In February 2005, Special Education Technology - British Columbia and the Provincial Resource Program for the Visually Impaired launched the BookPort Project. The project provided the equipment, training, and resources for fifty blind or visually impaired secondary students in British Columbia.

The BookPort is an innovative portable device designed for the blind to read electronic books, play digital audio files, and record voice memos. Its small size, large storage capacity and battery operation enables students to take their studies anywhere. Data is transferred easily to the BookPort from a Windows computer via USB connection.

Students, accompanied by their Vision teachers and braillists, enjoyed the opportunity to get together for the provincial training events that were held in various locations in BC. Students received the BookPort and a full day of training on the device that included strategies for accessing and organizing information independently.

The SET-BC BookPort Student Lessons Resource, a set of practical lessons designed to help students and teachers learn and implement the technology, proved very popular with the students and teachers alike. Students are invited to share their successful strategies for using the BookPort as well as ask questions and share answers through the List Serve that has been made available to all project participants.

In tandem with the BC project, twenty-five students from APSEA, the Atlantic Provinces Special Education Authority, are also participating in the BookPort project with funding for equipment and training provided by APSEA. A report on the joint project will be presented at the Canadian Vision Teacher’s Conference in Halifax in May 2005. Recommendations on the use of the Book Port for developing independence and organizational skills will be shared on program websites and with the educational community in Fall 2005. Evaluation of the project will be conducted with consultation from the Education Department of the University of British Columbia.

See the BookPort Student Lesson Plans in the SET-BC Learning Centre.