Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Special Education Practice Exam

Which standard facilitates the provision of accessible versions of textbooks for students with disabilities?

1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

2. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

3. National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)

4. Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

The correct answer is: National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS)

The National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) is specifically designed to ensure that students with disabilities have access to instructional materials, including textbooks, in formats that accommodate their diverse needs. NIMAS provides a framework for the creation of accessible digital versions of educational materials, which can then be converted into various alternative formats such as Braille, large print, or audio. This standard emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all students, regardless of their disabilities, have equal access to the same quality of educational resources, thereby supporting their learning and academic success. In contrast, while the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) does focus on providing a free appropriate public education to students with disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) promotes accessibility in various public domains, including education, they do not specifically mandate the provision of accessible versions of texts in the same structured way as NIMAS. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) primarily addresses educational standards and accountability but does not focus specifically on the accessibility of instructional materials for students with disabilities. Thus, NIMAS stands out as the primary standard facilitating accessible textbooks.