Braille Student Eligibility

Any student resident in the Commonwealth with special educational needs in regard to vision, as determined by TEAM decision, ages 3 to 22 (or to the age a high school diploma is attained, i.e. college students are not eligible) can be eligible for services. Districts wishing to access the AIM Library must coordinate all paperwork and requests for materials through a Certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired (TVI). The specialized instructional materials available can only be assessed, deemed essential, and administered by a TVI.

Once a local special education team evaluation has been completed, and special needs in regard to vision are written into the student's I.E.P, a TVI may submit the required documents to register the student with the AIM Library. For the purposes of Federal Funding, the following documents must be filed with the AIM Library as evidence of the student's educational program and visual acuity:

1-Student Registration Form, to provide basic identifying information about the student. This needs to be completed by a teacher of the visually impaired. Each time a TVI acquires a new student, an updated form must be submitted.

2-Medical Eye Report, or equivalent signed statement, with acuity, diagnosis and prognosis, to be completed by the child's eye care professional. This form must be updated every three years. Exemptions would be for students with a proven and documented non-changing eye condition.

3-Parental Release, to be signed by parent or guardian, to allow the Vision Resource Library to exchange pertinent information with the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, American Printing House for the Blind, Recordings for the Blind and Dyslexic, and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

4- Written Education Plan Assurance, This Form is an assurance that a Written Education Plan is on file with the school where the student is attending. The actual Plan is not to be submitted to the Massachusetts Accessible Instructional Materials Library, but must be on file with the LEA in the event that any audit requires evidence of the student's educational program.

Original Written Education Plan Assurance Forms, signed by the Special Education Director, must be mailed no later than January 30th each year to:

Massachusetts Accessible Instructional Materials Library
3 Randolph Street
Canton, Ma 02021


Requesting Braille Textbooks

Once the student has been properly registered, the TVI may submit a Materials Request Form with all the pertinent information. A request form MUST be submitted for all texts/materials requested and signed by a teacher of the visually. This ensures the Library that the proper items are being requested per the students needs. The request forms need to be filled out completely. Please do not forget ZIP CODE and ISBN Numbers!

A clean print copy of all texts being requesting is also required. If the Library has the title on its shelves, the print copy will be returned as soon as possible. If it is not available on our shelves and not available through another source, the print copy will be forwarded to the transcriber along with the Transcription Syllabus. It is possible that during the production process the binding of the textbook will need to be cut.

A Print Copy Identification Form should be filled out and enclosed in each print copy sent to AIM Library. If there is no Identification Form, the AIM Library cannot be responsible for the proper return of the print copy.

If the book is not yet available from the publisher, in the case of new copyrights, obtain a copy of the title page, front and back, from the publisher and forward along with the request form.

During our busy months, March-October we will not accept phone inquiries for Braille inventory. No exceptions. All requests must be submitted in writing. This will allow the AIM Library staff to continue processing with minimum interruptions

No items will be shipped from the Library without the proper paperwork.

As always, we process on a first come fist serve basis and therefore suggest that you send in requests no later than March for the following school year.

No textbook will be considered with a copyright before 2000. We reserve the right to limit textbook requests and consider workbooks, non-standardized tests and recreational reading materials a low priority. The student's school district is responsible for securing items that the Library is unable provide. Please feel free to call the AIM Library for additional sources.

Fulfilling braille requests is our most challenging task. Some texts we are able to locate on our shelves. Others might be borrowed from another state, or purchased through Accessible Media Producers (AMPs). If the text has never been brailled then the book must be transcribed from scratch. Having a book transcribed can take over a year. Math, science, charts and graphs may take even longer. With this in mind, braille requests should reach the Library no later than March of the preceding year. A Transcription Syllabus (see AIM Library forms) is required for all transcription, prioritizing the use of chapters in the order of which they will be used. No textbook will be considered for Transcription with out a Transcription Syllabus. The TVI will be notified in the instance of a required Transcription Syllabus.

Returns

The AIM Library is a lending library. All textbooks must be returned at the end of the school year. As we intend to circulate and utilize our inventory to it's fullest extent. If you wish to renew them for the next school year or transfer to another student please submit a Transfer/Holdover Form.