Special Education Accommodations Archives - Page 6 of 12

Published August 26, 2014

Team-Up for Textbooks: Volunteer to Help Students with Print Disabilities

Post written by Brenda Hendricksen, Volunteer Program Manager for Benetech and published on August 19, 2014 on the Benetech blog. * * * By Brenda Hendricksen, Volunteer Program Manager posted in Bookshare on August 19, 2014 – See more at: http://benetech.org/author/brendah/#sthash.zKQVLSuF.dpuf By Brenda Hendricksen, Volunteer Program Manager posted in Bookshare on August 19, 2014 – See more at: http://benetech.org/2014/08/19/team-up-for-textbooks-volunteer-to-help-students-with-disabilities/#sthash.p2N1sT90.dpuf By Brenda Hendricksen, Volunteer Program Manager posted in Bookshare on August 19, 2014 – See more at: http://benetech.org/2014/08/19/team-up-for-textbooks-volunteer-to-help-students-with-disabilities/#sthash.p2N1sT90.dpuf Across the U.S., thousands of students with print disabilities will start their school year without the textbooks they need for class. These students…

Leave a Comment

Published August 19, 2014

Get Inspired for Back-to-School!

Reading is the key to inspiration, and you can start the new school year off on the right foot by making sure you have the books you need for class. Whether you are new to Bookshare or have been using it for years, follow these easy steps to get ready for Back-to-School! Update your account: Log in to Bookshare or sign up online! (Trouble logging in? Reset your password.) Individuals Check your membership status and provide any missing information. Schools and Groups Go to “My Organization” in the Task Bar. Go to “Members” and add new qualified students. For existing members, update their…

10 Comments

Published August 12, 2014

Technology Spotlight: Read Easily with the Victor Reader Stream

From time to time, Bookshare shares information about technologies to improve the reading experience for our members. This month, we want to feature the updated Victor Reader Stream by HumanWare. The Stream, as many call it, is a popular accessible media player and eBook reader you may already use as a Bookshare member. The newest version takes advantage of advanced Bookshare features available through our Partner Program and combines it with some great wireless capabilities. The Victor Reader Stream makes it easier for members to search, browse and open Bookshare books to get to the content you really want. Through…

Leave a Comment

Published August 7, 2014

We’re Experiencing Exponential Growth at Bookshare!

We’ve reached two major milestones in our work to advance reading equality to underserved populations, and we’re shouting it out to the world! First, the collection now surpasses a quarter of a million titles, 286,033 to be exact as of today. We achieved this milestone thanks to the sheer dedication of volunteers, our staff, and partnerships with over 500 leading publishers, like Random House, Penguin, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, Wiley, and many others who donate their digital files. Did you know that Bookshare also has well over 14,000 textbooks in the collection? Yes, that’s true! We also have vocational,…

Leave a Comment

Published July 25, 2014

NEW! Bookshare Parent Ambassador Program

A post by Lisa Wadors Verne, PhD, Manager of Bookshare’s Parent Outreach Program. Over the years, we’ve met many amazing parents who advocate on behalf of their children for accessible books, reading technologies, and educational resources like Bookshare. As a result, we’ve published some great stories about dedicated moms and super dads who have performed heroic acts to ensure their children get equal access to learning. We know that there are many more parents doing similarly amazing things for children with print disabilities every day. They may tell other parents about how their child uses Bookshare at home, advocate at…

Leave a Comment

Published July 3, 2014

Third Grader Reads Fast with His Fingers and Inspires Teaching Assistant to Learn Braille

Brennan Draves, a third grader at Mackensen Elementary School, who also receives educational services at Bay-Arenac ISD in Michigan, reads his assignments fast with his fingers. He uses a BrailleNote device and books from Bookshare. Carissa Reed, his teaching assistant, says, “Brennan is a whiz when it comes to learning! He’s just an awesome and intelligent little guy and a sponge for information. He inspires me and everyone he meets!” Brennan has Retinitis Pigmentosa, a degenerative eye disease that causes severe vision impairment and blindness. Brennan says, “Bookshare has made my homework easier. With my BrailleNote, I skip the notes…

1 Comment

Published June 13, 2014

From the Eyes of Fathers…Honoring Dedicated Dads!

We’re honored to feature two proud dads of Bookshare students. Mr. Drake Leong from Palo Alto, California, is the father of Kevin Leong, and Mr. Andrew Cooper from Austin, Texas, is the father of Ben Cooper. Both dads care deeply about their sons and are intimately involved in their education and use of Bookshare. These fathers represent the best in parental dedication to students with print disabilities. Today, we’re sharing their thoughts about their sons. Drake Leong “Life before Bookshare was very difficult for my son,” says Drake. Kevin suffered an unexpected brain injury when he was little and had…

Leave a Comment

Published May 16, 2014

Bookshare Support Question – What’s the Quickest and Easiest Way to Read Books from Bookshare for Individual Members?

Welcome to Bookshare’s support question of the month. In this inaugural post, our knowledgeable and responsive Support Team will address a commonly asked question from members just like you! Every month, the team will choose a new support topic to help you get more out of Bookshare, so make sure you subscribe to our blog for these great tips. Here’s our first month’s support question: “What’s the quickest and easiest way to access and read a Bookshare book for Individual Members?” Drum roll please… The answer is through the Bookshare Web Reader. This reader works on both Mac and Windows.…

Leave a Comment

Published May 11, 2014

Cheers to Bookshare Moms—Our Heroes and Ambassadors of Accessible Books!

Today on Mother’s Day, we shout out a Happy Mother’s Day to Bookshare moms! Thank you for dreaming of a world where all children enjoy the best possible reading experience. Through your extraordinary efforts to advocate for accessible books and technologies, tens of thousands of children with print disabilities can now study alongside their classmates, read a popular children or teen series, and learn independently for the first time. In this blog, we’re sharing stories about extra special moms and kids who believe in this mission. We also want you to know about the new Bookshare Parent Ambassador Program and…

1 Comment

Published May 6, 2014

Sharing Best Practices to Celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Day!

Today we recognize educators everywhere for their dedication to teaching. That’s why we’re featuring some of the country’s most effective educators and specialists who work with students with print disabilities. Did you know that across the country, there are nearly 500 Bookshare Mentor Teachers? They use the online library and reading tools in innovative ways in their classrooms and to train other teachers, students, and parents. Why Do Bookshare Mentor Teachers Do What They Do? When asked, they’ll tell you it’s for the children, teens, and older students who could not enjoy reading a book or studying advanced curriculum.…

Leave a Comment

Category: Special Education Accommodations