Recognizing that cost and time often preclude one-by-one signing of even the most widely used instructional materials TERC, a not-for-profit education research and development organization, partnered with Vcom3D, the developer of the SigningAvatar accessibility software, to create the Signing Science Dictionary (SSD).
Technology has become an invaluable tool for many students, including those with learning disabilities such as Dyslexia. However, as explained by Dale Brown in the LD OnLine article Dyslexia and the Challenge of Using Today's Technology, technology also presents new challenges for some students. Problems reported include the following:
The simple answer is no. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, businesses and organizations that serve the public have the right to ask a person who has an animal if it is a service animal. However, since the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not require that service animals be licensed or certified, they may not insist on proof of certification before permitting a service animal to accompany a person with a disability.
