In the article “It Isn’t Easy to Read a Book When You’re Blind, But This Rocket Scientist Figured It Out,” author Hana Schank describes Jim Fruchterman’s journey from engineer to founder and CEO of Benetech, an organization working to improve access to literacy, books, education, and the world at large for the blind and visually […]
Let Bookshare set students up for success For many schools and families, back to school is the busiest time of year. Teachers, parents and students scramble to get ready and start the new school year with confidence. It’s important to start off on the right foot because back to school can set the tone for […]
For people who cannot use standard print, the increasing availability of digital books and services such as Benetech’s Bookshare library are a boon that is unlocking the world of reading, says The New York Times. In a story titled “An App to Aid the Visually Impaired,” author Jonah Bromwich highlights Bookshare as a “notable advantage” […]
The rise of 3D printing technology and its increasing availability in schools, libraries, and museums presents new opportunities to improve learning and accessibility in a variety of educational contexts. Benetech was therefore delighted to convene the first major national forum of its kind devoted solely to the topic of 3D printing for accessible educational materials. Held at the Tech Museum of innovation in San Jose, the three-day national meeting brought together over forty-five practitioners and end users in the fields of 3D printing technology and services, accessible education, tactile learning modalities, library and museum services, and educational content.
The World Blind Union’s (WBU) Right to Read campaign for ratification of the Marrakesh Treaty just concluded two days of meetings in Berlin, Germany. The attendees were mostly the regional coordinators of the campaign, and the news was good. I found the optimism exciting: it seems like we’re moving quickly to getting twenty countries to ratify the Treaty. It even seems likely that it could happen in 2015!
