NIMAS is a technical standard used by publishers to produce source files (in eXtensible Mark-up Language (XML)) that may be used to present the content in a variety of ways and styles (such as Braille or audio books) for students with print disabilities.

The separation of content from presentation is an important feature of the NIMAS approach. In most cases, a human will need to enhance the source files to provide additional features needed by diverse learners.

The various specialized formats created from NIMAS filesets may then be used to support a very diverse group of learners who qualify as students with print disabilities. It is important to note that most elementary and secondary educational publishers do not own all of the electronic rights to their textbooks and related core print materials and a copyright exemption allows them to deliver the electronic content of a textbook and related core print materials to the NIMAC, a national repository which began operations on 12/3/06, as long as the publishers possess the print rights. The NIMAS applies to instructional materials published on or after 7/19/06.

 from http://nimas.cast.org/about/nimas

Bookshare^TM, (www.bookshare.org), is the world’s largest online accessible library for individuals with print disabilities, such as blindness, low vision, a physical disability, or a reading disability that makes it difficult or impossible to read standard print. Bookshare is operated by Benetech (www.benetech.org), a Palo Alto, CA nonprofit technology development organization. In October 2007, Bookshare received an award from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to offer free memberships to all U.S. students with qualified print disabilities. Bookshare also offers memberships to individuals in the U.S. and around the world for a nominal fee. The library has tens of thousands of books including fiction, non-fiction, textbooks, educational reading, newspapers and magazines, plus free software applications that read digital content.

The Kansas Instructional Resource Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired will provide, or assist local education agencies to procure, braille, large print, or recorded textbooks and other educational materials for their Kansas students who are blind/visually impaired so the students can remain and succeed in the most appropriate educational setting, whether public, private, or parochial.

RFB&D®, a national nonprofit, volunteer organization, is the leading accessible audio textbook library for students with print disabilities. RFB&D partners with states, counties, districts and schools to help teachers serve students with print disabilities such as visual impairment or dyslexia that make reading standard print difficult or impossible.