AIM-HIGH Act

Bill: 116-s-3410
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA]
Introduced: 2020-03-05
Policy area: Education
Subjects: Disability and paralysis

Disability assistance

Higher education

Special education

Teaching, teachers, curricula
Latest action: action_date: 2020-03-05
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-03-05
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Access to Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act of 2020 or the AIM-HIGH Act</b></p> <p>This bill revises model demonstration programs requiring the Department of Education (ED) to award certain grants or contracts to eligible partnerships to develop systems for the timely delivery and quality of instructional materials to postsecondary students with print disabilities.</p> <p>Specifically, the bill (1) revises the definition of <i>student with a print disability</i>, and (2) requires such instructional materials to be commercially produced or open source and in accessible formats. </p> <p>Additionally, the bill requires eligible partnerships to include (1) one or more institutions of higher education with demonstrated expertise in meeting the needs of students with print disabilities, and (2) a public or private entity with demonstrated expertise in developing such materials in accessible formats. Such public or private entity must also have a demonstrated capability to partner with national consumer organizations with the capacity to engage postsecondary students with print disabilities in the development and implementation of such materials.</p> <p> It also authorizes ED to complete a national expansion of such model programs.</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 3410 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 5, 2020 Mr. Cassidy (for himself and Mr. Casey ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions A BILL To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve access to postsecondary instructional materials for students with print disabilities.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Access to Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act of 2020 or the AIM-HIGH Act . 2. Programs to support improved access to postsecondary instructional materials for students with print disabilities Title VII of the Higher Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1133 et seq.) is amended— (1) in section 771, by striking in nonspecialized formats, including an individual described in section 121(d)(2) of title 17, United States Code and inserting in nonaccessible formats, including an individual who is blind, has a visual or perceptual impairment, has dyslexia, or has another form of reading disability that renders the individual unable to read printed works to substantially the same degree as an individual without an impairment or disability, or who has a physical disability making the individual unable to hold or manipulate a book or focus or move the individual's eyes to read ; and (2) in section 773— (A) in subsection (a), by striking instructional materials in specialized formats and inserting commercially produced or open source instructional materials in accessible formats ; (B) in subsection (b)(1)— (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking an institution and inserting one or more institutions ; and (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking clauses (i) and (ii) and inserting the following: (i) demonstrated expertise in developing accessible instructional materials in accessible formats for postsecondary students with print disabilities; (ii) demonstrated capability to partner with national consumer organizations that have the capacity to engage postsecondary students with print disabilities in the development and implementation of accessible instructional materials; and (iii) the technical development expertise necessary for the efficient dissemination of such materials, including procedures to protect against copyright infringement with respect to the creation, use, and distribution of instructional materials in accessible formats; and ; (C) in subsection (f)— (i) in paragraph (1)— (I) in subparagraph (A), by striking specialized and inserting accessible ; (II) in subparagraph (B), by striking instructional materials in specialized formats and inserting commercially produced or open source instructional materials in accessible formats ; (III) in subparagraph (C), by striking specialized and inserting accessible ; (IV) in subparagraph (D)— (aa) by striking instructional materials in specialized formats and inserting commercially produced or open source instructional materials in accessible formats ; and (bb) by striking may and inserting shall ; (V) in subparagraph (E), by striking specialized and inserting accessible ; (VI) in subparagraph (F)— (aa) by striking specialized and inserting accessible ; and (bb) by striking may and inserting shall ; and (VII) in subparagraph (G)— (aa) by striking specialized and inserting accessible ; and (bb) by striking utilizing and inserting that are born accessible and utilize ; and (ii) in paragraph (2), by inserting and evidence after recommendations ; (D) in subsection (g), by striking paragraphs (1) through (3) and inserting the following: (1) Approaches for the provision of commercially produced or open source instructional materials in accessible formats that advance the state of the art in producing instructional materials used in smaller categories of postsecondary courses, such as advanced topics in mathematics and science. (2) Approaches supporting a unified search for commercially produced or open source instructional materials in accessible formats across multiple databases or lists of materials available to all postsecondary students with a qualified print disability. (3) Market-based approaches for making commercially produced or open source instructional materials in accessible formats directly available to eligible students at prices comparable to standard instructional materials. ; (E) in subsection (h)(3), by striking specialized and inserting accessible ; (F) in subsection (i)— (i) by inserting complete national expansion of the models or expand to after expand the program under this section to ; and (ii) in paragraph (1), by striking specialized and inserting accessible ; and (G) by adding at the end the following: (j) Definition of accessible format In this section, the term accessible format has the meaning given the term in section 121 of title 17, United States Code. .