Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JULY 28, 2014

Gerardo’s contributions related to the Benetech Global Literacy Program include: Overseeing the building of the tech infrastructure that has taken Bookshare from serving tens of thousands of members to over 300,000 members, with a rapidly growing collection of 280,000+ accessible ebooks.

Open Source 184

Open Source Literacy eBook Empowerment 184

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 30, 2014

can now be configured in less than 10 minutes by anyone with basic digital literacy skills, so that even less tech-savvy users can easily and quickly implement Martus’ secure documentation capabilities with distributed backup. The biggest highlight of this release is that Martus 4.5

Literacy 164

Literacy Journal Open Source Digital 164

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 16, 2013

Bookshare today is part of a broader effort by Benetech’s Global Literacy Program to improve the lives and learning of students with the biggest challenges. Advocacy, we’ve recognized, is essential for realizing our vision of a world where the benefits of technology reach all of humanity, not just the richest five percent.

Advocacy 176

Advocacy Change Literacy DC 176

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 3, 2014

book caravan books librarians literacy Marrakech Marrakesh Morocco women women''s rights' And though she doesn''t ask, I''m sure she could use more donors, too. So, if you''re reading this and get excited about Jamila''s approach, figure out a way to support her efforts.

Morocco 199

Morocco Literacy Europe History 199

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 8, 2015

Benetech is hiring new Vice Presidents for our Global Literacy and Human Rights programs. The Vice President of Global Literacy leads Benetech’s biggest program, standing at the confluence of some of the most active and rapidly evolving fields: digital content, EdTech, domestic and international education, and user-centered design.

Technology 100

Technology Literacy Social Uganda 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 7, 2013

Bookshare , our flagship literacy program, is the world’s largest accessible library and currently serves more than 230,000 members with visual and learning disabilities. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, as literacy remains an elusive dream for the majority of the world’s people with print disabilities.

India 225

India Literacy United Kingdom United States 225

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 8, 2011

I want to unveil several of these new initiatives, as well as sneaking in some of the incredible things happening in our core programs in literacy and human rights. and James L. Route 66 pairs this reading content with teaching tools and learning exercises, effectively empowering any literate person to become an early reading instructor.

Guatemala 159

Guatemala Literacy Qatar Open Source 159

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 18, 2019

You probably know that Robin was a pioneer in the ebook industry, but you probably don't know how she applied those experiences and her extensive network to the cause of advancing global literacy. And much, much more.

eBook 100

eBook United States Literacy Library 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 23, 2014

Technology currently serves privileged groups through tools that provide access to education, literacy, health, and justice. Global Literacy Sixth Grader and Bookshare member Kevin Leong with Jim Fruchterman at Benetech''s offices. But what about everybody else? The time has never been better to think 10X bigger!

Literacy 158

Literacy eBook United Kingdom Accessibility 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 28, 2006

I just had a great meeting with Jenny Zhao where we talked about the cell phone industry in China. Jenny manages the China operations for a global cell phone technology company. One of our dreams for the Route 66 technology is that it could be used to teach reading to people all over the world, in English as well as other languages.

China 100

China Phone Literacy Ideas 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 13, 2009

Betsy Beaumon, formerly of BEA Systems and numerous other high tech roles (including founding her own social enterprise in the 1990s), has joined us as our new Vice President and General Manager of Literacy Programs. Tags: literacy Benetech Beaumon Bookshare. The press release on the appointment has much more detail.

Leadership 100

Leadership Literacy News Press 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 15, 2013

For them, Bookshare —Benetech’s Global Literacy initiative and the world’s largest accessible digital library for people with print disabilities—opens up a lifeline to reading. For veterans with visual impairments, traumatic brain injuries or other disabilities, reading standard print is difficult, if not impossible.

Support 179

Support United States Literacy Brain 179

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 14, 2011

Our work to date repeatedly demonstrates bridging this market failure gap: Our Literacy team has reinvented the traditional library for the blind, reducing the cost of producing an accessible book by a factor of 100 and ending the book famine that people who are blind or print disabled have faced for years.

Technology 150

Technology Change Social Literacy 150

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 17, 2014

The tools we develop for that purpose span a range of fields—from human rights , to global literacy , to the environment —but no matter what area we work in, we depend on an IP system that’s friendly to technological advances and to positive social impact. copyright law.

Copyright 196

Copyright Law Accessibility Library 196

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 27, 2013

Highlights of this Update: Global Literacy Human Rights Benetech Labs Communications Global Literacy Bookshare celebrated a double milestone this summer, reaching over 200,000 available titles in our collection and serving over 250,000 members with disabilities!

India 142

India Literacy Global Accessibility 142

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 28, 2009

Mint strike and sell these Louis Braille Silver Dollars , and some of the money goes to supporting Braille literacy. The National Federation of the Blind convinced the federal government to have the U.S.

Literacy 124

Literacy Game Government Images 124

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 2, 2012

They also demoed Read2Go, the accessible ebook application for the Apple OS and Route 66 Literacy, Benetech’s online literacy instructional program.

Celebrate 145

Celebrate Google Literacy Library 145

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 13, 2007

We recently had a meeting in Silicon Valley to celebrate the progress we're making with the Route 66 Literacy program. She heads the Center of Literacy and Disability Studies of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The main reason for the meeting was that Professor Karen Erickson was in town.

North Carolina 100

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Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 19, 2013

You can read more about how this project will create lasting impact in India in a blog post by Betsy Beaumon , VP and General Manager of our Global Literacy Program. We expect to significantly improve access to books that blind people in India need for their education, employment and inclusion in society.

