Digital Rights Manager (DRM)

DRM Registration by Superintendents

Guidelines allow a maximum of five (5) Digital Rights Managers (DRMs) per school corporation or charter school.

To register or remove a DRM, a superintendent, or that superintendent’s designee, completes this form. Information needed to register DRM(s) includes the school corporation number, DRM's name, position/title, email, phone, and address.

When the IERC receives a new DRM, they will be sent instructions on how to use the AEM web ordering system and their log-in.

Contact the IERC for a list of your school corporation’s registered DRMs.

Why designate a DRM

The provision of AEM (Accessible Educational Materials) to students with documented print disabilities in accessible formats in a timely manner is a federal mandate, per the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA 2004). A local education agency (LEA) may request AEM materials from the Indiana Educational Resource Center (IERC) for qualified students. The superintendent designates staff person(s) to be a Digital Rights Manager (DRM).

The Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) directs Superintendents (or her/his designee) of each public school corporation and charter school to appoint up to five (5) Digital Rights Managers (DRMs) to support the National Instructional Materials Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) Regulations of the IDEA 2004, for the schools they serve. The superintendent may delegate this task to other personnel as their designee.

DRM Responsibilities

• Protect the copyrighted materials including derivates of the NIMAS file set, e.g. ePUB or PDF.

• Assure compliance with items in the Limited Users Agreement, which they will agree to each time they log into the IERC/AEM Web Ordering System.

• Manage the confidential student information that may be shared between the DRM and the teacher of record (TOR).

• Confirm documentation is provided by a certified competent authority on the determination of print disabilities.

• Register students in the IERC/AEM web ordering interface.

• Place AEM material requests.

• Track and manage the delivery of services.

• Communicate with educators concerning the provision of AEM.

As you consider your team of DRMs, please include staff from various roles. An efficient DRM team may include special educators for LD and VI, a general educator, technology staff to assist with digital downloads, and/or a Reading Specialist, SLP, OT, or other special service provider. A superintendent may appoint a designee such as the special education director, or the building principal, to select DRMs, and that is acceptable.