National Nonprofit ‘Bookshare’ Congratulates Assistive Technology Specialist, Stephanie Caceres, For Exemplary Service To District

Digital Online Library Service Equalizes Educational Opportunities For Students Who Cannot Read Print

Palo Alto, CA – Bookshare, a global leader in providing digital accessible books to people with print disabilities, congratulates Stephanie Caceres, assistant technology specialist, in Snow Hill, MD on her exemplary service to her school district on behalf of students who cannot read standard print due to a visual impairment, physical disability, or severe learning disability like dyslexia.

Students with print disabilities are often at risk of poor grades and thoughts of dropping out of school simply because they cannot keep up with required reading assignments. When given the opportunity to read with digital accessible books from Bookshare with reading technologies that read text aloud while highlighting the words, students’ grades improve; they read more independently, and are more engaged in the learning process.

In 2012, Ms. Caceres volunteered as a Bookshare Mentor Teacher agreeing to help teachers and students in her district learn about Bookshare’s digital accessible books and reading technologies. Her service included teaching workshops about Bookshare, ensuring that all qualified students were signed up for memberships and that participating students had accessible versions of their textbooks as well as books for pleasure reading. When given a Bookshare individual membership, students who were previously nonreaders turned into readers to explore the online digital library and read more books on their preferred topics of interest.

“Volunteer Bookshare Mentor Teachers give selflessly of their own time, over and above their teaching responsibilities, to help students with print disabilities enjoy an equal educational opportunity regardless of their preferred learning and reading style,” said Betsy Beaumon, Vice President and General Manager, of Literacy Programs at Benetech, the nonprofit organization that operates Bookshare. “This program is one of great value, because these dedicated Mentors are closest to other teachers and students in their districts and eager to see students succeed.”

The Bookshare library offers more than 140,000 books today, ranging from required textbooks to reference books and popular literature. Membership and books are free for all qualified U.S. students, thanks to an award from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs. Currently, 190,000 U.S. students have Bookshare memberships.

Bookshare Mentor Teachers: https://www.bookshare.org/_/community/educators/home