California
State Education Agency Information
California Department of Education
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
State NIMAS/NIMAC Coordinator
Jonn Paris-Salb, Education Administrator I
1430 N Street, Room 3207
Sacramento, CA 95814
AIM and NIMAS Web Site Resources at State Education Agency
NIMAS-specific information may be found in the Services & Resources section of the CA DOE Special Education web pages: 
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/nimasandc.asp.
General explanations of NIMAS may be found at the following URL: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/nimasandcsldtxt.asp.
An overview is provided in the following document: NIMAS and NIMAC (PPT): http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/documents/nimasandc.ppt.
Instructional Materials Acquisition (adoption or open territory)
California is an open territory state with no centralized textbook acquisition. The selection and purchase of textbooks and instructional materials is a local district activity.
SEA Policies and Practices
NIMAC Authorized User(s)
California DOE's web site states that CSMT is the state of California authorized entity and produces accessible versions of textbooks, workbooks, and literature books adopted by the State Board of Education and, further, that California LEAs will become authorized users and gain access to NIMAC by coordinating with CSMT. (The CMST is the Clearinghouse for Specialized Media & Translations: http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/sm/.)
Learning Ally (http://learningally.org) and Bookshare (http://bookshare.org/) are also California AUs.
For questions regarding conversion of NIMAS files, file downloads, and accessible media producers, contact Jonn Paris-Salb at jparissalb [at] cde [dot] ca [dot] gov or (916) 323-2202.
Selected Accessible Media Producers (AMPs)
California DOE's web site states that CSMT is the state of California authorized entity and produces accessible versions of textbooks, workbooks, and literature books adopted by the State Board of Education (see above).
State Definition of Timely Manner for the Delivery of AIM to Students
California stipulates that In order to meet its responsibility under paragraphs 34 CFR 300.172 (b)(2), (b)(3), and (c) to ensure that children with disabilities who need instructional materials in accessible formats are provided those materials in a timely manner, the SEA must ensure that all public agencies take all reasonable steps to provide instructional materials in accessible formats to children with disabilities who need those instructional materials at the same time as other children receive instructional materials. [34 CFR 300.172(b)] [20 U.S.C. 1412(a)(23)(B)].
Notice is also given from the CA DOE web site that timely manner is defined as follows: During the regulation hearings, many requests were made to define timely manner as providing these materials at the same time they are provided to children without disabilities, or at the start of the school year, or for children who transfer schools after the start of the school year, within 30 days of the start of the school year, regardless of whether a State chooses to coordinate with the NIMAC (http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/nimasandcsldtxt.asp).
AIM-Related State Laws and Regulations
- IDEA regulations and NIMAS summary document:http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/documents/nimas_sumry.doc
- NIMAS Provisions and Requirements:http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/nimasandcsldtxt.asp
- State laws, regulations, and policies:http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/lr/
Parent Information & Advocacy Resources
Special Education Family Involvement & Partnerships Page: (although not specifically NIMAS- or AIM-related, general educational information is provided for parents of students with disabilities)
SEA Web Links
Clearinghouse for Specialized Media & Translations (CMST):
- web page: http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/sm/
- contact information: http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pn/sm/csmtcontacts.asp
- FAQ page: http://csmt.cde.ca.gov/helpFAQ.aspx
Special Education Service & Resources Page: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/
Special Education Links: http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/se/sr/selinks.asp