SpecDrums ring on top of an Eric Carle picture book.

Webinar: Build a Better Book Project Showcase (July 25, 2019)

Build a Better Book project partners present a showcase of student projects completed in spring & summer 2019. Presenters include: April Chamberlain (Trussville City Schools, AL), Ian Matty (Mountain Lakes Public Library, NJ), and Stacey Forsyth (Build a Better Book). Project highlights include: audio-enhanced books created with SpecDrums and accessible...

Image from podcast website features three 3D-printed samples of student work, including a tactile book and game.

Teaching Accessibility by Building Picture Books for the Blind

July 31, 2019

Stacey Forsyth and Kathryn Penzkover discuss the project on The K-12 Engineering Education Podcast. Recorded during South by Southwest EDU (SXSW EDU) 2019 in Austin, Texas.

Tactile board game created by teens in a BBB Makerspace program.

Growing the Build a Better Book National Network (2019 STEM for All Video)

May 25, 2019

Short video describing Build a Better Book's professional development activities and the growth of the national BBB educators' network. This video was created for the 2019 NSF STEM for All Video Showcase.

Student uses Makey Makey to add sound to Where the Wild Things Are picture book.

Webinar: Build a Better Book & Makey Makey (May 14, 2019)

May 15, 2019

Hear how BBB team members and partner educators have used Makey Makey, together with other makerspace tools, to creatively make books, games and other products accessible for all with sound and interactivity!

Wave logo for the AERA conference

Event: AERA Conference

April 5 - 9, 2019, Toronto, Canada / Build a Better Book team members will present at a session on STEM Workforce Development at the AERA (American Educational Research Association) Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada.

Tactile pieces of lasercut leaves and leaves made from wikkisticks.

Event: SXSW EDU Conference

March 4 - 7, 2019 / Build a Better Book: Engineering with Empathy. The Build a Better Book team will be leading a hands-on session at the SXSW EDU Conference in Austin, Texas!

Two workshop participants sharing ideas.

Training: New Partner Sites

February 28 - March 1, 2019 / Congratulations to our sixteen new partner sites! The Build a Better Book network is expanding with new partners representing eleven different states, libraries, schools, makerspaces, and community partners working with physical and learning disabilities. We are excited about the diversity of the new sites and their outreach to new communities.

2018 - 2019 School Year Build a Better Book is partnering with Technology Student Association in support of their middle school and high school competition category for Children's Stories. This year's theme for Middle School is a Tactile STEM Book. Students will design a tactile picture book that explains a STEM concept of your choice for children with a disability. The High School there is a Multi-Modal Picture Book. Students will design a book with tactile and auditory features that enrich the storybook e

Event: Technology Student Association /

2018 - 2019 School Year / Build a Better Book is partnering with Technology Student Association in support of their middle school and high school competition category for Children's Stories.

October 3, 2018

Workshop: Anchor Center for Blind Children, Denver

October 3, 2018 / Introductory workshop on creating tactile pictures and games for children using craft materials. Open to parents of students enrolled at the Anchor Center for Blind Children.

3D Model of a hatching chicken and an egg in a nest.

Exhibit: Norlin Library/ University of Colorado - Boulder

Through Spring 2019 / Tactile books created by students in the Pre-Collegiate Summer Camp at University of Colorado - Boulder will be on display at Norlin Library.

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