ELECTRONIC FILES

1. Clearinghouse for Specialized Media & Translations (CSMT)StandardsCurriculum Frameworks & Instructional Resources DivisionCurriculum, Learning, & Accountability BranchCalifornia Department of Education ELECTRONIC FILES 1

2. ELECTRONIC FILES The intent of this presentation is to provide information about using technology to gain access to print materials in varied formats, specifically electronic files, available on the Instructional Materials Ordering and Distribution System (IMODS) Web site http://csmt.cde.ca.gov/index.aspx .

3. ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES A disabled person may have difficulty accessing instructional materials due to an ability to: • Read print • Turn pages or navigate a book • Hear information • See directions

4. MEETS THE DEFINITION OF BLINDNESS (MDB) Students who are legally blind are designated as such through acuity: • Loss greater than 20/200 and/or • Peripheral vision less than 20%

5. FUNCTIONS AT THE DEFINITION OF BLINDNESS (FDB) Vision impairment due to trauma (brain injury) or other neurologic disorders (medical diagnosis).

6. MONOCULARS AND CLOSED CAPTION TV Hand-held devices that magnify print or graphics (electronic or lens), as well as closed-captioned TV (place an item under a camera and displayed on a large screen) to assist the viewer in seeing information needed.

7. LARGE PRINT The standard at CSMT has been to increase the letters to size 20 font and all graphics in color. Recently, American Printing House for the Blind (APH) has changed their policy to reflect similar guidelines.

8. AUDIO IMODS includes audio files as a download. Upon request these files are available on a CD or cassette. Some files use human voice, and others use a synthetic voice for 2nd grade and above.

9. ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY The greatest improvement in providing access has been in using technology to achieve a level playing field for information.

10. PUBLIC LAW 100-407TECHNOLOGY-RELATED ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT OF 1988 “…technology designed to be utilized in an assistive technology device or assistive technology service…by providing enhancements to or changed methods of interacting with the technology needed to accomplish such tasks.”

11. UNIVERSAL DESIGN The design of products to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation (add-on assistive technology) or specialized design.

12. LOW TECH Systems that do not include a battery: folders, binders, highlighting pens, dry erase boards, and other organizational materials are examples of low tech devices.

13. LIGHT TECH A digitized speech reader or touch sensitive display pad: tape recorder, overhead projector, calculator, and timers are examples of low tech devices.

14. HIGH TECH Computers or computer-based appliances that are communication aids such as video cameras, computers, adaptive hardware are examples of high tech devices.

15. COMPUTER FILES The California Department of Education through the Clearinghouse for Specialized Media and Translations (CSMT) provides access to information in many ways. In this presentation we will focus on electronic files.

16. PUBLISHER FILES Education Code§ 60061.8 “…the publisher shall provide the State Department of Education, upon request, with computer files or other electronic versions of textual content of basic instructional materials …” CSMT provides publisher files for download on the IMODS Web site.

17. BRAILLE FILES After the transcriber has completed the braille for a book, and it is checked by a proofer and formatter, the file is then uploaded to IMODS. Schools can request a hard copy embossed, or provide the embossing at the district/county. Many students now request the files to be uploaded on devices such as computers or a Braille Note.

18. NIMAS FILES Publishers are now providing files with graphics to the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). These files include both the printed text and a catalog of graphics found in the book.

19. INCLUDED IN NIMAS FILES NIMAS files are not student-ready. We provide a conversion to a text file on the CD with the NIMAS file, so the student has access to the graphics found in the textbook.

20. DIGITAL TALKING BOOKS The Digital Talking Book (DTB) is a relatively new technology in the United States. These books on a CD look exactly as the hard bound books appear for their peers. The difference is accessibility. Font size, contrast, bookmarking, speed, highlighting, and other features make the DTB accessible to many populations of students with disabilities. These are ordered on IMODS and delivered on a CD.

21. IMODS The Instructional Materials Ordering and Distribution System (IMODS) is an online ordering Web site for hard, and electronic copies, of California adopted curriculum. All materials are provided at no cost to schools. The IMODS Web site can be found at http://csmt.cde.ca.gov/

22. REGISTRATION To register as a member for IMODS, and have the ability to order materials, please fill out the New Account Form found on the IMODS Web page at http://csmt.cde.ca.gov/ . Once this is signed by an authorizing administrator and faxed in, the person receives a password and they can begin to order and download materials.

23. FREE DIGITAL TEXTBOOK INITIATIVE The complete Free Digital Textbook Initiative Report is available on the California Learning Resource Network (CLRN) Web site at http://www.clrn.org/fdti/ (Outside Source).

24. CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION The role in electronic learning for the California Department of Education was to review books suggested in the electronic format, to see if they matched the standards expected to be learned in that course. Approved books would be acceptable for student use, and students could be assessed appropriately on the subject.

25. CLRN California Learning Resource Network (CLRN) provides educators with a "one-stop" resource for critical information needed for the selection of supplemental electronic learning resources aligned to the State Board of Education academic content standards and can be found at http://www.clrn.org(Outside Source).

26. ASSEMBLY BILL 1398 Assembly Bill (AB)1398 revised the definition of technology-based instructional materials to include electronic equipment necessary to operate such materials when utilized by students and teachers as a learning resource; certain restrictions apply. The complete text is available at http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab (Outside Source)

27. CONTACT INFORMATION • Jonn Paris-Salb: Education Administrator 1 • 916-323-2202 jparissalb@cde.ca.gov • Kelli Cornejo: Production Manager • 916-323-4737 kcornejo@cde.ca.gov • Peter Jarvis: Warehouse Manager • 916-373-3193 pjarvis@cde.ca.gov • Olga Cid: Education program Consultant • 916-319-0959 ocid@cde.ca.gov • Georgia Marty: Duplication & Distribution • 916-323-6936 gmarty@cde.ca.gov • Steven Parker: IMODS, Large Print • 916-322-4051 sparker@cde.ca.gov • James Morrison: APH Orders, Federal Quota • 323-1329 jmorrison@cde.ca.gov • Steve Yee: Contracts & List Services • 916-445-1843 syee@cde.ca.gov