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Benetech Secures U.S. Department of Education Award to Expand Access to
Bookshare for Students with Disabilities
by Bookshare Communications
Benetech extends reach to make education more inclusive
Benetech, the parent company of Bookshare, is pleased to announce that
it has received a five-year award from the U.S. Department of Education,
Office of Special Education Programs, to expand and improve access to
books for students who read differently due to blindness, low vision, a
physical disability, or dyslexia. Bookshare, the largest online library
of accessible books, will remain free for all U.S. school districts,
schools, educators, and their qualified students.
Three students are using tablets and wearing earphones in a classroom
“Access to knowledge through reading is a basic human right and a
critical step on the path to economic, educational, and social
development,” said Brad Turner, VP of Global Literacy, Benetech. “Many
students struggle in school and in life because they read differently.
Benetech is proud to work with these students, their parents, and their
educators to make reading not only possible but also fun and enjoyable
with personalized reading experiences.”
What this means:
• Free Bookshare memberships are available for all qualified students at
public schools, community colleges and universities, charter schools,
and homeschools.
• The library will expand to over 800,000 books with a goal of
delivering four million book downloads.
• Bookshare will continue to support an ever-increasing number of
reading tools, apps, and devices.
• Expert training and customer support will continue to be available.
• Benetech will work directly with publishers to ensure accessibility
features are included in production and are present in over 50 percent
of educational books by 2022.
Bookshare has already delivered over 11 million books to students and is
used in schools and districts across the United States, ranging from the
largest urban districts such as Los Angeles Unified School District and
New York Public Schools, to small, rural districts in all 50 states.
This award brings Benetech closer to giving everyone the opportunity to
read, learn, and reach his or her full potential.
Benetech would like to thank all members of the Bookshare community for
continued support. Every member we add, every download – each one is
another book read by someone who couldn’t otherwise read. Every single
person should have the opportunity to read. That’s why we do what we do.
To learn more about how Bookshare can help students who read
differently, visit www.bookshare.org
US Office of Special Education ProgramsThis project is supported by the
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs
(Award Number H327D170002). Opinions expressed herein are those of the
authors and do not necessarily represent the position of the U.S.
Department of Education.
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David Goldfield, Assistive Technology Specialist WWW.David-Goldfield.Com