November 2012 - Bookshare Blog

Published November 30, 2012

Indications of Improvements in Reading

From time to time, we receive indications of improvements in test scores of students who use Bookshare. To be clear, these improvements cannot and should not be attributed directly to the use of Bookshare because many factors contribute to scores. However, the improvements are encouraging signs that digital accessible text can make a difference. At the recent OSEP (Office of Special Education Programs) demonstration event at Toyon Elementary School in San Jose, California, special education teacher Tammy Irvine said, “We’re seeing results not just in their motivation and enjoyment of reading, but in their standardized test scores. While many factors…

A Mother’s Appeal … Look for Hidden Learning Disabilities Early in School

When a child looks normal, but does not learn well, we sometimes make the assumption that the child is lazy or not focused enough on their studies in school. Parents deal with this common and almost always frustrating scenario every day when they have a child with learning disabilities (LD) or special needs. Kathryn Roset, an Arkansas attorney and parent of five, faced this frustration for years since her son Dane, now eleven, was a toddler. “When we see a child with physical issues, we understand their learning challenges instantly and hopefully prescribe strategies and technology accommodations that will help,”…

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Published November 20, 2012

Where Did We Come From? Family Roots

This Thanksgiving, many families will travel to celebrate and give thanks for their many blessings. For some families, these journeys are shorter than the journey a relative or ancestor took in the past. Many of us have ancestors who have traveled from one place to another to find a new life and new opportunities. Our relatives have stories about where they came from, what life was like where they started, and what they experienced as they learned to fit into a new community. What do you know about your family’s history? Who can tell you stories of what happened before…

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Published November 13, 2012

Participate in International Education Week

Co-authored by Ray Myers, Ed.D., Office of Educational Technology and Betsy Beaumon, Vice President and General Manager, Benetech Literacy Program The Office of Educational Technology (OET) in the U.S. Department of Education has been an integral part of the International Education Week (IEW) sponsored by the Departments of Education and State beginning in November 2000, www.iew.state.gov. Now with expanded access to web-based social media resources, there are many more ways for individuals and organizations to participate in IEW activities across the globe during this week. In this year’s celebration over the week of November 12 – 16, 2012, we are…

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Published November 12, 2012

Parent Determination Leads to Son’s Success

This article was originally published on NCLD.org. My name is Kathy Thompson and my son Jeffrey is a great kid and an excellent athlete. You would think that he doesn’t have a care in the world, except to make the first string on his football or wrestling team, but that is far from the case. Since kindergarten, Jeffrey struggled to read. As his school assignments got tougher, the pain grew more visible and homework nights were met with frustration. Words stuck in his brain. We often talked about why his friends could read well and he could not. By sixth…

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Published November 8, 2012

Barking Great Books!

Did you know that dogs have been trained and successfully used in combat? They are called Military War Dogs (MWDs) and as in other wars were again made famous as part of the successful SEALS maneuver against Osama Bin Laden. It doesn’t matter what your beliefs are about war, these books are fascinating in their own right and will be of interest to returning combat veterans, guide dog users, and anyone interested in dogs. Many of us with guide dogs for the blind are being trained by instructors who worked with Military War Dogs. Some are Vietnam vets, others are…

American Bar Association Titles in Bookshare

As Bookshare followers know, many publishers have relationships with us and submit files electronically. Recently, The American Bar Association (ABA) submitted a series of titles from the Legal Practice Management division that produces books to help lawyers in their work. Today, Election Day 2012, seems like a fitting day to tell readers about these legal works. There are many titles of interest to law students and practicing lawyers on building a practice, using social media, using technology, and more. Below are links to ten: iPad Apps In One Hour for Lawyers – Finding the best apps often can be an…

Month: November 2012