Use of START Materials
START is a grant-funded initiative of the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education. All START materials are to be used with fidelity to their original content and intended purpose, and in accordance with the following guidelines.
All materials, tools, and resources developed by START are freely available, at no cost, to anyone who wishes to use them. START materials may not be used or distributed for financial gain. Fees may be charged for events that use START materials only to recover the reasonable costs of delivering training and related expenses; fees charged must not exceed those costs.
START branding may not be removed, altered, or obscured from any START resource or tool (e.g., CETA, Adult Support Determination Tool, Peer to Peer materials). START follows WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards for all digital content. Any use of START materials must meet the same WCAG standard.
Any use of, or reference to, a START resource or tool in a presentation, handout, slide, or other document must clearly identify and credit START as the source.
Use of Individual START Slides in a Presentation:
Any START slides used in a presentation must include the START logo and align with START’s formatting standards. An opening slide should indicate that the entire presentation is not from START with the following disclaimer: This presentation includes content developed by START. Slides containing START content are identified by the START logo. Slides without the START logo were developed by the presenter and do not necessarily reflect START materials or guidance. Any views, opinions, or conclusions expressed in those slides are solely those of the presenter and should not be attributed to START.
Use of an Entire START Presentation:
Entire START presentations must only be delivered by EPLI Trainers of START Content. All slides should have the START logo and align with START’s formatting standards. An opening slide should indicate the presentation came from START with the following disclaimer: This presentation was developed by START, as indicated by the presence of the START logo on each slide. Any additional examples or opinions shared by the presenter are their own and should not be attributed to START.
Adapting START Materials:
START materials and tools must be used with integrity to their design and content; alterations can change the intended purpose, function, and alignment with the research base. Some START tools may be lightly adapted to meet the needs of a specific district, building, classroom, or learner (e.g., adding a district logo, incorporating local examples), provided that these changes do not alter the content, purpose or function of the tool. However, no changes that affect the integrity of a tool are to be made. This is especially important for tools, such as the CETA, where fidelity to the original design is essential. If a tool has been adapted, it should include a statement that it was "adapted from START materials."