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Accessible Educational Materials (AEM)
Accessible Educational Materials, or AEM, are print- and technology-based educational materials, including printed and electronic textbooks and related core materials designed or converted in a way that makes them usable across the widest range of individual variability regardless of format (e.g., print, digital, graphic, audio, video).
Assistive Technology (AT)
AT is any item, piece of equipment, software program, program system, or supporting service used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities.
Accessible Educational Materials, or AEM, are print- and technology-based educational materials, including printed and electronic textbooks and related core materials designed or converted in a way that makes them usable across the widest range of individual variability regardless of format (e.g., print, digital, graphic, audio, video).
MYTH – AT always involves an electronic device and is always high-tech.
FACT – Many AT devices or tools may be computer-based, but items like visual schedules and calendars, binder clips, squishy balls, or stickers may also be considered AT.
Myth 9 – U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Myths and Facts Surrounding AT Devices and Services
MYTH – An AT device and service that works for one child will work for all children.
FACT – AT devices and services need to be responsive to a child’s individualized needs.
Myth 12 – U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Myths and Facts Surrounding AT Devices and Services
Audio
Audio, in this context, is a digital form or representation of sound. It is a format that stores, copies, and produces sound according to the data in the file(s). Aside from music, audio formats are frequently used for non-visual access to text and images, especially via text-to-speech software.
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Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
FAPE is a special education and related services provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge. FAPE is mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
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Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
IDEA was most recently reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act in 2004. IDEA is a federal law governing the rights of children with disabilities to receive FAPE in what is termed a least restrictive environment (LRE).
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Local Education Agency (LEA)
LEA is a public board of education or other public entity legally authorized for either administrative control or direction of publicly funded schools, including school corporations and state-operated schools.
Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
A LRE refers to educational settings and means, in effect, each identified child with special needs, to the maximum extent possible, shall be educated with children who are not disabled.
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National Accessible Educational Materials (AEM) Center’s Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST)
The National AEM Center (CAST) is a non-profit organization working to expand learning opportunities for all individuals, especially those with disabilities, through the research and development of innovative, technology-based educational resources and strategies. The National AEM Center for Learning is housed at CAST in Wakefield, MA.
National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)/ National Instructional Materials Access Center (NIMAC) Coordinator (NNC)
A primary contact for NIMAS/NIMAC-related queries and information dissemination. Each state or territory has, or will designate, one NNC to coordinate these activities within the state or territory.
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Print Disability
A condition related to blindness, visual impairment, specific learning disability, or other physical condition in which the student needs an alternative or specialized format (i.e. braille, large print, audio, digital text) to access and gain information from conventional printed materials.
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Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is part of a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities. Section 504 regulations require a school district to provide FAPE to each qualified student with a disability, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. A written 504 plan is developed to guide the provision of instructional services, including accommodations and modifications, designed to meet a student’s individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met.
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Text-to-Speech (TTS)
TTS, or speech synthesis, is the artificial production of human speech and is generally accomplished with special software and/or hardware. The quality of various speech generation engines can vary considerably. Some voices sound almost human while others sound more primitive and robotic. The robotic-sounding voices are considered desirable for achieving high rates of “reading” speed.
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Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
UDL is a framework of learning and teaching based on neuroanatomy and functional neuroimaging research techniques. UDL resists a one-size-fits-all approach to education and posits instead that teachers, educators, and instructional materials should effectively respond to individual differences inherent within a learning environment. Across learning goals, materials, and assessments, UDL encourages teachers and educators to offer:
- Multiple means of representation give learners various ways of acquiring information and knowledge.
- Multiple means of expression provide learners with alternatives for demonstrating what they know.
- Multiple means of engagement to tap into learners’ interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn.
To learn more about UDL and what it offers educators, visit CAST’s UDL Guidelines webpage.
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