I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5312 
To authorize the creation of a commission to develop voluntary accessibility 
guidelines for electronic instructional materials and related technologies 
used in postsecondary education, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 5, 2019 
Mr. DAVID P. ROE of Tennessee (for himself and Mr. COURTNEY) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and 
Labor 
A BILL 
To authorize the creation of a commission to develop vol-
untary accessibility guidelines for electronic instructional 
materials and related technologies used in postsecondary 
education, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Accessible Instruc-
tional Materials in Higher Education Act’’ or the ‘‘AIM 
HIGH Act’’. 
SEC. 2. COMMISSION STRUCTURE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, the President pro tempore of the 
Senate, and the Secretary of Education shall estab-
lish an independent commission, comprised of key 
stakeholders, to develop voluntary guidelines for ac-
cessible postsecondary electronic instructional mate-
rials and related technologies in order— 
(A) to ensure students with disabilities are 
afforded the same educational benefits provided 
to nondisabled students through the use of elec-
tronic instructional materials and related tech-
nologies; 
(B) to inform better the selection and use 
of such materials and technologies at institu-
tions of higher education; and 
(C) to encourage entities that produce such 
materials and technologies to make accessible 
versions more readily available in the market. 
In fulfilling the duties set forth in subparagraphs 
(1)(A), (1)(B), and (1)(C), the commission shall re-
view applicable national and international informa-
tion technology accessibility standards, which it will 
compile and annotate as an additional information 
resource for institutions of higher education and 
companies that service the higher education market. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS
The commission will also develop a model framework 
for pilot testing postsecondary electronic instruc-
tional materials and related technologies in postsec-
ondary instructional settings to facilitate exploration 
and adoption of such materials and technologies. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(A) STAKEHOLDER
GROUPS.—The com-
mission shall be composed of representatives 
from the following categories: 
(i) DISABILITY.—Communities of per-
sons with disabilities for whom the accessi-
bility of postsecondary electronic instruc-
tional materials and related technologies is 
a significant factor in ensuring equal par-
ticipation in higher education, and non-
profit organizations that provide accessible 
electronic materials to these communities. 
(ii) 
HIGHER
EDUCATION.—Higher 
education leadership, which includes: uni-
versity presidents, provosts, deans, vice 
presidents, deans of libraries, chief infor-
mation officers, and other senior institu-
tional executives. 
(iii) INDUSTRY.—Relevant industry 
representatives, meaning— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS
(I) developers of postsecondary 
electronic instructional materials; and 
(II) manufacturers of related 
technologies. 
(B) APPOINTMENT
OF
MEMBERS.—The 
commission members shall be appointed as fol-
lows: 
(i) Six members, 2 from each category 
described in subparagraph (A), shall be ap-
pointed by the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, 3 of whom shall be ap-
pointed on the recommendation of the ma-
jority leader of the House of Representa-
tives and 3 of whom shall be appointed on 
the recommendation of the minority leader 
of the House of Representatives, with the 
Speaker ensuring that 1 developer of post-
secondary electronic instructional materials 
and 1 manufacturer of related technologies 
are appointed. The Speaker shall also ap-
point 2 additional members, 1 student with 
a disability and 1 faculty member from an 
institution of higher education. 
(ii) Six members, 2 from each cat-
egory described in subparagraph (A), shall 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS
be appointed by the President pro tempore 
of the Senate, 3 of whom shall be ap-
pointed on the recommendation of the ma-
jority leader of the Senate and 3 of whom 
shall be appointed on the recommendation 
of the minority leader of the Senate, with 
the President pro tempore ensuring that 1 
developer of postsecondary electronic in-
structional materials and 1 manufacturer 
of related technologies are appointed. The 
President pro tempore shall also appoint 2 
additional members, 1 student with a dis-
ability and 1 faculty member from an insti-
tution of higher education. 
(iii) Three members, each of whom 
must possess extensive, demonstrated tech-
nical expertise in the development and im-
plementation of accessible postsecondary 
electronic instructional materials, shall be 
appointed by the Secretary of Education. 
One of these members shall represent post-
secondary students with disabilities, 1 shall 
represent higher education leadership, and 
1 shall represent developers of postsec-
ondary electronic instructional materials. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS
(C) ELIGIBILITY TO SERVE ON THE COM-
MISSION.—Federal employees are ineligible for 
appointment to the commission. An appointee 
to a volunteer or advisory position with a Fed-
eral agency or related advisory body may be ap-
pointed to the commission so long as his or her 
primary employment is with a non-Federal enti-
ty and he or she is not otherwise engaged in fi-
nancially compensated work on behalf of the 
Federal Government, exclusive of any standard 
expense reimbursement or grant-funded activi-
ties. 
(b) AUTHORITY AND ADMINISTRATION.— 
(1) AUTHORITY.—The commission’s execution 
of its duties shall be independent of the Secretary of 
Education, the Attorney General, and the head of 
any other agency or department of the Federal Gov-
ernment with regulatory or standard setting author-
ity in the areas addressed by the commission. 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.— 
(A) STAFFING.—There shall be no perma-
nent staffing for the commission. 
(B) LEADERSHIP.—Commission members 
shall elect a chairperson from among the 19 ap-
pointees to the commission. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS
(C) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.—The com-
mission shall be provided administrative sup-
port, as needed, by the Secretary of Education 
through the Office of Postsecondary Education 
of the Department of Education. 
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION. 
(a) PRODUCE VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES.—Not later 
than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, 
subject to a 6-month extension that it may exercise at its 
discretion, the commission established in section 2 shall— 
(1) develop and issue voluntary guidelines for 
accessible postsecondary electronic instructional ma-
terials and related technologies; and 
(2) in developing the voluntary guidelines, the 
commission shall— 
(A) establish a technical panel pursuant to 
subsection (d) to support the commission in de-
veloping the voluntary guidelines; 
(B) develop criteria for determining which 
materials and technologies constitute ‘‘postsec-
ondary electronic instructional materials’’ and 
‘‘related technologies’’ as defined in paragraphs 
(5) and (6) of section 7; 
(C) identify existing national and inter-
national accessibility standards that are rel-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS
evant to student use of postsecondary electronic 
instructional materials and related technologies 
at institutions of higher education; 
(D) identify and address any unique peda-
gogical and accessibility requirements of post-
secondary electronic instructional materials and 
related technologies that are not addressed, or 
not adequately addressed, by the identified, rel-
evant existing accessibility standards; 
(E) identify those aspects of accessibility, 
and types of postsecondary instructional mate-
rials and related technologies, for which the 
commission cannot produce guidelines or which 
cannot be addressed by existing accessibility 
standards due to— 
(i) inherent limitations of commer-
cially available technologies; or 
(ii) the challenges posed by a specific 
category of disability that covers a wide 
spectrum of impairments and capabilities 
which makes it difficult to assess the bene-
fits from particular guidelines on a cat-
egorical basis; 
(F) ensure that the voluntary guidelines 
are consistent with the requirements of section 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
19:57 Dec 13, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5312.IH
H5312
jbell on DSKJLSW7X2PROD with BILLS