Skip to content

Category: free reading technologies

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…

Leave a Comment

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…

1 Comment

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…

Leave a Comment

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…

Leave a Comment

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…

Leave a Comment

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…

Leave a Comment

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…

Leave a Comment

Teacher-Recommended Titles for Black History Month

Earlier, we wrote about Black History Month. In this blog, we want to share some great reading recommendations from one of our amazing sponsor members, Donna Schneider.  Donna is an Assistive Technology Specialist and Bookshare Mentor Teacher.  She gave us her list of teacher-recommended books to read and learn about  black history.  Some titles meet Common Core Standards, so please share them with other teachers and students. Here’s a tip! Use Reading Lists to save, organize, and share these books with students who have Individual Memberships.  View this tutorial for educators or this tutorial for Individual Members. * * *…

Leave a Comment

Leading Accessible Communities – LIVE Discussion with Online Community Managers

January 27, 2014 is Community Manager Appreciation Day and we’re thrilled that two of Benetech’s employees, BJ Wishinsky, Bookshare’s Social Media Coordinator, and Allison Hilliker, Benetech’s Operations Associate, will team up to talk with community managers around the country on the important topic of accessibility. Online Community Managers help individuals and organizations build connections online around common goals and personal, social, or business interests. BJ and Allison’s goals are to help more community managers understand their role in removing barriers to access and inclusion for community members with disabilities. They will help other leaders in the field to learn about…

Leave a Comment

Two FREE “Bookshare for Educators” Workshops during ATIA 2014 Conference in Orlando

Educators near or close to Orlando, Florida, and those who will attend the ATIA 2014 conference, reserve your seat now for FREE Bookshare training workshops on Friday, January 31. This is your chance to get hands-on training and answers to questions directly from our Bookshare trainers. You do not have to register for ATIA to participate.  The events will take place at the Caribe Royal Hotel in conjunction with ATIA 2014. Once we reserve your spot, we’ll send you details in a confirmation email.  Space is limited, so please sign up on the waiting list for these in-depth training sessions:…

Leave a Comment