Massachusetts
State Education Agency Information
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Malden, MA 02148-4906
State NIMAS/NIMAC Coordinator
Susan Hargrave, Instructional Technology Specialist and NIMAS/NIMAC Coordinator
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
AIM and NIMAS Web Site Resources at State Education Agency
The MA ESE's NIMAS information is available via the following web page portal:
http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/assistive/nimas.html.
Information specific to the adoption of the NIMAS is provided via a Special Education Department memo outlining state and district responsibilities and posted online:http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/2006/nimas.html.
An August, 2009 memo addresses district responsibilities:http://www.doe.mass.edu/news/news.aspx?id=4965.
Instructional Materials Acquisition (adoption or open territory)
Massachusetts 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)
[Massachusetts'] Accessible Instructional Materials Library: http://www.aimlibrary.org/
Bookshare: www.bookshare.org
Carroll Center for the Blind: http://www.carroll.org/
Perkins School for the Blind: http://www.perkins.org/
Learning Ally: http://www.learningally.org/
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: http://www.doe.mass.edu/
Selected Accessible Media Producers (AMPs)
State Definition of Timely Manner for the Delivery of AIM to Students
Each year, the vast majority of districts sign a Grant Assurances Document (http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/grants/default.html), which includes the following:
a. Timely delivery of accessible materials. The district hereby assures that it will take all reasonable steps to provide print instructional materials in accessible formats to students with disabilities (who need those materials) at the same time as other students receive print instructional materials.
b. Participation in the NIMAC—The district hereby assures that it will participate in the National Instructional Materials Center (NIMAC). When purchasing core instructional print materials published after July 19, 2006, the district will enter into a written contract with the publisher requiring the publisher to send (at no additional cost) to the National Instructional Materials Center (NIMAC) electronic files containing the contents of the print instructional materials using the NIMAS standard, on or before delivery of the print instructional materials. This does not preclude the district from purchasing or obtaining accessible materials directly from the publisher.
AIM-Related State Laws and Regulations
MA's Special Education IDEA and NIMAS site page:http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/2006/nimas.html?section=attach
Parent Information & Advocacy Resources
NIMAS/AIM brochure (PDF):http://www.doe.mass.edu/edtech/assistive/nimas_brochure.pdf
MA's Special Education Parent Information site page:http://www.doe.mass.edu/sped/parents.html
SEA Web Links
See also the MA SEA's page regarding NIMAS eligibility:Documenting Student Eligibility for Use of NIMAS Files