IMODS: Instructional Materials Ordering and Distribution System
Instructional materials in accessible formats are available on
the Instructional Materials ordering and Distribution System (IMODS) on the
California Department of Education (CDE),
Clearinghouse for Specialized Media and Translations Web Site.
Are the materials free?
Instructional materials are purchased with Instructional
Materials Funding Realignment Program (IMFRP) funds, and are loaned to public
schools at no cost to the school. Only persons authorized by your local
education agency (LEA), school districts, special education local area plans
(SELPAs), County Offices of Education, or charter schools may submit orders
for books and products on IMODS.
How do I
register so I can get materials?
To register for an IMODS account, go to CSMT
New Account Web Page. Fill out the Member Registration Form, and
forward it to your supervisor (special education director, program specialist,
or other account lead). Once approved by the supervisor it is forwarded to the
e-mail address
csmt@cde.ca.gov. The staff at the
Clearinghouse for Specialized Media and Translations (CSMT) will e-mail a
username and password for the new account. For more information about
registration contact Steven Parker by phone at 916-327-0224, or by e-mail at
sparker@cde.ca.gov.
What is the ordering process?
To order materials, begin by logging on to CSMT
Account Logon Web page. Enter
the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) at the top in the search window,
and click GO. The item will
display your product search results. To add hard-copy braille, large print, or a
CD of an audio title click on the blue ISBN or title. The system will ask you
for a quantity. After entering the quantity the system will put the item in your
shopping cart (similar to other online ordering systems). The program will next
ask if you want to continue shopping, or check out. Once you have completed your
order and check out, the items will automatically be sent to the
address provided for shipping. We would appreciate only one order per day, per
site. You will receive notification if an item is on back order within 48 hours.
If you are authorized to submit APH Federal Quota orders, your account will
automatically be debited for costs related to the order.
How many items can I put on an order?
You may order as many items as you need. We ask that you please
limit orders to 20 textbook items or 20 APH items per order.
How long will it take to get materials?
If materials are available in stock at the CSMT warehouse it
usually takes up to a week to receive the materials. Sometimes the shelves are
empty, and the item will be on back order. Ordering a new title to be
transcribed can take several months for a textbook, depending on the number of
pages and complexity, an additional 2 months for embossing. Large print can take
up to 60 days. An audio file may take two weeks, if we have created the audio for that title. Obtaining an
electronic file from a publisher can take three months.
The CSMT stocks some APH products in the warehouse. Stocked items
are shipped within a week. If it is a non-stock item it will be ordered directly
from APH. We are committed to providing instructional materials as soon as
possible for students.
Are some materials downloadable?
The IMODS file collection can be downloaded to a computer or other devices (e.g.
Book Port Plus, APH Braille Plus Mobile Manager, MP3 player, iPod, iPhone,
Android Phone, etc.). The International
Standard Book Number (ISBN) is
either the ten digit (for titles before 2007) or thirteen digit number (for
books published after 2007) to search IMODS for materials. Use the online ISBN Convertor 
to find
the other number. Formats for files include; publisher submitted rich text file
(RTF), transcriber braille and electronic tactile, audio, and large print
contractor PDF or publisher PDF files. Enter the ISBN of the book into IMODS
Search field after logging on. If the file is available, it will display "Yes"
Click on Download. Save the file to
your desktop, or other folder location.
We now have access to publisher files from the National
Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) files from the
National
Instructional Materials Access Center 
. Publisher files from the NIMAC can be converted to rich text
(RTF), portable document format (PDF), digital
accessible information system (DAISY), and hypertext markup language (HTML).
If you are having
difficulties or encounter any problems when downloading any files, please
contact Ravi Thakkar, Associate Information Systems Analyst by e-mail at
rthakkar@cde.ca.gov or by phone at 916-323-4735.
Last Reviewed: Thursday, September 27, 2012