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American Foundation for the Blind
Textbooks and Instructional Materials Solutions Forum

Communication and Collaboration Work Group
Plan of Action-October 2001

Statement of Purpose:

The Communication and Collaboration Work Group serves as a clearinghouse for sharing information related to the activities of the five Solutions Forum Work Groups. The primary focus is to inform and educate the field of blindness and the general public regarding issues and strategies for ensuring equal access to textbooks and instructional materials in accessible formats.

Activity Areas - Completed:

• Develop, for dissemination as appropriate, a clear statement of the problems relating to production and acquisition of textbooks and instructional materials in specialized media which the Solutions Forum is addressing.
• Develop, for dissemination as appropriate, a glossary of key terms and websites specifically related to producing educational materials and accessible media.
• Identify target audiences to which press releases, journal articles, announcements, conference presentations, etc. should be addressed.
• Establish Solutions Forum column in JVIB.
• Prepare a "flow chart" type of document depicting the sequential steps and processes involved in the production of regular print textbooks, from a publisher''s frame of reference.

Activity Areas - Ongoing

• Prepare articles, announcement, alerts, and updates regarding activities of the Solutions Forum for submission to appropriate journals, newsletters, electronic bulletin boards or listserves, etc.
• Prepare, and update as warranted, a list of contact persons for the publishers of educational textbooks.
• Reach out to publishers and producers of educational software materials to involve them in the Solutions Forum.

Activity Areas - Projected

• Distribute AFB Accessible Textbooks Solutions Forum Tool Kit - March 2002
• Identify additional communication and collaboration activities - ongoing

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Last Revision: January 15, 2004