ICAM Dispatch

All who work in Exceptional Education know that we swim in a sea of acronyms. In fact we become so accustomed to referring to organizations of individuals in this way that we might forget those letters stand for something that have meaning, and represent what the people in that organization do. So let’s demystify those that directly influence your aquisition of AIM (Accesssible Instructional Materilas) and AT (Assistive Technology) for your students.

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Promoting Achievement through Technology and INstruction for all Students

The PATINS Project was created   in 1996 as a state-wide technical assistance network for the provision of Assistive and Accessible technology, for students in Indiana Public Schools.  The PATINS Project operates Regional Lending Libraries; you may borrow AT devices for up to 6 weeks, which usually is enough time to decide if that equipment is beneficial for a student. School personnel can then guide purchasing decisions based on actual student trials. Should your LEA decide to purchase an item, you often may take advantage of Vendor Discounts, through the  Project.

The PATINS Regional Coordinators are able and willing to visit your school and demonstrate how to effectively use equipment and devices. They are available for technical support such as installing components and downloading files. The Coordinators provide on-line and on-site trainings and seminars, host the PATINS Tech Expo every spring, and again will present the PATINS 2012 State Conference. The PATINS staff are alert to new and emerging technologies, and they are here to share their knowledge with LEAs throughout Indiana.  Please visit the page of your Regional Coordinator,  and explore an expansive website brimming with information, event announcements, and resources.

The PATINS Project provides a statewide NIMAS (National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard) delivery system which supports the IDOE and Indiana Public Schools in addressing the statutes and final regulations of the IDEA 2004. The NIMAS delivery system is called the ICAM.

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The ICAM ( Indiana Center for Accessible Materials) began operation during the spring of 2008. The ICAM partners with LEAs to secure accessible textbooks and core curriculum materials in specialized formats for students with documented Print Disabilities, serves as the state repository for those materials, and provides a tracking system for items ordered on behalf of students. The Specialized Formats include accessible Digital formats, Audio, Braille and Large Print.

The ICAM is equipped to assist local LEAs in several important ways and one of those is by providing a state-wide license for Read: Out Loud by Don Johnston, Inc.  This navigational text reader is a proven tool for  improving academic outcomes and is free  for all Indiana students. Please visit www.donjohnston.com to explore other valuable products and read the success stories. Because the basic license is free, there really is no good reason for an LEA to not take advantage of this ICAM-provided opportunity.

ICAM also shares a partnership with Learning Ally, which gives Indiana Students access to an audio library of more than 70,000 titles, both textbooks and tradebooks. This license provides human voice recordings in the Downloadable Daisy format, and the free basic membership is available through the ICAM to Indiana students who have a documented Print Disability. Visit www.learningally.org to search the catalog and learn about their range of products designed to enhance the reading experience for audio-learners.

The  goal of the ICAM  is to help you get the accessible materials your print disabled students need  in a timely manner. We are a small, busy staff serving the state of Indiana thoroughly and  quickly.  www.icam.k12.in.us.

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If you serve students who are Blind or who have VI (Vision Impairment), you will get to know the dedicated and efficient staff at the IERC (Indiana Education Resource Center). The IERC provides Braille, Large Print, Digital-Instructonal materials and Tangible Aids and Equipment to qualifying Indiana students.

The IERC is a centralized, statewide depository of the accessible formats it provides,  and since 2008, oversees the Miami Accessible Media Project (MAMP). This is a remarkable alliance between the ISBVI (Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired), the IERC, the IDOE and the IDOC (Indiana Department of Corrections). The goals of this unique association is to create and provide quality Braille, Large Print and AIM to Indiana LEA’s in a timely manner, and to provide a skill to the offenders that will increase future employment opportunities. Both endeavors have proven to be successful!

Please visit their pages to learn about the Federal Quota Registration, and how these specialized formats are provided free of charge to qualifying students. Consult the IERC Policies and Procedures page for information on ordering deadlines to assure timely delivery, and how to have borrowed equipement repaired. You may send  parents of children who are Blind or have VI to News for Parents. Leslie Durst, IERC Director puts together the Visions newsletter three times a year which includes pertinent information and event announcements from around the state. The Frequently Asked Questions page is particularly well-considered and covers a broad range of issues.

These are the orgainzations that work together and with our affiliates to help you provide materials and services for your K-12 students with print disabilities and assistive technology needs. We consult each other daily, we assist one another whenever we can, and we respect our organizations and the individuals who run them to serve Indiana Public Schools.

We are problem solvers who enjoy helping you and we’d love to know how we are doing! Please contact Sandy Stabenfeldt, SW PATINS Regional Coordinator to offer a comment, and she will post that on Views and Reviews, on the PATINS Home Page.