APH as an Accessible Media Producer:

A Status Report

Julia MyersJanuary 2010

NIMAS and APH

• First file assigned to APH on 4/2/2007.

• 116 NIMAS file sets by January 2010.

• NIMAS Files have been distributed to APH Transcribers.

• NIMAS Files have been used to produce APH large print and braille textbooks.

APH Braille Transcribers

• Request electronic files to assist in transcription

• 65% use Braille 2000

• 10% use Megadots

• 25% use Duxbury

APH Braille Transcribers

• Accept NIMAS files with or without images included.

• Are able to provide faster turnaround with NIMAS files, especially for smaller books.

NIMAS and APH Tactile Graphics

• JPEG and PNG images from NIMAS files are useful for production of some tactile graphics using APH existing production software.

APH, NIMAS, and Large Print• Custom enlargement is a mechanical

process of enlarging original print version.

• The APH Large Print process enhances design based on recommendations from B/VI research to increase usefulness to students.

• The APH Large Print process uses NIMAS files in pre-production.

ATIC Large Print Process and NIMAS

• Building on ongoing enhancements and changes to software and production processes, NIMAS has proven to be compatible with the APH large print pre-production process.

• SVG images not suitable for APH large print production.

• JPEG with a native resolution of 300 DPI preferred.

APH Large Print and NIMAS

• APH reports that the images found in the NIMAS file sets are “the best they have ever had” for large print production.

• The NIMAS XML has cut pre-production time by half or more.

Large Print by the Numbers

• In 2009, APH provided 15,543 large print books representing 4,328 titles to visually impaired students.

• 732 new large print titles were produced by APH in 2009 by specific request.

• An estimated 29,000 visually impaired elementary and secondary school students utilize large print, while about 5,411 utilize Braille as their primary reading medium, and 2,796 utilize it as a secondary medium.

Large Print Images in Print

• Images can be reproduced at higher resolution in print than in other media, such as via electronic display, without creating more work for the eye to perform.

• For students with visual acuity issues, the higher resolution and superior reproduction in print is an advantage, especially for charts, maps, and other graphical material.

For More Information: Production of Large Print, Braille, &

Tactile Graphics

Jane Thompson, ATIC DirectorAmerican Printing House for the Blind1839 Frankfort Ave.Louisville, KY 40206-0085502-895-2405800-223-1839atic@aph.orgjthompson@aph.org

For More Information:NIMAC

• http://www.nimac.us

• 502-899-2230

• 1-877-526-4622 (1-877-52-NIMAC)

• NIMAC@aph.org