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Category: accessible k12 and postsecondary textbooks

Heading to ATIA? Register Now for FREE Bookshare Training Sessions!

ATIA – February 2-5, 2016 – Orlando, FL Attendees of this year’s Assistive Technology Industry Association conference will learn about the latest trends, tools, and best practices in the field of assistive technology that can improve the lives of people with special needs. To learn more about Bookshare and how you can help students with print disabilities get accessible books and educational materials, we invite you to attend our presentations and training events. Bookshare Training at ATIA on Friday, February 5th Register now to reserve your spot in one of the FREE 30-minute Bookshare training sessions throughout the day. There is a…

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Bookshare Opens World of Knowledge for Sociology PhD Candidate

Even as a child, Junia Howell dreamed of new policies that would increase the economic vitality of her impoverished urban neighborhood. Yet, occupations that evaluate and create policies require ample amounts of reading and writing—a challenge for Howell who is severely dyslexic. However, with the support of accessible online libraries like Bookshare, which is free to all U.S. students with qualifying print disabilities, Howell is now pursuing her passion as a Sociology PhD candidate at Rice University in Houston, Texas. “Audiobooks have been an essential part of my academic access,” says Howell. “In primary school, I would wait by the mail…

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Students Talk about Accessible Books In Answer to Teacher’s Call to Read

Tanna Gallaher, a Dyslexia Specialist at Raymond E. Curtis Elementary School in Weatherford, Texas, encourages good reading habits to support lifelong learning. Ms. Gallaher’s motto is to read, read, read, and she advocates for independent reading at school and at home. Tanna is also a Bookshare Mentor Teacher and encourages parents to sign their student up for an Individual Membership to help them reach and exceed their academic goals. “It is important that students are able to choose what they are most interested in reading, whether that is fiction, nonfiction, magazines, websites, or other materials,” she says. “I encourage all parents…

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Making a Direct Impact on the Lives of People with Vision Loss

Disability advocates are often the first to say that people who are blind or visually impaired make excellent workers. Why? In addition to their unique strengths and talents, these workers are more likely to use assistive technology and have specific workforce training. They may have mentors, teachers, and close family members who support them. They may also take full advantage of knowledge resources, like Bookshare, to learn about their professional interests. When it comes to knowing about workers who are blind and about braille literacy and resources to train blind workers, Bookshare member Bill Powell, an Assistive Technology Director for…

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Bookshare Announces 2015 Mentor Teacher Winners

Bookshare’s Mentor Teacher program supports the world’s top teachers and assistive technology specialists. The program provides training and tools to support educators, parents, and students in the effective use of Bookshare’s online accessible library and reading technologies.  Currently, over 700 educators and specialists have joined the network, and it is because of their efforts that students with print disabilities across the U.S. are getting books in accessible formats that they can read. As we honor this network, we also want to acknowledge the 2015 Bookshare Mentor Teacher winners. This annual competition is open to all Bookshare Mentor Teachers and requires participants…

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Living with Dyslexia – Changing the Future Together

This month, we are raising awareness about dyslexia and the myths surrounding people with this language-based learning disability that affects word recognition, spelling, and reading. Brain research says that with the right resources and accommodations, like accessible books and reading technologies, people with dyslexia can break through reading barriers, live incredible lives and reach immeasurable goals. So today, we want to shine a spotlight on some of our own Bookshare members and their reflections of living and learning with dyslexia. These members, and many like them, are strong advocates of people with dyslexia and learning disabilities. We hope their inspiring…

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Missouri Educator Underscores Value of Student Logins and Individual Memberships

Catherine Fortney, an Occupational Therapist and Assistive Technology Facilitator at the Francis Howell School District in St. Charles, Missouri, says her Bookshare student members love Individual Memberships and Student Logins—a new feature that lets students log in on their own and read assigned books wherever they want. Students’ Reading Transformations Fortney also likes to share stories of transformation with colleagues, administrators, and parents. “Transformative stories fortify the value of Bookshare,” she says. “The online accessible library is a game changer in special education, especially for students with learning, vision, and physical disabilities, such as muscular dystrophy.” Gabby, a high school student…

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Get in the Back-to-School Groove with Bookshare

Summer is winding down, and a new school year is around the corner. How can we make sure students with visual, physical, and learning disabilities are set up to have their best academic year yet? Get their books in accessible formats and the best tools around from Bookshare for free! Since last back-to-school, the Bookshare team has been busy adding more and more books to our library. Our collection is bigger than ever with over 350,000 titles in formats like audio, braille, and large print that are accessible to people who cannot read traditional print. These titles include textbooks, Common…

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College Student, Sam Myers is Future Ready with Bookshare!

Sam Myers, a senior psychology student at the University of Wyoming, was looking for assistive technology software that would read his textbooks aloud. Because of a visual impairment in one of his eyes, Sam could not read for long periods of time without straining his vision, and large amounts of reading became very tedious and time consuming. As an audio-learner, Sam thought audio textbooks could possibly assist with his college reading and help to improve his performance as a student. He already had an iPad and tried to use the built-in screen reader feature, called VoiceOver, however, VoiceOver was not…

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Born Accessible and the New Golden Age of Inclusive Education

Betsy Beaumon’s Keynote at the 52nd Annual Learning Disabilities Association of America Conference. First published on the Benetech website on February 25, 2015.  Rapid advances in technology are remaking the content landscape and have made it possible to get more content, in more ways, to more people. Will the digital revolution usher in a golden age of access to books and information for people who cannot use standard print, such as those affected by dyslexia and other learning disabilities? Benetech President Betsy Beaumon posed this challenge in her keynote address at the opening of the 52nd Annual Conference of the…

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