Laura Deck, Bookshare Communications, Author at Bookshare Blog

How Parents Can Tackle Students’ Unfinished Learning

Sign says "Help Wanted: teachers, substitutes, parent volunteers, bus drivers" next to a Zoom screen, two books, and a student reading a book with a question mark over his head

Published February 1, 2022

How Parents Can Tackle Students’ Unfinished Learning

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has disrupted learning. Since the winter break, students, parents, and teachers have encountered unexpected school closures, quarantines, Zoom fatigue, and staff turnovers that have impacted learning even further. And for students with disabilities and learning challenges, getting the services and accommodations they need has been difficult. Learn how Bookshare can help by providing ebooks with assistive reading features that support struggling readers.

Career Launch @ Perkins Prepares Trainees for Customer Service Careers

Innovative program at Perkins School for the Blind provides training and coaching to jumpstart careers for blind and visually impaired young adults. A recent panel of customer service professionals, including a representative from Bookshare, shared their advice with Perkins trainees.

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Bookshare Community Answers Challenges of 2021 and Looks Ahead to 2022

12 stars contain photos of teachers and students featured in blogs throughout 2021

Published January 4, 2022

Bookshare Community Answers Challenges of 2021 and Looks Ahead to 2022

2021 continued to throw us pandemic curveballs, but the Bookshare community rose to the challenge and made reading possible for even more people with reading barriers. As we jump into 2022, let’s take a brief look back at the stories and accomplishments from 2021 featuring dedicated teachers, impressive Bookshare members, the top ten most downloaded books, the Bookshare Book Club, and the new Bookshare Reader for smart speakers.

Happy Holidays from Your Friends at Bookshare

Season’s Readings! From all of us at Benetech, wishing you and your loved ones a joyful holiday season. We are grateful for your continued, thoughtful support and partnership. Together we can help people of all ages learn, thrive and reach their fullest potential in the year to come.

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Introducing Bookshare Reader (Beta) for Smart Speakers

A photo collage of 5 people sitting at tables and using a smart speaker

Published December 14, 2021

Introducing Bookshare Reader (Beta) for Smart Speakers

Get ready for a new, exciting way to read with Bookshare Reader for smart speakers (beta). It’s as easy as using your voice. Now, you can read and enjoy your books on any Alexa-enabled device. Simply tell Alexa to open Bookshare Reader and read a book. With Bookshare Reader, you can enjoy the convenience of voice-enabled tools to enjoy the world’s largest ebook library for people with reading barriers.

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Season’s Readings from Bookshare

Three pairs of feet are on a table in front of a fireplace. Five books appear: The Elves and the Shoemaker, Letters from Father Christmas, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, The Polar Express, and Rudolp the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Published December 8, 2021

Season’s Readings from Bookshare

Welcome to the best time of year for snuggling up with a book! During the holiday season, it’s fun to revisit treasured classics and discover new favorites. We made a list (of books) and checked it twice to give you a sleigh full of ideas on what to read. So grab a blanket and a warm drink and settle in with heartwarming books featured in this blog.

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#GivingTuesday: Support Youth Who Long to Read

A young boy wears headphones and reads on a tablet with Giving Tuesday above 5 children's books

Published November 29, 2021

#GivingTuesday: Support Youth Who Long to Read

Spread hope and learning this holiday season. With your Giving Tuesday gift to Bookshare, you can help more students discover the joy of reading and close the literacy gap.

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Member Spotlight: Academic Enjoys Instant Access to Scholarly Texts in Bookshare

Published November 23, 2021

Member Spotlight: Academic Enjoys Instant Access to Scholarly Texts in Bookshare

Olga Borovaya has been doing research and teaching at Stanford and other universities since 1998, which is when she started losing her eyesight. An expert in Sephardic Studies and Ladino Culture, she was always looking for resources and devices that would make her work possible despite her visual impairment, but most of the time she relied on research assistants who would read to her in several languages and help her find books at the university libraries. Fortunately, she discovered Bookshare and now relies on it for immediate access to scholarly texts in accessible formats.

#WeAreGrateful: Giving and Receiving Thanks

As we prepare for the Thanksgiving season, the Bookshare team is grateful every day for everyone in the community who made a difference in someone’s life: a teacher who mentored a struggling student, a parent who supported and encouraged a child to read, or a volunteer who scanned and proofread a book on a Bookshare member’s wish list. Plus – enjoy these recommendations for holiday reading!

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Diverse Students Learn by Doing at Henry Ford Academy

three students read books on computers in a classroom next to book covers of The Nickel Boys, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and a photo of Joe Manzella

Published November 1, 2021

Diverse Students Learn by Doing at Henry Ford Academy

Joe Manzella is the 9th grade Resource Room teacher at the Henry Ford Academy in Dearborn, Michigan, outside of Detroit. One of the ways he supports students with reading and learning challenges is by providing ebooks in alternate formats from Bookshare. Learn more about his tips for reading success in today’s blog.

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Author: Laura Deck, Bookshare Communications