Global 134

Global India Mobile Impact 134

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 10, 2011

Last quarter Betsy Beaumon presented the future of our Literacy program including Bookshare. The centerpiece of our Benetech board of directors meeting this week was the Benetech Human Rights Program. Each of our quarterly meetings tends to focus on big strategic issues facing Benetech. But this week, human rights was front and center.

Literacy 150

Literacy Disaster Phone Press 150

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JULY 2, 2006

We just launched the Route 66 Literacy web site. I think Karen Erickson's creation has terrific potential for expanding literacy! It has information about the Route 66 concept and includes a pointer to a public demo site with free sample content.

Public 100

Public Literacy Sample Fund 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 12, 2006

We discussed literacy and access for the blind, and I learned about one of Mr. Kohli's passions, which is adult literacy. We had a great conversation high above south Mumbai in the Air India building, which overlooks Mumbai's peninsula.

Consultant 100

Consultant Service India Literacy 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

But, I expect that 75% of the job will be about analyzing the legal issues from our programs, especially in our Global Literacy Program, which includes Bookshare, the largest digital library for the blind and dyslexic in the U.S., as well as our Human Rights Program, which supports activists fighting injustice around the world.

United States 134

United States Library Copyright License 134

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 3, 2011

Of course, accessibility is right up Benetech’s alley and the focus of our Literacy program. One of these sub-themes is “Accessibility: removing barriers and promoting disability-inclusive development.”

Impact 140

Impact Technology eBook Student 140

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 2, 2007

Under our new CTO, Patrick Ball (see my last President's letter), we are building a tech team to work on our incredibly varied list of projects in literacy, human rights and the environment. Route 66 Literacy Our newest project is Route 66 Literacy, and it includes a demonstration site that anyone can try out.

Literacy 100

Literacy San Jose Guatemala Bangladesh 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 1, 2011

Benetech’s partnerships in literacy, human rights and environmental conservation are matching the creativity of the high-tech sector with the efforts of grassroots leaders around the world. We avoid competing with our partner organizations. 6 We value flexibility (as an employer and from our employees).

Literacy 145

Literacy Articulate Open Source International 145

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 12, 2014

This fair use victory is crucial not only for our present work, but also for our social mission at large and for the future of our work under our Global Literacy program. In particular, we’re excited about the promise that the appeal court’s ruling holds for the expansion of our efforts to improve access to images.

Accessibility 205

Accessibility Copyright Law Library 205

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 16, 2014

For example, Martus can now be configured in less than 10 minutes by anyone with basic digital literacy skills. Martus Desktop 4.5 and Mobile Martus 1.2 feature myriad updates, with a focus on improved usability.

Open Source 183

Open Source Africa Zimbabwe Malawi 183

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 16, 2005

We are delivering more and more books that meet the literacy needs of our users, by providing the latest bestsellers, textbooks and daily newspapers into accessible form. Another great piece of news is that Janice Carter has joined Benetech as our Director of Literacy Programs, and is now general manager of Bookshare.org.

Literacy 100

Literacy Florida Library Fun 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 18, 2007

Some folks are passionate about literacy and helping people with disabilities, others about human rights, and still others about the environment. I think of it as being similar to the social networking sites (like FaceBook or LinkedIn) where people have more control on what information gets shared with whom.

Literacy 100

Literacy Voice Linkedin Structure 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 24, 2006

It's essential that Benetech's public face be more than just me, and I'm excited about having someone as dynamic and smart as Patrick spreading the word about values in technology development in general, and Benetech's mission in literacy, the environment, landmine removal and human rights in specific.

Literacy 100

Literacy Environment Global Roles 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 1, 2012

Harkin’s work, especially his efforts to guarantee that every child has the opportunity to pursue quality education, infuses everything we at Benetech do through our Literacy Program to transform the lives and outcomes of individuals with disabilities.

Hosting 140

Hosting San Francisco Law Education 140

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 29, 2005

Working for Benetech is a rare opportunity for people in the Silicon Valley to apply their technical, managerial, professional and administrative talents to directly advancing the causes of literacy, human rights, the environment and the prevention of suffering (i.e., our landmine detector project).

Literacy 100

Literacy Environment Track Project 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

Our breakthrough in the conception of Martus came in 2000, when I was looking to expand Benetech to new frontiers of social good beyond our origins—helping disabled people access books in what is now our Global Literacy program.

Burma 168

Burma Analysis Guatemala Law 168

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 22, 2010

The next day, I find out via a tweet from Lara Long, Benetech's literacy product manager, that my talk is online at the TEDxVolcano livestream , at about 46 minutes in. Photo credit: Steve Francis So, I got to tell the TEDxVolcano attendees my personal experience of my favorite explosion, the Percheron Rocket: my first job out of school.

Twitter 118

Twitter SWF Social Media Literacy 118

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 4, 2007

During Arkenstone's 11 years, Benetech sold literacy products under the Arkenstone brand in more than a dozen languages to over 35,000 individuals in 60 countries. She truly is one of the great, quiet humanitarians who carry on Matilda Ziegler's legacy of literacy for those of us who are blind." Matilda Ziegler Foundation.

Award 100

Award San Diego New York New York City 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 19, 2014

Even though Benetech doesn’t have donor funding for this, our VP of Global Literacy, Betsy Beaumon, and I thought it would be worthwhile to attend this meeting.

Accessibility 247

Accessibility License Copyright Library 247