Large Type 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 Large Type 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 impaired. 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! There is no need to send in print copies along with a request for large type.

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 MAY 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.

We will not accept phone inquiries for large print. No exceptions. All requests must be submitted in writing.

Please do not forget the ISBN, even for classics, trade titles, literature, etc, and do not forget to include a copyright date. We will check our inventory and provide what we can. We will also check the American Printing House inventory. Some new copyrights might be eligible for production at APH. If that is the case, we will notify you asking for a clean print copy. Once we have the textbook, we will coordinate production through APH. Keep in mind that production through APH can take up to 6-12 months. We will also search nationally for sources and may purchase the large print as funding permit. When there are titles that the AIM Library is unable to provide, you will receive a letter stating which books will need to be secured by the LEA.

LEA Textbook Enlargement

IDEA 2004 added large print to the formats that no longer require permission from the publisher when an authorized entity produces a specialized format.

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education considers LEA's to fall under the Chafee Amendment definition of Authorized entity:

"a non-profit organization or a governmental agency that has a primary mission to provide specialized services relating to training, education, or adaptive reading or information access needs of blind or other persons with disabilities."

It is therefore acceptable for LEA staff to enlarge textbooks for eligible students.

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.