AIM – Accessible Instructional Materials

Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM)/ Accessible Educational Materials (AEM)

Overview

Some students with disabilities have difficulty reading printed materials. Some of those students are considered to have a “print disability”. Students with a print disability have the right to have printed curriculum materials provided to them in an ‘alternative format’. Alternative formats, as referenced here, are braille, large print, audio, and digital text. Students who need curriculum materials in an alternative format are to be provided those materials in a “timely manner”. Timely manner is defined in the Iowa Administrative Code Regarding Special Education (2007) as “at the same time as other children receive instructional materials”.

AIM can be acquired from a variety of sources, including:

1. Publishers: Digital versions of textbooks you already own may be available free or titles may be purchased directly from the publisher
2. Bookshare.org
3. Iowa Dept. of the Blind
4. Other sources: Typically online sources
5. Locally created: Books and teacher materials can be scanned by the local school for students who qualify

Generally speaking students on an IEP with a print disability can acquire materials from any of the above sources. Again, generally speaking, students on a 504 plan with a print disability can acquire materials from any of the above sources, also.

There are many factors to be considered when thinking about accessible instructional materials for students.  There are also many sources to support the acquisition of AIM/AEM.

Information sources

True AIM
The Iowa Assistive Technology Liaison group, along with the Department of Education, put together the True AIM website. This has now been folded into Iowa’s DOE site.
True AIM provides guidance specific to students in Iowa schools.

The PACER Center and the National Center on Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM Center) have collaborated to provide guidance to families, educators, and State and Local Education Agencies around the provision of AIM for students. Two documents which are aimed at families, but are also great for educators, especially those new to AIM are…

Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) Basics for Families
This introductory document gives a nice overview of what AIM are, who needs it, and how it is acquired.

Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM) A Technical Guide for Families and Advocates
Similar to the above document, this guidebook goes into more detail providing links to additional resources including the law, acquiring AIM (including links to audio book sources) and more.

Iowa Department of Education provides links to these legal resources…

• Federal rules concerning the Legal Requirements for AIM
• Iowa Administrative Code Regarding Special Education (2007)

AIM Sources

Tools for Accessing AIM