Who can order on-line?
An SIMC Authorized User having an SIMC issued User ID and Password may use the on-line ordering system. The Superintendent of each school district designates specified school personnel through the SIMC as Authorized DRMs for their district. To become registered as a DRM, contact the superintendent of your district. Superintendents can email IRC@scsdb.org to request to the SIMC staff to add or remove a DRM. Authorized DRMs can register teachers who need accessible materials for their students.
What students qualify to receive SIMC services?
In order to qualify to receive K-12 textbooks and core instructional materials, the student must have:
(1) an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP); and
(2) a certification of a print disability, by a Certified Competent Authority (CCA), on file with school district.
What are the basic qualifications for eligibility?
Any student who has a certified print disability, a current IEP, medical certification on file documenting the print disability, or is Chafee qualified, is eligible for services from the SIMC. Basic eligibility qualifications must be met for each student.
Why do students need to be registered?
Teachers must register all new eligible students and all transfer students in their school District prior to the students receiving materials or services from the SIMC. Additionally, by registering students, school districts ensure that every student is included in the National Annual Registry of Visually Impaired Students conducted every January through the American Printing House for the Blind (APH) by the Statewide Instructional Materials Center (SIMC). This Registry allows the State of South Carolina to participate in the Federal "Act to Promote the Education of the Blind." As a result of participating in this Federal program, the SIMC is allocated quota funds based on the number of registered students who meet the definition of legal blindness. These funds are used for ordering equipment and materials for these students from APH.
What are physical materials?
Braille and large print instructional materials as well as specialized aids and equipment specifically designed for students with visual impairments are considered physical materials. These materials are provided from the Statewide Instructional Materials Center (SIMC) through the SIMC. These materials are either returned to the SIMC or renewed for use by an eligible student with visual impairments at the end of each school year.
What if my desired delivery shipping location is not listed for physical materials?
The Statewide Instructional Materials Center (SIMC) houses and ships all physical materials for eligible students with visual impairments through the SIMC. The SIMC can only ship physical materials to locations designated on your SIMC order. If you would like to add a location which is not currently listed in the system, please email IRC@scsdb.org for approval or call the SIMC at 864-577-7731 for assistance.
What information do I need to register a student?
Name of School District, Date of Birth, Gender, Grade Level, Date of IEP, Type of Disability, proof of Certified Competent Authority, and documented Specialized Formats required. Date of Eye Medical, Visual Acuities, Primary Language, and Type of Educational Facility will also be required for students with visual impairments. Please use the Note field to provide additional information. When registering a student with visual impairment, the Note Field can be used to identify or cross reference if the student registered is a twin, triplet, etc. and secondary visual factors.
How do I edit/update student information?
To edit a VI student, use the VI Student menu and select Edit VI Student. The system is available continuously in order to allow you to keep all student information current. Student information should be reviewed and updated annually (i.e. grade level, etc.) to insure that the information is accurate. Click here to access the Student Edit/Update training module. (SIMC will provide a link to training video).
Why do I get a message that the student record can't be found or is inactive?
The record may be open for editing, or for a new student, the registration may not have been approved yet by the SIMC. To check the status of a new student registration, click on the VI student tab and select View Status. Any student listed under Processing or Need More Information cannot be edited.
How can I check on recent edits to student records?
Check the status of recent edits by clicking on the View Status button under the VI Student tab and selecting Edited Students. Any student listed under Processing or Need More Information cannot be edited.
SIMC Annual Census for Students Who Are Legally Blind - System Help
What is the Annual Census?
In order for the State of South Carolina to participate in the Federal "Act to Promote the Education of the Blind", the registration status of all students who are legally blind is reviewed annually through the Statewide Instructional Materials Center (SIMC). Each year during the month of January, Authorized Officials or their Designees are asked to participate in the "Annual Registration of Students Who Are Legally Blind". The American Printing House for the Blind (APH) administers the federal quota allocation for all states, including South Carolina. Funds are appropriated by Congress to APH for the production of specialized instructional materials to be used by students who are legally blind. For more information about federal quota, visit https://www.aph.org/about-federal-quota/
Who may update student records for the Annual Census?
The Directors of Special Education in each school district or special education planning district have the authority to designate teachers of the visually impaired or other specified personnel as Authorized Users for the Annual Census. Directors select designees to allow access to student records in order to update them for the Annual Census during the month of January. Administrative UserNames and Passwords are distributed via email. Your login will take you to an Administrative area where you can select or add Authorized Users in your district as individuals responsible for the Annual Census. Contact the SIMC or email IRC@scsdb.org to request your Administrative UserName and Password.
What information is required for the Annual Census?
For each student meeting the legal definition of blindness, the following information must be provided for the Annual Census: Name; Date of birth; School district in which student is enrolled; Grade Placement; Measurement of Vision; Primary, Secondary and Other reading medium; Primary Language used for the Learner; and additional notes (i.e. to cross-reference triplets, twins, etc., to cross-reference previous year's possible duplicates who were not "true" duplicates, and secondary visual factors, etc.)
What are the eligibility requirements for students to qualify for the Annual Census?
For students to be eligible to be registered during the annual census, they MUST: meet the definition of blindness - "central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correcting glasses or a peripheral field of vision no greater than 20 degrees or visual performance reduced by brain injury or dysfunction when visual function meets the definition of blindness as determined by an eye care specialist or neurologist; "be enrolled in a formally organized public or private, nonprofit educational program of less than college level"; and be enrolled with the registering school on the first Monday in January.
What documentation is required for the Annual Census?
The following documents are not to be submitted to APH but must be on file with the agency or school students are attending in the event that an audit requires evidence of the student's educational program or visual acuity: Written education plan--for each student registered. This verification documenting that the student is in a formally organized educational program may be an IEP, a 504, or any other written action plan; Current eye report--by an ophthalmologist or an optometrist must be on file where the student is enrolled. (A report from a neurologist is acceptable for students classified as 'Functions at the Definition of Blindness'.) The report must be current within three years. Exemption from the current eye report regulation: students with proven non-changing eye conditions, such as bilateral enucleations, anophthalmos, or other conditions determined immutable.
How are Federal Quota dollars generated during the Annual Census utilized?
Schools or agencies may order items available from APH federal quota allocation equal to the funds generated by the number of students who are legally blind registered by them each year. So long as funds are available within a given year, the SIMC will honor any reasonable and legitimate request for APH material that is approved by the designated contact person. Items ordered with APH federal quota funds must originally be used by students who are legally blind and generated the dollars. Materials ordered with Federal Quota dollars are the property of the State of South Carolina and must be returned to the SIMC after the student is finished using them.
Who can use the SIMC On-Line ordering system?