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NCAC: Research & Solutions: Policy: State Accessible Curriculum Policy Survey

50 State Accessible Curriculum Policy Survey

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MICHIGAN

On March 20, 2003, we spoke with Carol Easlick, Government Services, Michigan Department of Education. On March 24, 2003 we spoke with Joanne Winkelman, Office of SPED, Michigan Department of Education.

• Braille law only (effective May 30, 2000)

• New legislation re: pubs required to provide textbook (MCL 380.1704) available at: http://www.michiganlegislature.org/mileg.asp?page=getObject&objName=mcl-380-1704&userid=

  Content

  The amendment creates the “Blind Pupil’s Braille Literacy Law” within the Revised School Code to do the following:

• Require the Department of Education to adopt Braille reading and writing standards for teachers of blind and visually impaired pupils

• Require a local school district or an intermediate school district (ISD) to provide information on the benefits of instruction in Braille reading and writing to each person on a blind pupil’s individualized educational planning committee when it received this information from the Department

• Require the Department to obtain Braille versions of textbooks and/or electronic file format versions of textbooks that could be converted to Braille versions

• Prohibit a pupil from being denied instruction in Braille reading and writing solely because the pupil had some remaining vision
  • Braille literacy only - no other disabilities included

Note: There’s also a higher ed. bill re: accessible textbooks (HB 4070) – Electronic Textbook Act – but no K-12 counterpart (introduced 1/28/03 by Rep. Doug Spade, who is blind).

Links and Contact Information

Department of Education: http://www.michigan.gov/mde

Special Education: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-6525_6530_6598---,00.html

Textbook Legislation : http://www.michiganlegislature.org/mileg.asp?page=getObject&objName=mcl-380-1704&userid=

Contacts

Carol Easlick, Government Services, Michigan Department of Education
Tel. (517) 373-0764
E-mail: easlick@michigan.gov

Joanne Winkelman, Office of SPED, Michigan Department of Education
Tel. (517) 373-1696
E-mail: winkelmanj@michigan.gov

Barbara Foster,Office of Special Education
Tel. (517) 335-0476
E-mail: FosterB@michigan.gov

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