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Accessible Instructional Materials (AIM-VA)

The Virginia Accessible Instructional Materials Center (AIM-VA), part of the Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities at George Mason University, will produce and deliver accessible instructional materials for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Virginia who have students with an IEP indicating a need for alternate formats of printed materials. The AIM-VA will also provide training and technical assistance to LEAs who will order and use these accessible instructional materials. AIM-VA assists the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) implement the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standards (NIMAS) regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

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Important Announcements:

New! Version 6 of ReadOutLoud

AIM-VA is in the 2nd year of our subscription to ReadOutLoud, a text reader for accessible books. As part of our subscription, we are able to offer Version 6 of Read:OutLoud. Many enhancements have been made to the software to make it easier to install, use and implement efficiently and effectively. This statewide license agreement is available through AIM-VA at no cost to Virginia local education agencies (LEAs) for students with IEP’s.

Read:OutLoud 6 text reader software will assist administrators, teachers and families in providing access to a variety of digital alternate formats of standard print instructional materials. This statewide initiative is intended to assist LEAs as they strive to support the individual reading accommodations needed for IEP students. The licensing of the software will enable reading related accommodations to your IEP students at school and at home because the license includes “take-home” rights for IEP students—installation and use of the software at home.

For more information, click here.

Blank Orders Submitted to AIM-VA

AIM-VA has received several blank orders since May 2009. If you receive a blank confirmation page or blank confirmation email after placing an order on our web site, please contact our web administrator Tipu Hashmi at thashmi@gmu.edu or report this incident directly 703-993-4322.

Large Print - Color orders submitted to AIM-VA

The Accessible Instructional Materials Center of Virginia has received a significant number of orders for Large Print materials to be printed in color. Because of the significant costs of color printing in a time of state budget shortfalls, Large Print materials requested in color to AIM-VA will be provided via a large print Black and White print copy and a full color semi-accessible PDF which is electronically accessible.  A color print copy will not be sent to the requesting DRM.
If you have questions regarding the change in this policy or your orders, please contact our AIM-VA Helpdesk at 866-926-1879 or via email aimva@gmu.edu.

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Welcome to the 2009 – 2010 School Year. 

AIM-VA started accepting orders for the 2009-2010 school year on March 16, 2009.  Formats available for the second year of our program include: Audio Recordings produced by the Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD); Braille and Braille Ready Formats (BRF) produced by the Virginia Department for Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI); Electronic Formats including Accessible PDF and Large Print produced by AIM-VA.  The following list of formats not readily available unless noted in the Library Database System, DAISY, Word, RTF and Fully Accessible PDFs.  These formats are being added to the library Database as they are completed and will be updated weekly.

To ensure accurate order information and compliance with Copyright Laws, AIM-VA needs correct DRM information.  The ordering system will force DRMs to update contact information now prior to the initial order for the 2009-2010 school year.  To see the current list of DRMs and contact information on file, please visit, http://kihdlibrary.gmu.edu/aimva/superreport.asp

Please review these two documents: "10 Tips for DRMs" and "A Quick Guide for AIM-VA Ordering Procedures" .  We also encourage you to review the updated manual in detail as several policies and procedures have changed.  The manual is also available from our website section on Resources http://kihd.gmu.edu/aim/resources/. These policies and procedures are designed to assist DRMs order materials available through AIM-VA and ensure our compliance with copyright laws and permissions to use the NIMAC as a resource.

AIM-VA is offering trainings to help DRMs understand what is new in 2009 – 2010. The trainings are one hour and require the use of the internet and telephone. Please see the “AIM-VA: What’s New in 2009-2010” announcement sent to all DRMs.

DRMs Help Us Help You!

AIM VA opened on May 12, 2008. Because of high demand, AIM-VA must prioritize materials. All materials that are textbooks and workbooks directly associated with those texts will be given priority in the conversion process. We encourage educators to seek other educational materials, such as trade books, from other resources until further notice. Please see Resources for assistance in finding materials from other entities.

Here are some tips for making the order processing easier for you.

• Label all books and materials sent to AIM-VA with a return mailing address on the inside cover. This will help us return your materials to rightful owners!
• Please submit orders electronically. AIM-VA’s database automatically logs your order in the order it is submitted.
• In order for AIM-VA to process your request efficiently, please send two clean (not tattered or written in) copies of the book for each format requested.
• Please put a copy of the electronic order form(s) for each book inside the front cover of the matching book, please do not send them separately or in a stack.
• In order to expedite the ordering process, please verify that the order form matches the book (ISBN, title, etc. must all match).
• For multiple orders for the same book, please put the copies of the orders inside the front cover of each book without staples, rubber bands, tape, or paper clips.
• When packing boxes, please use bubble wrap or paper instead of shredded paper or peanuts.
• If you think the box might not be strong enough to hold all the books, you're right. Use 2 boxes or one stronger box.
• If you are unable to lift the box, we are unable to lift the box. Please consider limiting the number and weight of the books in one box.
• For shipping instructions, see “Shipping Information” on the www.aimva.org website.

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