I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 490
To improve access to printed instructional materials used by blind or other 
persons with print disabilities in elementary and secondary schools, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 29, 2003
Mr. PETRI (for himself, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. OTTER, Mr. 
DOYLE, Mr. DICKS, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. FRANK of 
Massachusetts, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. WILSON of South Caro-
lina, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. WALSH, Mr. LATOURETTE, 
Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. HONDA, Mr. GREEN of Texas, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. 
BACA, Mr. INSLEE, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Mr. PALLONE, Ms. 
BORDALLO, Mr. WAXMAN, and Ms. NORTON) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Work-
force 
A BILL 
To improve access to printed instructional materials used 
by blind or other persons with print disabilities in ele-
mentary and secondary schools, 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 ‘‘Instructional Materials 
Accessibility Act of 2003’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to improve access to print-
ed instructional materials used by blind persons, or other 
persons with print disabilities, in elementary schools and 
secondary schools through the creation of a coordinated 
and efficient system for acquisition and distribution of in-
structional materials in the form of electronic files suitable 
for conversion into a variety of specialized formats. 
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL STANDARDS. 
(a) STANDARDS.—
(1) PUBLICATION.—The Secretary of Edu-
cation, in consultation with the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology of the Department of 
Commerce, shall publish in the Federal Register 
technical standards, to be known as the Instruc-
tional Materials Accessibility Standards—
(A) as a proposed rule, not later than 270 
days after the date of enactment of this Act; 
and 
(B) as a final rule, not later than 360 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(2) PUBLIC
COMMENT.—The Secretary shall 
provide an opportunity for the submission by the 
public of comments regarding a proposed rule for at 
least 30 days before publication under paragraph 
(1)(B) of a final rule.
(3) CONTENTS.—The Instructional Materials 
Accessibility Standards shall—
(A) define the specific technical parameters 
of the national electronic file format to be used 
by publishers of instructional materials in the 
preparation of electronic files suitable for effi-
cient conversion into specialized formats; and 
(B) be consistent with and based upon ex-
isting and emerging standards relating to elec-
tronic publishing and translation technology 
used to produce specialized formats. 
(b) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—In developing the In-
structional Materials Accessibility Standards under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall, in consultation 
with the National Institute of Standards and Tech-
nology and not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, establish an advisory com-
mittee, to be known as the National Instructional 
Materials Accessibility Advisory Committee, which 
shall provide technical expertise and guidance to the 
Secretary for the creation of the national electronic 
file format. 
(2) MEMBERS.—The Committee shall consist of 
individuals who shall include at least one and not
more than two representatives of each of the fol-
lowing: 
(A) Publishers of instructional materials. 
(B) Producers of adaptive technology. 
(C) Producers of materials in specialized 
formats. 
(D) Organizations for blind consumers. 
(E) Special education programs. 
(F) Developers of accessibility and pub-
lishing software and supporting technologies. 
(G) Information technology standards or-
ganizations. 
(H) Instructional materials resource cen-
ters with substantial experience in file format 
preparation and automated conversion tech-
nology. 
(I) Any other organization or interest that 
the Secretary determines to be appropriate. 
(c) REVIEW AND AMENDMENT.—The Secretary, in 
consultation with the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology and the National Instructional Materials Ac-
cessibility Advisory Committee, shall periodically review 
and, as appropriate, amend the technical standards pre-
scribed under subsection (a) to reflect technological ad-
vances or changes.
SEC. 4. STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR ENSURING TIMELY 
PROVISION OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS 
TO STUDENTS. 
(a) STATE OBLIGATIONS.—
(1) STATEWIDE PLAN.—Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this Act, a State edu-
cational agency receiving Federal financial assist-
ance under the Individuals with Disabilities Edu-
cation Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.) shall, as a con-
dition of receiving such assistance, develop and im-
plement a written statewide plan designed to ensure 
that instructional materials for classroom use in ele-
mentary schools and secondary schools within the 
State are made available in specialized formats to 
individuals who are blind or have other print disabil-
ities at the same time such materials are provided 
to individuals without such disabilities. 
(2) COORDINATION.—A statewide plan sub-
mitted by a State educational agency under para-
graph (1) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
be coordinated with any State program improvement 
grant received by such agency under subpart 1 of 
part D of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 
Act (20 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.), and shall contain an 
outline of the activities that such agency intends to