Khan Academy Releases iPad App

Khan Academy the website that makes free online learning videos has released a new app for the iPad. The newly released app allows you all of the video content. The Khan Academy is a great online learning resource and it is great to see it coming to the iPad. Click here to download the free app from the App Store. Khan Academy is a great resource for people who want to learn about a variety of subject or review for school assessments. In addition it is a great resource to compliment class notes. The video's include closed captions.

Learning Ally Recorded Books (Previously called RFB&D)

Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic changed its name to Learning Ally recently. Learning Ally still provides audio books for many titles. Learning Ally is also going to increase its advocating efforts for people who need print material in alternative formats. They will still provide audio books on CDs as well as downloadable. The books are digitally indexed which makes navigation very easy. The digitally indexed books allow you to skip pages and go to a specific chapter. Also you can speed up the speaking rate. The voice quality is great because the books are read by volunteers. Learning Ally also has an iOS app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. The app allows you to download the audio books directly to your iPod Touch, iPad or iPhone. App Store Link The app has all of the navigation features as the CDs. The app costs $20 but is very great for Learning Ally members. To become a member you have to show documentation of a print disability. Membership is free for qualified individuals. In addition to individual memberships schools can become members in order to provide books to students with print disabilities.

Bookshare.org a great resource for accessible books

Bookshare.org is a site that provides free books to people with bona fide reading disabilities. Bookshare has thousands of books and more being added all the time. The Chafee amendment give Bookshare the right to distribute books to people with print disabilities. There is a wide variety of books, text books, magazines and newspapers to choose from. Bookshare also includes free text-to-speech software that is made for reading only Bookshare books. The software is both Mac and PC. If Bookshare does not have a book that you are looking for you can request it and they will add it to their library.

The text books that are available on Bookshare are a great resource students. Many of the text books are being updated with images for sighted members. Most books take only seconds to download when downloaded over a good Wi-Fi network.

The best part about Bookshare is the cost. They provide accessible books for free, the text-to-speech software is also included. They are able to provide this service because of a grant from the US Department of Education. In order to become a member you must have written proof of disability and be a US resident.

There will be many more tips, reviews and videos about this great service soon.