“Bookshare is an initiative of Benetech®, a nonprofit organization that combines the power of the human mind with a deep passion for social improvement. It addresses the needs of underserved communities with innovative technology solutions.
Benetech grew out of Jim Fruchterman's early work with reading machines for the blind. Arkenstone became the world leader in reading machines. When Arkenstone’s business assets were later sold to Freedom Scientific, the resulting capital was used to start new projects under the new name of Benetech.
Bookshare, Benetech’s first project, focuses on the challenge of access to reading materials for people with print disabilities. For sighted people, technology makes access to information easier; for people who are blind, it makes access possible. With Bookshare, a person with print disabilities can read a newspaper the same day it hits the newsstand or a best-selling book online as soon as it is released.”
I could not imagine a worthier cause to have a light shined upon it (my little section of the blogosphere is akin to the light of a single match in comparison). Please go check out this worthy cause. They want to bring literature to everyone regardless of whatever disability they may have. Bookshare states, “. . . fewer than five percent of the books needed by people with print disabilities are available in accessible formats such as digital text or digital Braille.” That is an astonishingly low number. It is not something I even considered before starting this. I am blown away to say the least.
Click the link:
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