Bookshare Guest, Author at Bookshare Blog

Published July 26, 2016

Brave Means Learning How To Defy The Odds

Our son, Rosdom, is very smart and brave. We recognized these characteristics early in his childhood, but we also saw some unusual behavior that held clues that he would not grow up as a typical child. In preschool, specialists told us that Rosdom would not be able to read, write, or function socially. This information led to many exhausting nights and conversations with teachers, researchers, scientists, and parents who live with similar circumstances. We worried about his education and future. We explored learning environments, resources, and strategies to support children with multiple disabilities. We found Bookshare and assistive technologies. Accessible…

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Published July 19, 2016

Reading Takes Discipline and My Fear of the Written Word Is Gone

People will tell you that I like to consume information, but that was not always the case. For most of my life, I struggled with reading so badly I never thought I would be scholarly or have a successful career, but my fear of the printed word is no longer present. Once I discovered accessible books with reading technologies, my life changed. Bookshare is one of the resources that gave me a competitive edge. Today, in my fifties, I will graduate from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, with a Master of Science in Health and Medical Informatics. The faculty will…

Indiana Assistive Technology Expert Finds “Gem” in Bookshare

Special thanks to Laura Medcalf for her contribution to the Bookshare blog. We appreciate the mission of the Indiana Assistive Technology Act (INDATA) Project and Laura’s “on the record” testimonial. “When you read my blog or listen to my podcasts for the Indiana Assistive Technology Act Project (INDATA), you will notice a common theme. I focus on one form of disability or assistive technology that benefits individuals with a single disability (e.g., visual impairment, hearing loss, autism, etc.). Assistive technology is my passion and my goal is to educate Indiana patrons (“Go Hoosiers!”) and readers across the world who are interested…

A Bookshare Valentine’s Day Love Story

This true story was written by two Bookshare volunteers, Evan Reese and Lissi Deren. She was a proofreader in Ohio who saw a new Welsh name, Evan Reese, on the Bookshare volunteer list. His messages were articulate, optimistic, technically sound, sometimes funny, and always courteous. He was a scanner who saw happy messages from Lissi, noticed she loved animals, and better yet, she was a fan of The Lord of the Rings, proofreading a book, One Ring to Bind Them All. On May 20, 2006, he emailed her off list asking her to hurry because he wanted to read it.…

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Published December 6, 2012

The Loss of a Longtime Bookshare Friend

Sadly, on the last morning of November, a longtime Bookshare staff member, volunteer, and friend, Mayrie Renae, peacefully died in her sleep. Many Bookshare friends and volunteers are mourning her passing. A friend of hers, Lissi Deren, shared this wonderful eulogy to her life and work with us; we wanted to share it with you. Mayrie wasn’t finished living and loving and being a dynamic force for good in Bookshare, but she was spared increased suffering as her illness worsened. I finally brought myself to write to you because I think it is better for you to hear this from…

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Published November 26, 2012

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 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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Author: Bookshare Guest

Brave Means Learning How To Defy The Odds

Reading Takes Discipline and My Fear of the Written Word Is Gone

Indiana Assistive Technology Expert Finds “Gem” in Bookshare

A Bookshare Valentine’s Day Love Story

The Loss of a Longtime Bookshare Friend

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

Parent Determination Leads to Son’s Success