Celebrating 25 Years of Impact
Together, we can open the doors to learning for all.
At Benetech, we envision a future where education transcends barriers—where learning is open, accessible, and available to all, regardless of disability, background, or circumstances. Traditional educational approaches frequently leave behind those who need support the most. For 25 years, Benetech has led the charge in leveraging technology to revolutionize education for underserved communities.
Today, our innovative products and services—ranging from interactive learning platforms to state-of-the-art accessibility tools—are reshaping education delivery in over 50 countries through Bookshare, and with library and school partners making meaningful learning experiences a reality for millions.
From the CEO, Ayan Kishore
Join us in shaping a world where every learner, everywhere, has the opportunity to succeed.
As we mark 25 years of transforming lives through technology, I am honored to reflect on this journey and our profound impact together. Benetech was founded on a bold vision: to harness the power of technology for social good. Over the past two and a half decades, we have stayed true to that mission — breaking down barriers to education and providing opportunity for millions worldwide.
25 Years of Impact
Since our inception, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to accessibility, ensuring that learning is not a privilege but a fundamental right. Today, I am proud to share some key milestones that define our collective achievements:
- Global Impact: Through our Bookshare initiative, we have provided accessible reading materials to over 2 million people with disabilities across more than 50 countries.
- Education Empowerment: Our digital accessibility tools have supported thousands of schools and organizations in all 50 states by making learning materials available to all students, regardless of ability.
- Technology Innovation: From AI-driven accessibility solutions to groundbreaking tools for educators, we are pioneering innovations that ensure access to knowledge, from literary to math and the sciences.
- Industry Recognition: Benetech was named to Forbes’ Accessibility 100, honoring our leadership in advancing systemic change and developing innovative technologies that break down learning barriers
Every statistic represents lives changed, opportunities unlocked, and futures transformed — a testament to our unwavering commitment to expanding access to quality education for all. None of this would have been possible without our dedicated team, partners, and the unwavering support of our community. Together, we have championed a world where technology is a force for inclusion and accessibility.
Despite our achievements, significant challenges remain. Millions of learners still lack access to quality education due to systemic barriers, inadequate resources, and technological disparities. These inequities have only been exacerbated by worldwide crises, underscoring the urgency of our mission.
At Benetech, we believe that education can and should be accessible for all—not just for some. That’s why, as we look ahead, we are accelerating our efforts to:
- Leverage AI and emerging technologies to make digital content universally accessible.
- Bring solutions to developing regions by partnering with governments and organizations.
- Support schools as they strive to be accessible for all students, teachers, and community members, by providing resources, training, and tools to educators.
Building the Future Together
Our 25-year legacy is only the beginning. The next chapter will require bolder innovations, stronger collaborations, and unwavering commitment to dismantling the barriers that persist in education. I am confident that before our golden jubilee we will eradicate the inaccessibility of learning content, removing a barrier that has faced those with disabilities throughout human history. We invite you—our supporters, partners, and changemakers— to join us in shaping a world where every learner, everywhere, has the opportunity to succeed.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Together, we can ensure even greater impact, innovation, and inclusion.
With gratitude and determination,
AYAN KISHORE
CEO, Benetech
Bookshare: Decades of Learning Without Limits
Bookshare is the world’s most extensive digital library for individuals who read differently, such as those with blindness, low vision, dyslexia, or other reading disabilities. Through Bookshare, readers can choose to listen to books, view synchronized highlighted text, read in braille or large font, and customize their reading experiences to best suit their needs.
Bookshare breaks down barriers by providing adaptive reading formats that provide users access to nearly any book they want to for school, work, or leisure, all in one place. Bookshare audiobooks and eBooks fit individual needs, fostering independence and enriching readers’ lives by giving them access to literature, education, and resources previously unavailable in accessible formats.
This achievement is made possible through partnerships with over 1,000 publishers, 6,000 U.S. school districts, and supportive communities of educators and parents.
Bookshare is supported by the United States Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs and the Allene Reuss Memorial Trust.
“I remember thinking that I would never learn how to read, but Bookshare put me in my own world, and I found out that this is how everybody feels when they read.”
EMERY LOWER, BOOKSHARE USER, 6TH GRADE
Accessible Reading Drives Real Results
In a recent study conducted in middle schools, students in special education English classes were given the chance to read the same books for independent reading —but with one key difference. One group used Bookshare’s customizable features, like text-to-speech with word highlighting, while the other group read without accessibility support.
The results? Students who used Bookshare made significantly greater gains in reading comprehension—
improving by half a grade level more than their peers in just five weeks—demonstrating clear growth from start to finish as they benefited from reading in ways that worked best for them.
The pilot study confirmed that struggling readers who accessed Bookshare’s intuitive features, from customizable voice narration to adjustable text settings, outperformed peers using conventional
digital books.
These findings echo what we hear daily from Bookshare readers across the country: when students can engage with books on their terms, it highlights the powerful impact Bookshare can have in transforming reading experiences.
The Next Evolution of Bookshare: Bookshare+
Driven by the fact that over 70% of learning content is non-textbook based, Bookshare+ is built to create instantly accessible materials through the incorporation of AI technology for students and teachers. This will promote a more inclusive classroom experience for teachers and students, while empowering student users to independently learn and grow inside and outside of the classroom.
With beta and pilot testing in 2025, and a full product launch in 2026, Bookshare+ will revolutionize accessible education by automating document accessibility, providing real-time text-to-speech, image descriptions, and an interactive Q&A assistant. Bookshare+ is designed to integrate with Chromebooks and mobile devices, streamlining workflows and ensuring ADA compliance.
