accessible instructional materials Archives - Page 5 of 16

Published April 15, 2014

Educators, Get Your Students Access to Bookshare at Home Easily through Your School Account

Spring is a great time for educators who use Bookshare to get your students access at home through an Individual Membership. Why? Three big reasons! 1. Your students will build and practice their reading skills over the summer. 2. Your students will have opportunities to become independent learners. 3. It’s easy! Bookshare has simplified the Individual Membership signup process for schools that already have Organizational Memberships. Sponsors simply log into their Bookshare account and create pre-filled Individual Membership forms with a couple clicks of a button. You can then, send the forms home for parents to sign and return to…

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Published April 8, 2014

School-to-Home Access for Print-Disabled Students Includes Digital Books, iPads and Apps

We want to thank Jessica Chandler, an Ohio Teacher of the Visually Impaired and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist for sharing this article. It’s about the spirit of teamwork in her district and working together to extend reading opportunities for students with print disabilities from school to home. Ms. Chandler is a Bookshare Mentor Teacher. Kudos to District’s Special Education Administrator! Jessica credits her district’s Special Education Administrator, Dr. Deborah Turner, for her forward-thinking approach. “I applaud Dr. Turner’s vision to use digital accessible books and reading technologies to help students prepare early for reading assignments and to train all…

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Published March 31, 2014

TCEA 2014 Conference Roundup. We Got Inspired!

Bookshare staffers and the Accessible Books for Texas team recently attended TCEA, a leading education conference in the beautiful and musical city of Austin, Texas. This year’s theme was “Get Inspired!” and you could tell from the energy in the hallways that educators were primed to do so! In this blog, we’re sharing our favorite learning experiences and photos with you. About TCEA The Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) is a member-based organization devoted to the use and support of instructional technology in PreK-12. It was founded in 1980 and is affiliated with the International Society for Technology in Education…

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Published March 24, 2014

Bookshare Student Shares Reading Success in White House Film Festival

There’s no better form of flattery than receiving a really cool testimonial about the Bookshare library. Whether you do it in a handwritten note, a quick email, or a video testimonial, it’s just awesome to receive your thoughts and we always feel so honored! That’s why we’re featuring this fabulous video created by Carson Maxson, an 8th grader from Olivet Middle School, Michigan, and his English teacher, Sallie Spencer, a former K-12 principal and Bookshare Mentor Teacher. How Read2Go Moved My Life Carson and Sallie created this video, “How Read2Go Moved My Life,” for the first White House Student Film…

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Published March 19, 2014

Stay Connected to Get More Out of Bookshare!

In this blog, you’ll get the scoop on all your favorite online hotspots like the Bookshare blog, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest so that you can quickly reach our staff, get timely answers to your questions, learn about Bookshare products, trainings and events and connect with the broader community that supports people with print disabilities. Are you fully connected? If not, join us now! The Bookshare Blog If you like reading stories, the Bookshare blog is your best bet! It’s a great place to keep up with real-time news and events, learn best practices, and enjoy testimonials from members who use…

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Published March 9, 2014

ATIA 2014 Conference & Bookshare Roundup!

This year’s conference was a resounding success, and we thank the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) for the great work they do to organize the conference and other events throughout the year. Conferences, like ATIA, are very important for learning new knowledge and for special opportunities to meet with new and long-standing Bookshare members in person. Bringing together such a diverse community of educators, parents, researchers, and developers helps us all to grow and share new and better ways to support children and adults with disabilities. To that end, here’s a quick roundup of our presentations, trainings and lively…

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Published March 2, 2014

Oh the Places We Go When We Read! Celebrating Dr. Seuss and Award-Winning Children’s Literature

You may not know Theodor Geisel by name, but when you hear the titles of his famous children’s literature, like One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish and the Cat in the Hat, you’ll know that he is Dr. Seuss. For more than 75 years, his books have charmed children and families around the world, and you can find many of his titles in the Bookshare library. Dr. Seuss wanted children to laugh and to be challenged, entertained, and delighted by the joy of reading. His brilliantly written and playful books, such as Oh, the Places You Will Go!,…

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Published February 24, 2014

Honoring Women in History—March

March is Women’s History Month. Do you know the name of a woman astronomer who discovered a comet in 1847? Who was the first woman Indian Chief to lead the Cherokee Nation? Who fought for a woman’s right to vote? We’ve pulled together some interesting titles about women activists, leaders, poets, and individuals who conquered remarkable odds to improve society. First, to answer our question about a woman astronomer. Maria Mitchell (1818–1889) was an astronomer who discovered a comet, which was named after her, on October 1, 1847. She was the first woman elected to the American Association for the…

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Published February 19, 2014

2014 Schneider Family Book Awards

The American Library Association (ALA) just announced the winners of the 2014 Schneider Family Book Awards. The ALA is the oldest and largest library association in the world, and the Schneider Family Book Awards honor the artistic achievements of authors or illustrators who portray the disability experience. Awards are in three categories: 1) for child and adolescent audiences: birth through grade school (ages 0–8) 2) middle school (ages 9–13), and 3) teens (ages 14–18). Learn about this year’s winners and download their books from the Bookshare library! Award for Young Children A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of…

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Published February 10, 2014

Parent Advocates for Learning Portability for Children with Chronic Illness

Each year, thousands of students miss school due to a chronic illness and fall behind on their homework. This is the case for Hailey Bopp, a Texas youngster who is blind and has cognitive delays. “When Hailey misses school, she gets sad and depressed,” says Ann Bopp, her mom, “because she doesn’t get to read the books her teacher and classmates are reading.” To mitigate her daughter’s frustration, Ann signed Hailey up for a Bookshare individual membership and advocates for the online library to other families in similar situations. “Using Bookshare and an iPad, Hailey keeps up with reading assignments…

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Category: accessible instructional materials