Inclusion K12 reading resources Archives - Page 2 of 5

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 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 March 29, 2015

AT Specialist Designs Bookshare Course to Support District Initiative

In 2014, Stephanie Caceres, a Bookshare Mentor Teacher, developed an online training course for middle and high school teachers in her district to learn about Bookshare and apps like Read2Go and Go Read. “It’s not what you know, but what you are willing to learn,” says Ms. Caceres, a former special education inclusion teacher and now an assistive technology specialist for Worcester County Public Schools, Maryland. She developed her training module with the support of her district supervisor, Rae Record, who encourages innovation and the use of technology to make sure that more students can easily access the curriculum. This…

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Published March 9, 2015

Born Accessible and the New Golden Age of Inclusive Education

Betsy Beaumon’s Keynote at the 52nd Annual Learning Disabilities Association of America Conference. First published on the Benetech website on February 25, 2015. Rapid advances in technology are remaking the content landscape and have made it possible to get more content, in more ways, to more people. Will the digital revolution usher in a golden age of access to books and information for people who cannot use standard print, such as those affected by dyslexia and other learning disabilities? Benetech President Betsy Beaumon posed this challenge in her keynote address at the opening of the 52nd Annual Conference of the…

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Published January 7, 2015

Monthly Support Tip: How to Get NIMAC Textbooks for Students with IEPs

As one of your trusty support specialists, I often receive calls from teachers asking how students with Individual Memberships and IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) can access textbooks, particularly those from the NIMAC repository. I tell them that this can easily be done with Reading Lists! Reading Lists are virtual bookshelves that let teachers and members save books for future reading. Teachers can create Reading Lists with assigned reading, including NIMAC-sourced textbooks for students with IEPs, and share them with students linked with their organization. (Note: Students must have an Individual Membership to access shared Reading Lists.) To read the books,…

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Published December 27, 2014

Suspenseful High School Fantasy Takes Teens On Life-Lesson Journey

Bookshare members and educators alike will enjoy The Heart of Applebutter Hill, a suspenseful novel written by Bookshare member and author Donna W. Hill. Donna, who has been blind since birth, takes young readers on a fast-paced journey of high school mystery and fantasy to teach important lessons about bullying and stereotyping kids with disabilities. This is a great read for middle school and older readers. The main character, Abigail, is a gifted teen who is blind. She and friends, including a boy who uses a wheelchair, go on an amazing journey, encountering many prejudices along the way. They travel…

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Published December 16, 2014

Bookshare’s 2014 Winter Bulletin Just Released!

Our quarterly newsletter, the Bookshare Bulletin was just released! This Winter 2014 edition is a wonderful recap of a tremendous year and an exciting preview of 2015. Thank you for this amazing year and enjoy reading the bulletin! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Giving Thanks and Looking Ahead A message from Betsy Beaumon, VP and General Manager, Benetech Global Literacy Program From our family to yours, we wish you the very best holiday season. Thanks to your support, Bookshare is serving more members than ever with a collection of…

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Published December 1, 2014

How did an Occupational Therapist Help to Build Statewide Delivery of Accessible Instruction Materials?

In 2010, the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) developed True AIM, a statewide initiative to ensure that all students with qualified print disabilities receive timely access to accessible instructional materials (AIM). To deliver on this promise, the Iowa DOE partnered with Benetech, Bookshare’s parent nonprofit. Nancy Dunn, an occupational therapist and Bookshare Mentor Teacher, supported this initiative at the Iowa Heartland Area Education Agency. She and others on the assistive technology team trained educators about the benefits and delivery of accessible instructional materials. Their efforts helped to build capacity in more than ten Iowa districts. What did Nancy and the…

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Published October 28, 2014

Bookshare’s Updated Website Is Live and Helps You Do More!

Bookshare’s updated website is live, so please tell everyone you know who uses the library! This year, our team has been working extra hard to make some great new improvements to our website while keeping many core features you know and love. What’s extra cool is that the updated website is now mobile-friendly, so members can enjoy an improved on-the-go reading experience on tablets and smartphones. And as always, our website continues to be fully accessible. Let’s check what’s under the hood with the updated site! What’s New? Clear, streamlined information—Find out if Bookshare is right for you, and read…

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Category: Inclusion K12 reading resources