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…
Leave a CommentStudents 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…
1 CommentLiving 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…
Leave a CommentLet’s Raise Awareness of Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities in October
Did you know that 2.9 million children in the U.S. have a specific learning disability and one in five students has a brain-based learning and attention issue related to reading, writing, math, or organizational skills? According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, 1 of out every 10 students in the U.S. is dyslexic, and 80 percent of children placed in special education with a learning disability are dyslexic. In October, Bookshare is supporting Dyslexia Awareness Month and Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. It’s the perfect time to put a spotlight on learning disabilities like dyslexia, as well as resources like Bookshare…
Leave a CommentBookshare’s Criteria for Adding Post-Secondary Education Ebooks to Its Collection
Bookshare expands its accessible ebook collection for higher education through partnerships with publishers and university presses During a recent discussion on AERNet (Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired), questions arose about Bookshare’s policies on converting books for higher education. Here is the explanation from Jim Fruchterman, CEO of Benetech, that we felt was important to share with the larger Bookshare community. Bookshare is a library focused on books that can be shared. Our dream is that once a book has been digitized, nobody else will have to do scanning work again. We need to do that within…
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