Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 18, 2014

We’re a nonprofit technology company on a mission to address unmet social needs by providing targeted software tools and services to groups left underserved by the market, such as human rights activists and students with learning differences.

Challenge 180

Challenge Open Source Work Time 180

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 29, 2018

Helped environmental leaders design, manage, monitor, and evaluate global conservation projects and campaigns with the first open source conservation project management tool. Ensured that thousands of human rights activists could securely document human rights abuses.

News 189

News Syria Conservancy eBook 189

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 11, 2015

This is a recurring question that we get at Benetech about Martus —our free, strongly encrypted tool for secure collection and management of sensitive information, built and provided by the Benetech Human Rights Program. Likewise, we didn’t need to reinvent anonymity tools, as we integrated Tor into Martus. No, it does not.

Open Source 100

Open Source Open Software License 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

DIAGRAM This increase in accessible images would not have been possible without great tools. Click here for more info on this work, including tool demos. So our focus is on the standards and tools that can help publishers create accessible materials from the very beginning. Luckily, we know some people who are into that stuff.

Literacy 166

Literacy Program United Arab Emirates Student 166

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 16, 2011

I saw an initial demonstration of a web-based image description tool, called Poet. The described book can then be re-published and made available to users who wish to have image descriptions voiced by digital talking book software tools or players, or have the descriptions in Braille.

Images 194

Images Alternative Student Accessibility 194

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 25, 2013

We realized that the most effective tool to fight human rights abuse was the truth. If we could create a human rights information management tool to address the needs of a community that didn’t have a technology solution at all—now that was worth doing! Martus, we decided, would be that tool.

Burma 168

Burma Analysis Guatemala Law 168

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 30, 2014

He’s leading the development, testing, and deployment of Benetech’s tools and services across all its program areas. After an intensive search period, I’m delighted to share that Benetech recently appointed seasoned executive Mark Roberts as our Vice President of Engineering. We’re thrilled to have Mark join us in this leadership role.

Award 186

Award Roles Leadership Profile 186

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 22, 2013

Secure tools to document human rights violations, such as those developed by Benetech’s Human Rights Program, have become critically important in efforts to pursue reform and seek justice—and in keeping human rights defenders safe. And they need to be able to trust those tools. This post originally appeared on the new Benetech''s Blog.

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Tools Program Fund News 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 27, 2014

With Bookshare’s accessible ebooks and reading tools, Zach made a successful transition to college. Zach Bryant The change happened when Zach was in high school and his Assistive Technology teacher introduced him to Benetech’s Bookshare library. I don’t wait for my books for new classes; I search the library and find them myself.”

Challenge 144

Challenge eBook Social Ohio 144

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 16, 2014

There it brought teams of Google and LinkedIn employees to contribute code fixes and key feature enhancements to the open source mobile tools of our nonprofit project partner Mifos , whose mission is to enable financial institutions to become modern and digitally connected providers of financial services to the world’s 2.5 Martus Desktop 4.5

Open Source 183

Open Source Africa Zimbabwe Malawi 183

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JULY 15, 2011

One of the first areas was a budget tracking tools for Kenya, to make it easier for people to learn about budgeted amounts for their areas. Uchaguzi was a crowd-sourcing tool SODNET worked together with Ushahidi to deliver around the recent Kenyan referendum.

Africa 151

Africa Tanzania Kenya Ghana 151

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 18, 2012

We help the human rights movement speak truth to power, because we believe each story of human rights abuse is a tool for justice. Maintain and develop our team's automated data processing and analysis infrastructure (POSIX-environment command line tools built on bash, make, python, and R).

Analysis 150

Analysis Statistics Chart Language 150

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 3, 2011

Through the LIT project, we’re adding many new innovations to the groundwork laid by the B4E project, with a focus on three core areas: content, tools, and utilization. Exciting new tools, including a free, open source Android ebook reader and a free web-based ebook reader along with an accessible bookshelf in “the cloud.”

Impact 140

Impact Technology eBook Student 140

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 30, 2013

Guest Beneblog by Gerardo Capiel, Benetech's VP, Engineering One of the highlights of my meeting circuit each year is the O’Reilly Tools of Change conference in New York City. There is no better place to engage with colleagues about new technologies, changing business models, fresh ideas, and shared standards.

Accessibility 171

Accessibility eBook New York City Social 171

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 14, 2012

Our mandate, broadly speaking, was to engage in “blue-sky dreaming” and learn from our shared experiences to make Martus a more robust tool. From a technical perspective, the most exciting theme of the event was the idea of creating a Martus “ecosystem” of tools. And, support from the Open Society Foundation made this event possible!

Global 157

Global Group Thailand Burma 157

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 13, 2014

In his January 17, 2014 speech on NSA reforms , President Obama stated: "As the nation that developed the Internet, the world expects us to ensure that the digital revolution works as a tool for individual empowerment, not government control."

Data 176

Data Empowerment United States Government 176

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 1, 2011

Benetech has a record of success in securing funding, creating partnerships, and delivering products and services that are useful tools for the social sector. We rely on open source tools for information exchange and development tools, as appropriate. 2 We get stuff done. We honor our commitments to all our stakeholders.