Unmet Need
- 7.6M students in the U.S. face barriers to reading due to dyslexia, visual impairment, or physical disability.
- >70% of classroom materials are inaccessible out of the box, creating friction for educators and limiting learning access.
- Teachers spend 7+ hours per week manually adapting content—an unsustainable burden in an understaffed system.
Workforce Relevance
- 30% of students with disabilities express interest in STEM careers, yet fewer than 10% achieve employment in the field—primarily due to inaccessible instructional content.
- Bookshare+ reduces that gap by making complex visual and STEM materials more accessible in real time.
Key Features
- Reading Companion: An AI-powered assistant that builds comprehension and engagement through context-aware chatbot, real-time image descriptions, and text-to-speech functionality.
- Scan Tool: Transforms inaccessible PDFs and printed materials into fully accessible, screen reader-friendly formats—on demand.
- LMS Integration: Seamlessly integrates with platforms like Google Classroom to streamline
content distribution and classroom workflows.
Traction and Momentum
- MVP completed in early 2025 with full internal testing underway.
- Pilot launch with multi-school districts planned for Fall 2025
- Over 100 educators and students engaged in early testing, with 95% finding tools easy to use and 86% reporting a reduction in accessibility barriers
- Aligned with Title II compliance goals for school districts, creating a strong adoption incentive
Bookshare+ is supported by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, General Motors, Cisco, the Esther & Pedro Rosenblatt Foundation, the Severns Family Foundation, The Peninsula Endowment, and Amazon Web Services.
Supporting Digital Literacy in India
and Other Developing Countries
“We are transforming education worldwide. By collaborating with local governments and institutions serving the Print Disabled, we introduce innovative, cost-effective locally available assistive technology solutions that promote inclusive education and meaningful employment opportunities.”
Dr. Homiyar Mobedji, Director, Programs Asia & Africa
Every child deserves an equal chance to learn, yet in many developing countries, students with visual impairments face overwhelming challenges in accessing high-quality education and meaningful employment. These challenges are especially prevalent in India, where 270 million Indians live with visual impairment, with more than 9.2 million of these individuals being blind.
Visually impaired Indians face significant stigma fueled by negative social attitudes, leading to discrimination and exclusion. Difficulties in receiving an accessible and high-quality education amplify vulnerabilities, which, when coupled with employer biases, present considerable challenges for obtaining meaningful employment.
Benetech, with the support of Indian state governments is committed to changing the course for Visually Impaired learners. By partnering with Indian Schools for the Blind to introduce low-cost readily available digital tools, we are supporting high-quality education for Visually Impaired students that prepares them for success in higher education and employment.
Benetech is also committed to expanding our efforts in developing countries beyond India. In Africa, we are working with multiple governments to create accessible versions of copyrighted materials and promote the cross-border exchange of accessible eBooks, and in the Philippines, we are working with the government to create an inclusive education experience that better serves the over 500,000 visually impaired residents of the Philippines.
- Africa: Collaborating with African governments to implement the Marrakesh treaty to create accessible copies of copyrighted materials and cross-border exchange of accessible eBooks.
- India: Advocating with the Indian government to incorporate low-cost assistive tech in schools and a digital transformation pathway to mainstream students from Schools for the Blind.
- Philippines: Working with the government to change the focus of special education to inclusive education. “Bookshare Corners,” serves the Philippines archipelago of 7,107 islands with approximately 500,000 blind and low-vision Filipinos, many of whom have low socioeconomic status and no access to learning resources and technology.
Our Global Digital Literacy Initiatives are supported by the Lavelle Fund for the Blind, the Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, and mjunction.
Content Services
Tremendous progress has been made in enhancing the accessibility of books from the outset. However, as digital content continues to grow richer and more complex, the challenge of ensuring accessibility will require broader partnerships and innovative technological solutions.
Now is the perfect time for the publishing industry to take advantage of this opportunity. All digital content can—and should—be made accessible.
This is the motivation behind Benetech’s launch of the Global Certified Accessibility (GCA) certification, which is a top-tier, independent, third-party certification. We help publishers adapt their workflows to ensure that their content is accessible from the very start. Certified publishers receive a GCA seal and accompanying metadata that can be included in the EPUB files generated by their certified processes.
Our initiatives extend globally, including countries like the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, and Switzerland, equipping publishers to reach wider audiences and demonstrate their commitment to accessibility. Over 80 publishers and organizations, including Simon & Shuster, Pearson, the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the World Bank, have already benefited from Benetech’s services and certifications, ensuring that their materials are inclusive and comply with global accessibility standards.
Our Supporters
At Benetech the reach of our work is rooted in the strength of our partnerships. Today our vital work mission is propelled by both public and private investors who are committed to ensuring that all learners, no matter one’s ability, have the tools needed to succeed in a technology driven landscape.
Board of Directors
We’re extremely fortunate to have a national Board of Directors who lead through an array of skills and lived experiences.
Richard Mueller
Chair
Mueller Associates, Inc.
Theresa Fay-Bustillos
Vice Chair
Environment and Social Impact
Consultant
Dr. June Klein
Treasurer
Fielding Graduate University
Ted Borremo
Retired, Mckesseon
Jack Chen
General Counsel
Dr. Judith M. Dixon
Retired, National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS)
Timothy Elder
TRE Legal
Kris Espiritu
Learno, Inc.
Jim Fruchterman
Tech Matters
Hussein Ibish
Arab Gulf States Institute
Pallavi Gondipalli
Capital Formation and IR Specialist
Barbara Pape
Digital Promise
Awais Sufi
Yield Creative
Dr. Larry Wexler
Retired, U.S. Department of Education
