AEM for Access

AEM for Access

By Heather Maydak

AEM, or accessible educational materials, is crucial for ensuring all students have equal opportunities to the curriculum. Regardless of whether a student has a learning disability, visual impairment, or physical disability affecting their access to standard print or digital text, AEM ensures universally accessible content across all subjects.

Four Steps to Match AEM

  1. Needs Assessment: Prior to identifying suitable accessible formats, a comprehensive needs assessment must be conducted, addressing student characteristics, task requirements, and environmental factors.

           Student

    • Can the student decode?
    • Is the student reading at or near grade level?
    • Are the materials visually accessible?
    • Are they able to hold a book and turn its pages?
    • Is the student's positioning, posture, and stamina adequate?

            Tasks

    • What assignments must students finish, including reading, essays, and group projects?
    • Is task completion within the allotted time a realistic expectation for the student?
    • Do they grasp the directions?
    • What obstacles hinder task completion, including print disabilities, inaccessible materials, and unavailable assistive technologies?

            Environment

    • Evaluate the physical setting, considering student-to-teacher/staff ratios and resources like instructional materials and technology.
    • Note the classroom's sensory details, including sight (lighting, clutter) and sound (noise levels).
  1. Format Selection: Determine the appropriate accessible formats—Braille, large print, audio, or accessible digital text—based on the student's individual requirements.
  2. Material Acquisition: Secure necessary formats from approved media providers, including Bookshare, Louis Braille Plus, and Learning Ally. For alternative formats or materials, please contact your state’s AEM representative.
  3. Use with Support: Identify the training, instructional strategies, and additional accommodations needed for the student to use the accessible materials effectively and independently.
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