Literacy 145

Literacy Articulate Open Source International 145

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 10, 2011

He talked about the opportunities and challenges he sees ahead, especially as technology tools continue to be adopted by more of the human rights community, from cell phones to Facebook.

Literacy 150

Literacy Disaster Phone Press 150

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 28, 2014

His innovation is the PEEK software tool : a low-cost smartphone ophthalmic system that delivers comprehensive eye examinations in the developing world, to those who need it most. It is, however, a very narrow tool even for a social enterprise, let alone for a profitable business opportunity.

Ideas 223

Ideas Kenya Brain Software 223

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 7, 2011

The helicopter survey is a more expensive, but more effective tool for getting the big picture. When claims of the “comprehensive” and “predictive” nature of a new tool is made, it’s naïve to expect that some people won’t leap to the conclusion that the tool should be expected to be comprehensive and predictive.

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Picture Data Disaster Map 140

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MAY 10, 2013

Unfortunately, most companies won’t pursue projects without the promise of big profits and the people who need tech tools the most often can’t afford them. Technology has the potential to improve the lives of millions across the world.

Technology 172

Technology India Washington America 172

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 15, 2013

Anna Berns, longtime Program and Project Manager and now a Director at Benetech, will continue to oversee our human rights field outreach staff and manage Martus product development (including our new mobile Martus tool, which is already working on my Android phone).

Analysis 174

Analysis Project Open Source Analytics 174

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 9, 2010

But, a system that cost-effectively identifies any students at risk of failure is a great tool for all students, and might also serve as a flag for some of the disability services interventions that might be needed. For example, an accessible version of a key book or item of course content.

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Student France Blended University 113

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 23, 2014

Technology currently serves privileged groups through tools that provide access to education, literacy, health, and justice. With these tools, our goal is to make the defenders of human rights stronger in their fight against injustice and abuse. Can we help stimulate the creation of far more technology-for-good ventures?

Literacy 158

Literacy eBook United Kingdom Accessibility 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 10, 2011

Our Bookshare members will also get access to additional features such as study tools, images and multiple languages as the application develops. Read2Go offers word-by-word highlighting with simultaneous text to speech that supports multi-modal reading.

Audio 145

Audio Boston Student Music 145

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

MARCH 13, 2011

A major set of OJS's users are from the developing world: the tools really put the power of expanding knowledge in the hands of scholars! An exciting development is the recent offering of hosting services (through the help of PKP's main partner university, Simon Fraser U.

Accessibility 133

Accessibility Project Open Journal 133

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 28, 2013

This Treaty provides a tremendous tool to accelerate that work. Our goal is not to make money for private interests, but instead to use technology to maximize social good. For years, we have been working to end the worldwide book famine.

Library 225

Library Government United States Accessibility 225

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. However, I don’t want to understate the challenges we face.

Copyright 196

Copyright Law Accessibility Library 196

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

OCTOBER 29, 2010

The scientifically defensible data in our findings serve as a powerful tool to combat impunity and hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

Guatemala 145

Guatemala Statistics National Analysis 145

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 3, 2011

Suddenly, we have a tool to focus on the most wasteful schools, and to help all schools improve their energy efficiency. Shining a light on this issue, and making it easy to understand, is the first step on changing behavior. Zerofootprint supports the running of contests between schools (or whatever unit you want to pick).

Classroom 162

Classroom Demonstration Student Contest 162

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

APRIL 22, 2010

As a tech guy who also plays a social entrepreneur, I often get asked by my SE buddies about what are the practical use of a tool like Twitter. I wouldn't want to count on Twitter to replace email or the web: it's just the wrong tool for the jobs those tools do better. Connecting with people important to my mission.

Twitter 118

Twitter SWF Social Media Literacy 118

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 8, 2011

with the tools to teach reading to adolescent and adult beginning readers, such as those with developmental disabilities. 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

AUGUST 19, 2013

However, we know that many others can progress and become tools that help countless people. Benetech Labs will be a place for us to engage more deeply with these “best and brightest” and identify the big ideas with potential to successfully meet a pressing social need. We think that’s an exciting risk worth taking!

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Site Accessibility Press Ideas 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 8, 2013

As the entire industry is changing the ways in which content is produced, we’ve expanded our focus to providing free tools to publishers to ensure that all new content that is born digital is born accessible. More and more of our publishing partners are providing worldwide rights to their titles and expanding opportunity beyond the U.S.,

Accessibility 155

Accessibility Global eBook Copyright 155

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 5, 2010

Make it an indispensable tool for people with disabilities, their families, educators, rehab professionals and the assistive and mainstream technology industries. The biggest enemy of a Clearinghouse is irrelevancy. Specific comments on the proposed Chairman’s Awards.

Accessibility 100

Accessibility Award Proposal Phase 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 25, 2007

An under-used tool for foundations is the program-related investment (PRI). So, I hope this will become a trend, to give program investors more tools to do PRIs and lower their transaction costs. PRIs are supposed to be for mission (program) reasons first and financial return second (although you can make a return).

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Program Copyright Structure Environment 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 8, 2015

We must help ensure that every report of abuse is a tool for justice. The technology and training Benetech provides keep human rights defenders safe and have become critically important in larger efforts to pursue reform, seek justice, and begin the process of reconciliation.

Technology 100

Technology Literacy Social Uganda 100