Principal Investigator
David Rose, Ed.D.
Project Director
Skip Stahl, M.S.
Funder
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (CFDA 84.327P)
Timeframe
2009-2014
Project Description
The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) helps ensure that students with print disabilities get core instructional materials, such as textbooks, in accessible formats (Braille, audio, etext, and large print). The NIMAS Development Center aims to improve the standard, which was developed under CAST’s leadership by the National File Format Technical Panel (2002–2003).
NIMAS guides the production and electronic distribution of digital versions of textbooks and other instructional materials so they can be more easily converted to accessible formats. The NIMAS Center is charged with maintaining and updating the NIMAS technical specifications, which guide publishers in preparing digital source files for their copyrighted content. State and local education agencies can then have those files converted to appropriate formats for qualifying students so that those students have timely access to the same learning materials as their peers. In addition to evolving the technical specification, the NIMAS Development Center is working to identify relevant new research and technological advances and to explore the potential of free-market distribution models for accessible materials pursuant to copyright law.
The new NIMAS Center replaces the NIMAS Technical Assistance and Development Centers, also led by CAST and funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (2004-2009).
Visit the NIMAS Development Center website.
