General news Archives - Page 4 of 16

Published December 6, 2014

Winter Holiday Titles That Will Tickle Your Funny Bone!

Looking for some holiday cheer? Check out these witty and quirky holiday titles! We bet one or more will tickle your funny bone, so put away those serious books and put on a smile. Why not share your favorite holiday read on Twitter or post a fun picture on Facebook of yourself reading? We’d love to be a tiny part of a reading experience that brings joy to you and all people. Ho ho ho and happy holidays! For Young Readers Honeyky Hanukkah by Woody Guthrie: A rollicking celebration as a boy and his dog invite friends and family to…

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Published December 1, 2014

How did an Occupational Therapist Help to Build Statewide Delivery of Accessible Instruction Materials?

In 2010, the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) developed True AIM, a statewide initiative to ensure that all students with qualified print disabilities receive timely access to accessible instructional materials (AIM). To deliver on this promise, the Iowa DOE partnered with Benetech, Bookshare’s parent nonprofit. Nancy Dunn, an occupational therapist and Bookshare Mentor Teacher, supported this initiative at the Iowa Heartland Area Education Agency. She and others on the assistive technology team trained educators about the benefits and delivery of accessible instructional materials. Their efforts helped to build capacity in more than ten Iowa districts. What did Nancy and the…

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Published November 24, 2014

Giving Thanks, Looking Ahead: An Open Letter to the Bookshare Community

Dear Friends, I always appreciate hearing from our members and getting a glimpse into how Bookshare is making a positive difference in their lives. Oftentimes, the stories our members share with us are deeply moving, but there’s something especially rewarding in hearing someone new to our community commenting on what they’re able to accomplish with Bookshare.Consider the following statement that one of our members has anonymously shared with us: “I recently activated my account, and am thrilled with your service and how it works seamlessly with my iPad. This is the first time I have been able to read books…

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Published November 21, 2014

Learn About Thanksgiving With These Bookshare Titles!

There’s nothing more satisfying than curling up with a good read. So, we’ve selected these fun Thanksgiving titles for Bookshare readers of all ages to learn why the holiday is so special. As we turn indoors for some good ole fashion fun, we hope your holiday is warm and enjoyable! You never know what you can learn from a good book. Gobble, gobble! * * * * * * For younger readers: I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie Ready, Freddy! #15: Thanksgiving Turkey Trouble The Thanksgiving Day Platter Junie B., First Grader: Turkeys We Have Loved…

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Published November 17, 2014

Updated Bookshare Web Reader Now Lets You Read on Safari!

Bookshare Web Reader, the popular and free reading tool, can now be used on current versions of the Safari browser for Mac! With this newest update to Bookshare Web Reader, Mac users can use Safari to find, open, and read Bookshare books directly within the browser. In addition, they can also listen to words read aloud and follow along with synchronized word highlighting. This full set of reading features was previously only available only on Google Chrome. This is a particularly great update because in addition to using the Safari browser, Mac users can take advantage of high-quality voices available…

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Published November 14, 2014

Donor Spotlight! Carole H. Lake

Thank you Carole H. Lake, Bookshare Member, for this wonderful guest post! Why do I support Bookshare, the accessible online library for people with print disabilities operated by the Benetech Global Literacy Program? Well, I support it for a number of reasons, but first let me tell you a story. My grandmother was a highly educated woman and an avid reader. Sadly, she developed glaucoma, and lost her eyesight in her 60s. I used to go down to the Texas State Library and pick up books on records for her. No, not books on tape—books on vinyl! They were heavy,…

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Published November 8, 2014

The Gift of Reading, a Circle of Life

This post by Jim Fruchterman was originally published on the Benetech site on November 4, 2014 to honor Jim Kleckner. “Frank” (who anonymously shared his story with us) has always been an avid reader, but the progression of his neuromuscular disease to his arms made reading difficult. Eventually he had to ask others to turn pages for him. It became a burden to his family and caregivers to constantly drop what they were doing to turn a page, so he began seeking out ebooks. Few were available, and he had trouble with the ones that were: they’d often be in…

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Published November 1, 2014

Join Us in the Skoll Foundation’s 2014 Social Entrepreneurs Challenge!

A note from Jim Fruchterman, CEO and Founder of Benetech, the parent nonprofit of Bookshare. This post originally appeared on the Benetech site on October 27, 2014. ************************* Zach Bryant loves reading non-fiction. This wasn’t always the case, though. Zach has Cerebral Palsy, which causes movement and coordination problems, and which keeps him from speaking and walking. To communicate his thoughts, he uses an alternative augmentative communication device. Tasks like turning a printed page are difficult for him, which makes reading standard print discouraging. According to his mom, this experience is common to children with Cerebral Palsy. “They get frustrated…

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Published October 28, 2014

Bookshare’s Updated Website Is Live and Helps You Do More!

Bookshare’s updated website is live, so please tell everyone you know who uses the library! This year, our team has been working extra hard to make some great new improvements to our website while keeping many core features you know and love. What’s extra cool is that the updated website is now mobile-friendly, so members can enjoy an improved on-the-go reading experience on tablets and smartphones. And as always, our website continues to be fully accessible. Let’s check what’s under the hood with the updated site! What’s New? Clear, streamlined information—Find out if Bookshare is right for you, and read…

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Published October 16, 2014

College Bridge Program Helps Teens with Learning Disabilities Transition to Postsecondary

GUEST BLOG POST: BY JENNIFER JOLLIFF AND SARA SMITH, PROGRAM COORDINATORS AT MISSION MIDDLE COLLEGE Recently, we caught up with Jennifer Jolliff and Sara Smith, Program Coordinators at Mission Middle College, CA, to talk about their college bridge program in the Santa Clara School District. This collaboration gives high school seniors who are not performing well academically a second chance at making successful transitions to college. In this blog, Jennifer and Sara describe how students with learning disabilities feel about attending college and their approach to provide a new learning environment. They also offer some great recommended reading resources. Believing…

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Category: General news