From Fading Vision to Full Access: Reclaiming the Joy of Reading with Bookshare

Growing up with peripheral vision loss, Angela had always experienced the world differently from her friends. Reading had been her refuge, where she could escape and explore. But everything changed in her freshman year, when her central vision faded. The letters that once came easily now blurred together, “Am I ever going to read a book again?” she worried.

Discovering a New Way to Read

The answer came through her school’s disability services office. A counselor mentioned Bookshare as a resource, and within minutes of trying it, Angela was hooked. She put on headphones, opened a book, and followed along in Braille on her refreshable display. No squinting, no headaches, just words flowing the way they should.

That first experience opened up everything. Suddenly, Angela had access to thousands of titles that would have been impossible to read in print. The difference was so dramatic that it helped steer her toward studying special education. She wanted other students to have what she’d found.

More Than Just Access

What struck Angela most wasn’t just the technical solution. It was the relief of not having to pretend anymore. She’d spent years acting like she could see things she couldn’t, nodding when classmates pointed to text she couldn’t make out. Bookshare let her drop that exhausting performance.

“As a student, Bookshare gave me the tools to keep up with my classes and the confidence to aim higher,” she explains.
These days, Angela likes to joke that she has access to more books than most people. That hasn’t changed her thinking about learning and what’s possible in her academic life.
Bookshare is essential for Angela, like having a reliable internet library. Without accessible formats, students with print disabilities are in information deserts, cut off from textbooks, research materials, and even cookbook recipes that everyone else takes for granted.

A Broader Impact

Angela’s experience shows what happens when barriers come down. Students don’t just survive what’s required—they thrive. They rediscover why they loved learning in the first place. That enthusiasm carries forward into careers, relationships, and the contributions they make to their communities.

To learn more about how Bookshare empowers students like Angela, visit www.bookshare.org.