1. Bookshare as a Conduit of NIMAC-sourced Books
March 2018

2. Bookshare is…
…the world’s largest ebook library for people who read differently. Members read in ways that work for them:
Listen to books read aloud
Follow along with audio and highlighted text
Read in large type
Read in Braille

3. Students: Read Your Way!
View video found at

4. Bookshare Offers… 614,000 titles! (~5K titles added each mo.)
Textbooks (including NIMAC-sourced)
Books for assigned and leisure reading
Books for “upskilling”
Periodicals
FREE memberships for all qualified U.S. students of any age (funded by OSEP)
Many FREE, low-cost, and commonly available reading options

5. Reading Options Chromebooks/Computers iPad and iPhone Android
Bookshare Web Reader – FREE
Enhanced with Read&Write for Google Chrome/Snap&Read
Download in Word (TTS and highlighting available in Immersive Reader)
Capti Voice – FREE/More features with paid subscription
iPad and iPhone
iBooks – FREE (download book in EPUB format)
Dolphin Easy Reader - FREE
Voice Dream Reader - $14.99 (volume discount avail)
Android
Go Read - FREE

6. Who Qualifies?
Anyone certified by a Competent Authority* as having a qualifying condition that hinders reading/processing printed text, such as:
Learning Disability that affects reading, e.g. dyslexia
Need for Reading Accommodations is a good leading indicator
Low Vision / Blindness
Physical disability that affects reading
Learning Ally Members automatically qualify!
*Examples of Competent Authorities: AT Coordinator, Dyslexia or Reading Specialist, Special Education Teacher, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, librarian, etc.

7. Additional Requirements for Accessing NIMAC Books
Educators must provide NIMAC-sourced books to students; students cannot access them without their educators’ involvement.
A student can access a NIMAC-sourced book through an individual membership, but only if his/her teacher has shared that book with them on a Reading List (or has downloaded it for them in the past)
To access NIMAC-sourced titles, students must be Bookshare-eligible AND have a public-school IEP.
If student wasn’t identified by educator as having an IEP, Bookshare system will not allow student to access the book, even if it was shared with him/her by a teacher.

8. Organizational Membership
Educator or administrator:
Creates account (requires submitting agreement)
Adds qualified students, assigns logins so students can access school account independently (limited to books shared with them by teachers)
Assigns books by creating their own Reading Lists or sharing ready-made Reading Lists created by Bookshare
Can help student get full individual membership
Allows students to find/open books of their choice
Requires parent signature (for students under age 18; can be done digitally)

9. Individual Membership
Student/parent creates account separate from school
Requires parent signature (for students under age 18)
Must submit a Proof of Disability form signed by a Competent Authority
Subscribes to ready-made Reading Lists or creates own
Cannot access NIMAC-sourced books
Educator can also help student get an individual membership that is connected to a school account (allows educators to provide access to NIMAC-sourced books for Bookshare-eligible students with IEPs)

10. How Bookshare Provides NIMAC- sourced Books

11. Bookshare’s NIMAC Role is Determined by State
Most states have named Benetech/Bookshare an Authorized User (AU) of the NIMAC*:
AK, AR, CA, CO, CT, DC, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, WA, WV, Guam, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
In other states, Bookshare operates as a NIMAC Accessible Media Producer (AMP)
* user-nimac

12. Bookshare as an AU
Educator with Bookshare membership contacts Bookshare directly to request book for student (“Request a Book”)
Identifies it as being in the NIMAC if they’ve already found it.
If not, and student for whom request is made is NIMAC- eligible, Bookshare searches NIMAC for book.
If book is in the NIMAC, Bookshare obtains it on behalf of the state/educator/student.
Bookshare converts the NIMAS file to a DAISY file and adds it to collection (more student-ready formats then available)
Bookshare notifies requesting educator that book has been added and is available in collection.
Educator shares book with qualified student.

13. Bookshare as AMP
When requesting a NIMAC-sourced book, educators are directed to contact state’s NIMAC Coordinator or Authorized User to assign the book to Bookshare.
When book is assigned to Bookshare, we are notified.
Book is automatically sent to Bookshare. We convert the NIMAS file to a DAISY file and add it to collection (more student-ready formats then available).
Bookshare notifies requesting educator that book has been added and is available in collection.
Educator shares book with qualified student.

14. Questions?
Christine Jones, MBA Senior Education Program Manager Benetech Global Literacy Tel

15. Thank you.