AIMIng for Achievement: What YOU Need to Know about the Selection, Acquisition, and Use of Accessible Materials

The focus of  this webcast is the selection, acquisition and use of accessible instructional materials (AIM) for students who require them for educational participation and achievement.  Questions to be explored include:  What are accessible instructional materials (AIM)?  Which students need AIM?  What are the sources for AIM? What support is available to state and local education agencies, educators, and families? How do accessible instructional materials relate to NIMAS, AT,  and UDL?
 
Presenters:

Joy Zabala, Ed. D., ATP, CAST

Joy Smiley Zabala, Ed. D., ATP, is the project manager of the federally-funded AIM Consortium, a fifteen-state project headed by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST). Dr. Zabala is the developer of the SETT Framework (http://www.joyzabala.com/), a founding member of the QIAT Community and facilitator of the QIAT List and a strong supporter of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and AT as complementary supports for student achievement.

Jeff Diedrich, Michigan Integrated Technology Services

Jeff Diedrich is the director of Michigan’s Integrated Technology Supports (MITS), a project of the Michigan Department of Education that focuses on assistive technology, accessible instructional materials, and implementation and scale-up of UDL. Mr. Diedrich is the NIMAS State Coordinator for Michigan, a member of the NIMAS Implementation Advisory Council, Bookshare Advisory Committee, and the Michigan Coordinator for the AIM Consortium and a co-founder of State Leaders of Assistive Technology in Education (SLATE).

Skip Stahl, CAST

Skip Stahl is a nationally recognized expert in accessible digital materials and Universal Design for Learning.  He has extensive experience in providing professional development and assistance to educators in K–12 and postsecondary settings. As project director for the NIMAS Development Center at CAST, he leads a national initiative implementing the transformation of K–12 textbooks into specialized accessible formats for students with print disabilities.

Jenna Wasson Gravel, CAST

Jenna Wasson Gravel is a Research Associate and Instructional Designer at CAST. Her current work focuses on Universal Design for Learning and Accessible Instructional Materials. Her expertise in education policy and experience with special education inclusion and family advocacy give her a unique and balanced perspective on special education.