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Tag: Learning Disabilities

Raising the Awareness of Dyslexiadyslexia spelled out in letters on tiles
Published October 8, 2018

Raising the Awareness of Dyslexia

Every October, during #DyslexiaAwarenessMonth, we join the chorus of voices raising awareness about dyslexia, a 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 assistive technologies, people with dyslexia can break through reading barriers. Today we share the thoughts of Bookshare members (and their parents) to increase awareness of dyslexia. Ryan, Paloma and Omree Share Success Stories Ryan in Florida: Ryan was diagnosed with dyslexia in first grade. As an auditory learner, he raised his reading ability to grade level with the help of text-to-speech…

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The Secret to Getting Reluctant Readers Hooked on Booksa boy is reading and listening to a book on a tablet while sitting in the library
Published April 18, 2018

The Secret to Getting Reluctant Readers Hooked on Books

In Part I, “The Crazy Reading Ladies” explained how they turned Horace Mann Middle School into the school that reads, and in Part 2, they discussed how assistive technology enhances the reading experience and delivers social and academic benefits. In Part 3, “The Crazy Reading Ladies” share tips to get kids reading, favorite books and authors, and more student success stories.  Teachers are incredibly resourceful and creative when it comes to helping students thrive in school. Erin and Mary, affectionately known as “The Crazy Reading Ladies” by their students, have honed their tried-and-true techniques for converting reluctant readers to bookworms. Top…

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Because #RepresentationMattersDisability icons for hearing, vision, sign language, blind, wheelchair, closed caption, and a question mark.
Published March 12, 2018

Because #RepresentationMatters

Children need and deserve books that reflect themselves and the diversity of the world around them. In addition to people of color, people with disabilities are underrepresented in the popular media. For many children and teens with disabilities, it is difficult to find books with accurate portrayals of disabilities. With this gap in mind, Bookshare has assembled four new collections that feature characters with learning disabilities and visual impairments, because everyone has differences and abilities and representation matters. Books that Feature Characters with Learning Disabilities The novels in these two collections feature characters with a learning disability, such as dyslexia,…

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Heard it Through the TweetvineTwitter bird
Published February 23, 2018

Heard it Through the Tweetvine

Teachers and parents share how Bookshare helps remove reading barriers for students We love our members – and the teachers, parents, and other caring individuals who support our members. We celebrate every success of every student who overcomes reading barriers with the help of Bookshare and assistive technology. And, since good news is meant to be shared, here are some recent tweets that celebrate reading success. Tweets from Teachers From @allinreading: In recent days I’ve been sitting back watching my 6th graders log on to @CaptiVoice and @Bookshare independently. They are reading at home and in school. They are talking…

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San Diego Sets the Bar High for Serving Special Education StudentsCorey Straily conducts Bookshare training for teachers at San Diego Unified School District
Published November 15, 2017

San Diego Sets the Bar High for Serving Special Education Students

District has 700 Bookshare sponsors, over 1,800 student members, and has downloaded 10K+ books San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD), the second largest in California, has a winning formula when it comes to serving students in special education. Their approach has evolved over the years as technology and digital educational resources have also evolved. Corey Straily, an Assistive Technology (AT) Specialist, recently shared the secrets to SDUSD’s success. The SDUSD Landscape First, some quick facts: SDUSD has 131,252 students in 226 educational facilities, 26% are English learners, 59% are eligible for free or reduced meals, and 11%, or 14,787 students,…

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Browsing is Better with New and Improved Special CollectionsScreen shot of the Browse page showing 4 special collections
Published July 24, 2017

Browsing is Better with New and Improved Special Collections

By Ginny Grant, Senior Product Manager, Benetech Global Literacy Program Have you noticed something different about Bookshare’s Special Collections? They are much easier to use and you can subscribe to them like a Reading List! After hearing how much people enjoy building their own Reading Lists, and seeing how teachers are using and sharing Reading Lists in their schools, Bookshare went the next step to make Special Collections even easier to use. Special Collections are customized Reading Lists that are curated by the Bookshare Collection Development team. The staff is actively looking for books that members will enjoy and organizing them…

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Published January 24, 2017

Doctor Shares Daughter’s Discovery of Accessible Ebooks

Special thanks to Dr. P. Travis Harker and his daughter, Paloma, for sharing their story. “I Won’t Read Again!” In fourth grade, Paloma Harker declared to her parents, “I am done with reading. You can’t make me do it!” Since her earliest days in school, Paloma had trouble decoding and comprehending printed words. She loved stories and listened attentively as her father read to her, but reading on her own was difficult. By third grade, she knew that she did not read at the same level as her classmates. Each time she tried, she experienced frustration. By age nine, she…

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Published January 12, 2017

Bookshare Members Now Have Access to Over 500,000 Ebooks

Benetech accelerates toward a future in which all digital content is Born Accessible By Brad Turner, VP Global Literacy, Benetech On November 29, 2016, Bookshare hit a momentous milestone when it passed the mark of 500,000 titles in its collection. That means that people unable to read standard print now have access to 500,000 ebooks in various formats to suit their individual needs. It wasn’t that long ago that the blind community had to rely on braille, a limited number of human-narrated books, or having someone read to them if they wanted to enjoy a book. Even just 15 years…

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