Accessible Materials

Wyoming Department of Education > For District Leadership > Special Education Programs > Accessible Materials

Contact Information

Vision Outreach Services Program Manager
Leslie Bechtel Van Orman
(307) 777-7777
leslie.vanorman@wyo.gov
VOS Education Consultant
Jennifer D'Alessandro
(307) 754-2147
jennifer.dalessandro@wyo.gov

With the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, the necessity for states and districts to provide accessible instructional materials, for students with print-related disabilities, was more clearly defined. States were required to adopt a new file format, the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS). The reauthorization of IDEA also created the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Center (NIMAC) as a repository to facilitate easier access to these electronic files. These changes were made to ensure that students with print-related disabilities receive their instructional materials in a timely manner.

Eligibility for access to this repository of files is coordinated through the WDE’s Special Education Programs division.

In order to support districts in this regard, the WDE contracts with the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities (WIND) to provide access to the NIMAC repository for students who are eligible, and to provide additional technical assistance related to the provision of accessible materials. As part of this contract, WIND maintains a website, which is a good resource for school district personnel.

Additional Resources