Transition Archives - Page 3 of 5

Published September 2, 2014

Carson’s Journey with Technology Makes English Teacher Proud!

Earlier this year, we featured a blog and video by Bookshare Student Member, Carson Maxson. He and his English teacher, Sallie Spencer, from Olivet Middle School, Michigan, created the video “How Read2Go Moved My Life” for the first White House Student Film Festival. They wanted to demonstrate how Carson’s reading ability changed once he was introduced to portable technology and accessible ebooks to accommodate his learning disability. Carson’s story is not so unusual for kids with learning disabilities. They fall behind at an early age and cannot keep pace with other students. By fourth grade, Carson read at a first-grade…

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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…

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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 December 19, 2013

Bookshare Listed Among World’s 100 Most Inspiring Applications of Digital Technology for Social Innovation

This post is reposted from the Benetech Blog. The Nominet Trust, a United Kingdom leading social tech funder, included Bookshare, a Benetech Global Literacy initiative, on its list of 100 global ventures using digital technology to solve some of the world’s biggest social problems. Through its innovative technologies, Bookshare is raising the floor for people with print disabilities (such as visual impairments, physical disabilities, or severe learning disabilities) by providing them with the world’s largest collection of accessible copyrighted content and reading tools. Bookshare currently has over 250,000 members and a collection of more than 220,000 titles, which are delivered…

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Published November 29, 2013

NYC Tech Coach for Visually Impaired Students Shares Value of Bookshare’s Online Library

David Cohen, the Vision Technology Coordinator for the New York City Department of Education’s District 75/Citywide Services, is considered the go-to guy for anything tech-related. David has 18 years experience working with students who are visually impaired (VI) in one of the largest districts in the United States. He says a good portion of VI students in his districts now attend general education classes and that “technology is an empowering learning solution for students and the district.” David’s main job is to work with staff, students, and parents to help them evaluate personalized learning needs. Whether it’s assistive technology, digital…

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Published November 4, 2013

FREE Trial Membership to Online Library Opens Lifeline to Reading for Disabled Veterans

Today, November 4, 2013, Benetech and Bookshare released this press announcement. Disabled Veterans Who Qualify Can Download 20 FREE eBooks with 30-Day Trial Membership! The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that 13 percent of all U.S. Veterans, over 2.8 million individuals, now live with blindness, physical disabilities, or traumatic brain injuries. These print disabilities make it difficult, if nearly impossible, to read a newspaper, study a textbook or enjoy a bestseller. With the evolution of digital accessible books, disabled Veterans may have a new lifeline to reading through Bookshare, the world’s largest online library of…

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Published October 31, 2013

Journey with Dyslexia – Guest Blog by Robbi Cooper, a Bookshare Parent Member

Special thanks to Robbi, Andrew and Ben Cooper for their story and to the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) for showcasing the Cooper Family. Our October blog recognizes National Learning Disabilities Month. ************************************ My husband and my son are dyslexic. My husband, Andrew, did not understand that he was dyslexic until adulthood, long after reading difficulties in school left him frustrated – a fate that we did not want for our son. My son, Ben came into the world a bright and vibrant child, but when he entered kindergarten we were told that he was not learning the way…

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Published October 7, 2013

Dyslexia Specialist Says, “Introduce Children with Print Disabilities to Technology Early to Help Them Be Independent!”

Cathy Wilson is a dyslexia specialist at Coppell ISD, TX, and a Bookshare mentor teacher. She trains her colleagues and students who qualify how to use the online Bookshare library and reading technologies. Last year, Cathy had nearly 40 youngsters on her Bookshare organizational account. This allowed her and other approved teachers, or sponsors, to find and download books for students who qualify. She has helped more than 90 percent of these students get individual memberships. “Introducing children with print disabilities to technology early helps them to be more independent and eventually find and download books on their own,” she…

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Published October 1, 2013

Get Students a Bookshare Individual Membership at Home!

Throughout October, parents and educators often meet to discuss how students are progressing through the school year. Parent-teacher conferences, IEP meetings, and other face-to-face opportunities are the perfect time to discuss how students can take reading and studying to the next level with Bookshare. How? Get qualified students access to Bookshare at home. Most of our student members access Bookshare through their school account. This means that educators find and download books for students. A fast growing number of students are also getting individual memberships. This allows them to discover books on their own, download independently, and develop a personal…

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Published September 9, 2013

Empower Students in the Classroom with Reading Tools and Accessible Books!

With the Labor Day holiday behind us, there’s no doubt that you are in the full swing of back-to-school. Last month, we helped you get your Bookshare accounts up-to-date. Did you find the time to complete the easy steps? If not, check out our August Back-to-School post. This month, our aim is to help you prepare students to get the most out of Bookshare for learning in the classroom. Educators always tell us that their students with print disabilities feel a true sense of empowerment when they can read independently and take part in classroom discussions. Jessica Chandler, a teacher…

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Category: Transition