[Athen] FW: [bksvol-discuss] Great news about Bookshare.org

[Robert Martinengo]

I think this grant could finally wake up educational publishers to the
reality that the government is paying a middle-man to give away the
publishers intellectual property.

There is no stipulation from Bookshare that students have to buy their
books in order to receive their services, so they will be getting
their materials free. Not a bad deal for students, but it will rankle
publishers.

On 10/2/07, James Bailey <jbailey at uoregon.edu> wrote:

> Ron.

>

> "due to the fact that they are using a Chafee based definition of print disability"

>

> How many DS offices do you think understand this distinction?

>

> James

>

> --

> James Bailey

> Adaptive Technology Access Adviser, University of Oregon

> 1299 University of Oregon

> Eugene, OR 97403-1299

> Office: 541-346-1076

> jbailey at uoregon.edu

>

> On Tue, 2 Oct 2007 15:59:22 -0400, "Ron Stewart" <ron.stewart at dolphinusa.com> wrote:

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> >

>

>

> > Based on the conditions of the RFP Postsecondary has to be

> included but due to the fact that they are using a Chafee based definition of

> print disability a lot of students are left in the dust.

>

>

> >

>

>

> > Ron Stewart

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> > From:

> athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org]  On Behalf Of  Daryl

> Murphy

> >

>  Sent:  Tuesday, October 02, 2007 12:59 PM

> >

>  To:  Access Technologists in Higher Education Network

> >

>  Subject:  Re: [Athen] FW: [bksvol-discuss] Great news about Bookshare.org

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> > No community colleges or 4 year institutions.   Still

> leaving us out.

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> > From:

> athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org]  On Behalf Of  Kelly

> Ford

> >

>  Sent:  Tuesday, October 02, 2007 9:36 AM

> >

>  To:  'Access Technologists in Higher Education Network'

> >

>  Subject:  [Athen] FW: [bksvol-discuss] Great news about Bookshare.org

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> > Apologies if this was posted here already.  I didn't see it on

> the list.

>

>

> >

>

>

> > Kelly

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> >

>

>

> > From:  bksvol-discuss-bounce at freelists.org

> [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce at freelists.org]  On Behalf Of  Lisa Friendly

> >

>  Sent:  Sunday, September 30, 2007 7:22 PM

> >

>  To:  bksvol-discuss at freelists.org; bookshare-discuss at freelists.org

> >

>  Subject:  [bksvol-discuss] Great news about Bookshare.org

>

>

> > Forwarded

> from Jim Fruchterman:

> >

>

> >

> I'm happy to share incredible news, which will transform Bookshare.org.

> >

> On Friday, the Office of Special Education Programs  of the U.S. federal

> >

> Department of Education made a major five-year award of $32 million to

> >

> Bookshare.org.

> >

>

> >

> This funding is to fully support all schools and students with

> >

> qualifying print disabilities in the United States, K-12 and

> >

> post-secondary, with access to the entire Bookshare.org collection of

> >

> accessible electronic books and to software for reading those books.  As

> >

> of October 1, 2007, we will cease charging these schools and students

> >

> anything to join  Bookshare.org as members.

> >

>

> >

> In this initial news flash, I can't begin to share with you all of our

> >

> plans for Bookshare.org now with this funding.  But, we are planning on

> >

> adding more than 100,000 new educational books and materials to our

> >

> existing collection of over 34,000 titles.  We are going to reach out to

> >

> every student, every family with a disabled student, and every school in

> >

> the U.S. to offer them the chance to join the Bookshare.org community

> >

> and transform the  practice of making books accessible.  We are going to

> >

> coordinate with schools and publishers to deliver the best quality

> >

> content possible and lower their costs in meeting our shared obligations

> >

> to serve every student with a disability in the nation.  We expect to

> >

> provide millions of books to students through this new program over the

> >

> next five years, at a tenth or less of the historical cost of providing

> >

> these services.

> >

>

> >

>

> >

> And, we expect our improvements to serve all  of these students will make

> >

> Bookshare.org better for all of our Bookshare.org users.

> >

> Bookshare.org's track record of being highly responsive to our members

> >

> will be enhanced with significant funding to implement major

> >

> improvements to our content and services.

> >

>

> >

> Our volunteer community is an essential part of what made this grant

> >

> possible, and you are a crucial part to making this a success in the

> >

> future.  Your commitment to our shared vision of better access to

> >

> information is core to where we are heading.

> >

>

> >

> We want to make equal access to educational materials for disabled

> >

> students a reality!

> >

>

> >

> Jim

> >

>

> >

> Jim Fruchterman

> >

>

> >

> President and CEO

> >

>

> >

> Benetech

>

>

> >

>

>

>

>

>  > _______________________________________________

> > Athen mailing list

> > Athen at athenpro.org

> > http://athenpro.org/mailman/listinfo/athen_athenpro.org

>

> _______________________________________________

> Athen mailing list

> Athen at athenpro.org

> http://athenpro.org/mailman/listinfo/athen_athenpro.org

>