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An Open Message to Families, Educators, Publishers
Introducing the PALM Initiative
The PALM (Purchase Accessible learning Materials) Initiative is aimed at encouraging educators to buy and publishers/developers to create instructional materials that are accessible to ALL students from the start.
Why now?
We recently sent an email and related documents introducing the PALM Initiative to State AIM/NIMAS/NIMAC Coordinators and State Directors of Special Education and thought that you might also be interested in this effort to change the behavior of publishers and developers of digital educational content before it's too late. Of course, we cannot do this alone, so we need your help!
Publishers tell us that they seldom are asked about accessibility and we simply need more districts helping to create demand. As you know, digital does not mean accessible.
As schools make plans to purchase digital textbooks, reading materials, eLearning delivery systems, software, hardware, and more, we want your help creating demand for accessible materials. Otherwise, we will spend the next ten years developing parallel acquisition systems that are inefficient and expensive*. How you can help One way we would like you to help is to let the people who purchase materials and related software/hardware/eLearning systems at the local, district, and state level know that they should be considering accessibility/usability in ALL their purchasing decisions. To help you get started, we have posted PALM resources (PowerPoint presentation, handouts) on the AIM Center website providing background information, specific guidance for you to share with purchasers.
An excellent example of the problem we are working to fix can be found in the AIM e-Book Market Brief.
Thank you in advance for your support. Please let me know if you have questions or require additional information.
Chuck Hitchcock,
Project Director, AIM Center
*Note that this is not in conflict with the NIMAS work since that is designed to ensure the timely delivery of accessible versions of print textbooks and related core print instructional materials. PALM is intended to address the problem of products that are born digital yet inaccessible.
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Register Now for June Webinars
For All Audiences:
AIM Basics 2012: An Updated Introduction to Accessible Instructional Materials for Educators and Families
Date: June 7, 2012
Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST
Description: This webinar provides educators and families with current basic information about the provision of accessible instructional materials. Topics will include legal issues, a decision-making process, and how to locate and use supporting resources. Participation in this webinar is suggested as a prerequisite for other webinars.
Presenter: Joy Zabala
For State and Local Leaders:
Critical Components of a Coordinated System for the Timely Provision of Accessible Instructional Materials
Date: June 21, 2012
Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST
Description: This webinar introduces the Critical Components of Quality Indicators for the Provision of AIM and discusses the use of this resource as a self-assessment and planning guide for state and local leaders with responsibilities related to developing and maintaining a coordinated system for the timely provision of AIM. Participation of state AIM NIMAS/NIMAC Coordinators is strongly encouraged.
Presenter: Joy Zabala
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Two Updated Resources from the AIM Center
AIM in Your State
New Design, New Info! All AIM/NIMAS/NIMAC State Coordinators have been contacted to review and update us with their latest information on state policies, practices, contacts, resources for families, etc. Each state has its own dedicated page on the AIM Center website. See what's available in your state -- and check out the new design, making it even easier to find the exact resource you need.
AIM Guide to Accessible Media Producers (AMPs)
Updated March, 2012
There are increasing numbers of private and nonprofit accessible media producers in the U.S., each offering a distinct set of services. The newly updated AIM Guide to AMPs Summary Table highlights the services offered by the 3 national AMPs to students who meet copyright criteria for specialized services.
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Meet the AIM Center's Summer Intern
|   Andy Kryshak |
Andy Kryshak is a graduate student at the University of Michigan School of Information, specializing in Human-Computer Interaction and interested in the design of educational technology. This summer, as a CAST and AIM Center intern, he is conducting user research to maximize the AIM Center stakeholder's usability of our website. Check out the new AIM Center homepage!
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