Sec. 31.028. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

(a) The commissioner may purchase special instructional materials for the education of blind and visually impaired students in public schools. In addition, for a teacher who is blind or visually impaired, the commissioner shall provide a teacher's edition in Braille or large type, as requested by the teacher, for each instructional material the teacher uses in the instruction of students. The teacher edition must be available at the same time the student instructional materials become available.

(b) The publisher of adopted instructional material shall provide the agency with computerized instructional material files for the production of Braille instructional materials or other versions of instructional materials to be used by students with disabilities, on request of the commissioner. A publisher shall arrange computerized instructional material files in one of several optional formats specified by the commissioner.

(c) The commissioner may also enter into agreements providing for the acceptance, requisition, and distribution of special instructional materials and instructional aids pursuant to 20 U.S.C. Section 101 et seq. for use by students enrolled in:

(1) public schools; or

(2) private nonprofit schools, if state funds, other than for administrative costs, are not involved.

(d) In this section:

(1) "Blind or visually impaired student" includes any student whose visual acuity is impaired to the extent that the student is unable to read the text in regularly adopted instructional material used in the student's class.

(2) "Special instructional material" means instructional material in Braille, large type or any other medium or any apparatus that conveys information to a student or otherwise contributes to the learning process.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 6 , Sec. 35, eff. July 19, 2011.