International Education
Every child needs the opportunity to learn. Benetech supports learners with reading barriers across the globe.
Every child needs the opportunity to learn. Benetech supports learners with reading barriers across the globe.
Globally, children with disabilities are disproportionately kept out of school. Those who do attend school may not receive adequate instruction, might be ignored by the teacher, or may be forced to end their education earlier compared to their peers. They may be forced to pursue only certain lines of studies, as the materials for subjects such as math or chemistry are simply not available in accessible formats.
Benetech’s accessible ebook service, Bookshare, and education-to-employment digital readiness programs change the equation for people with barriers to reading print including dyslexia, low vision, and some mobility impairments. Benetech partners with nonprofit organizations, disabled persons organizations, ministries of education, and private foundations to get students with disabilities the resources and training that they need to get a quality education.
Providing access to high-interest content in local languages is a cornerstone to our international programming. With the support of local publishers, departments of education, and volunteers, we add educational and culturally-relevant titles in local languages to Bookshare, so that students have access to the books that they need the most. Bookshare books can be read on or offline, using virtually any device, including smartphones, laptops, and low-cost MP3 players.
Benetech is partnering with schools for the blind in India to implement a digital-first education curriculum. This new curriculum, which includes access to Bookshare and training on screen reader technology sets students up for success, when they graduate so that they can pursue higher education, seek skilled employment, and build happy, independent lives.
Benetech is teaming up with the Saint Lucia Department of Sustainable Development and Department of Education to establish a digital library that will be used by students and teachers at special education schools across the island. This localized library of accessible content will hold key education materials from the Saint Lucia curriculum in addition to the 600,000+ books available to readers in St. Lucia through the Bookshare global collection.
Access to reliable and affordable internet can be a challenge in the Philippines. So the Bookshare Philippines team is collaborating with libraries and schools to set up “Bookshare Corners”. Using these designated computers, Filipinos with reading barriers can set up a Bookshare account and read at the Bookshare corner, or download the books that they need to a device for offline reading at home.
