The Beneblog is a weblog by Benetech CEO Jim Fruchterman, on issues and ideas that affect the application of technology to unmet social needs.

Posted 07/10/2009:
Bookshare Announcements

The Bookshare team has been attending the summer conventions of the two major blind consumer groups, the NFB and ACB. We had great user parties, listened to our users and talked to other key players in the accessibility field.

We also announced a couple of assistive technology partnerships. The<...


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Benetech's Bookshare Library Partners With Technology Developers To Support Accessible Mobile Devices

July 8, 2009, Palo Alto, CA — Benetech's Bookshare library has partnered with two technology companies to help ensure that people with print disabilities have accessible devices that allow them to easily read texts from the Bookshare collection. Bookshare has announced a partnership with Shinano Kenshi Corporation, Ltd., that allows Bookshare members to download and read tens of thousands of accessible books and periodicals with the new PLEXTALK™ pocket portable digital DAISY player and recorder. You can read the PLEXTALK press release with details of this agreement here.

Bookshare has also partnered with Code Factory, developer of the Mobile Speak screen readers for mobile phones. The Mobile Speak technology uses synthesized speech to read aloud information displayed on mobile phone screens including ebooks stored on phones. More information about this technology and the partnership agreement is included in the Code Factory press release.

Benetech Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG) Releases Report for the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission

July 3, 2009, Palo Alto, CA — The Benetech Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG) has released a report based on its analysis of more than 17,000 victim and witness statements collected by the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The report, entitled "Descriptive Statistics From Statements to the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission," is included as an annex to the final report of the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) released on July 1 in Monrovia, Liberia. The press release and summary of the HRDAG report provides details on the findings.

HRDAG provided the statistical expertise to transform information from the TRC statements into scientifically-defensible knowledge to create a clear historical record and help end impunity for the perpetrators of human rights abuses in Liberia. According to the HRDAG report, former Liberian President Charles Taylor &mdash already on trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in Sierra Leone's civil war &mdash also led the Liberian rebel group responsible for the largest number of violations during Liberia's 24 years of civil unrest.

See more updates in Media Resources.

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