Accessible educational materials (AEM) Archives - Page 2 of 10

Published January 28, 2016

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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Published January 22, 2016

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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Published January 12, 2016

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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Published October 31, 2015

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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Published October 27, 2015

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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Published October 15, 2015

Special Guest Post – VA Educator Shares Sensory Teaching Ideas for Students with Dyslexia

October is a time to rally with our partners and advocates to raise awareness of dyslexia and learning disabilities. That’s why we’re sharing a valuable post on blended learning written by Virginia Educator and dyslexia teacher, Jennifer Cassese Appleton. This post was originally featured on the AIM-VA blog. Kudos to Ms. Appleton and to our partner, AIM-VA, for shining the spotlight on learning disabilities like dyslexia and sharing important information and resources. Special thanks also to the AIM-VA staff and editor, June Behrman. The Art of Blended Learning in Reading Classes Jennifer Cassese Appleton is a master at the art of blending multi-sensory learning…

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Published October 8, 2015

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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Published October 2, 2015

Let’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…

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Published September 28, 2015

Bookshare’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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Published September 11, 2015

Student Logins Save Time, Build Independence

Empower students with their own logins to read independently Fall is in the air and classrooms buzz with excitement as teachers pass out textbooks and school supplies. For students with print disabilities, however, the excitement can turn into anxiety when faced with the sheer volume of books. Fortunately for these students, Bookshare allows them to read the same books in accessible formats so they can keep pace with their classmates. Teachers know how important it is to get students with print disabilities reading right away. We also know how busy you are. That’s why we created student logins. What are…

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Category: Accessible educational materials (AEM)