For K–12 schools and post-secondary institutions
Make every learning material accessible
Bookshare Plus automatically transforms PDFs and other learning materials into accessible formats in minutes.
What is Bookshare Plus?
Bookshare, plus everything else students have to read
Most of what students read every day — worksheets, course packets, scanned handouts, STEM content — arrives in an inaccessible format. Bookshare gives qualifying students federally funded access to 1.4 million titles. Bookshare Plus adds on-demand remediation for everything else, without replacing anything you already use.
Federally funded
Bookshare
Access to over 1.4 million publisher and copyrighted titles in audio, braille, large print, and text with highlighting. Free to qualified U.S. students and schools.
Add-on Paid subscription
Bookshare Plus
Access to the full Bookshare library, plus on-demand remediation that turns any learning material into an accessible format in minutes. Includes an expanded natural AI voice selection and an optional student-facing Reading Companion for study support.
How it works
From inaccessible to accessible in three steps
Upload your document
Educators, support staff, or students upload a document (PDF or photo) directly from a device or Google Drive in Bookshare Reader for web browsers or mobile.
Remediation happens in minutes
Bookshare Plus transforms the document, adding structure, alt text, image descriptions, MathML for equations, and navigation. The result is a high-fidelity accessible document that preserves the original structure — ready in minutes.
Students read it their way
Students access their converted materials in Bookshare Reader with premium natural voices, highlighting, and adjustable speed. An optional student-facing Reading Companion for study support can be included.
That’s it. What used to take support staff hours now happens in minutes, and students have an accessible document ready in Bookshare Reader the same day.
Core features
What Bookshare Plus includes
All included in a single institution subscription, no per-seat charges.
Bookshare Plus saves me hours of manual formatting. Now I can focus on teaching while ensuring every student can access my materials.
Ms. Rodriguez, Special Education Teacher
How it compares
See where Bookshare Plus fits
Bookshare Plus isn’t a replacement for the tools your institution already uses. It fills the gap they leave.
| Bookshare | ★ Premium subscriptionBookshare Plus | Literacy support toolbar | Human-narrated audiobook provider | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | Access to publisher & copyrighted titles | Remediate all learning materials including PDFs, images, and STEM materials | Reading & writing supports across web and docs | Human-read audiobooks; dyslexia support |
| Who can access | Students with qualifying disabilities | All students, no disability qualification required | All students (per-seat license) | Students with qualifying disabilities |
| Pricing | Federally funded — no cost to U.S. students and schools | Annual site license — no per-seat fees | Per-license or site license. Pricing varies by bundle and district size. | Site licenses. Pricing based on enrollment. |
| Document remediation | — | ✓ High-fidelity; structure preserved | ~ Basic PDF support; limited fidelity | Not a remediation tool |
| STEM / math support | — | ✓ MathML, image descriptions | ~ Via a separate add-on license | — |
| Accessible ebook library | ✓ 1.4M+ titles | ✓ 1.4M+ titles included | — | ✓ 80,000+ human-read audiobooks |
| Natural voice audio | 1–2 voices included | ✓ Expanded selection of premium voices | ✓ Text-to-speech included | ✓ Human-read narration |
| Reading Companion | — | ✓ Optional; institution-level toggle | — | — |
| Supports Title II efforts | ~ Covers textbooks | ✓ Extends to teacher-created content | ~ Partial; no explicit ADA emphasis | ~ Qualifying students only |
| SSO / LMS integration | Clever | Clever SSO; additional LMS integrations coming | Strong LMS integrations | Clever and major SSO providers |
Frequently asked questions
Who can subscribe to Bookshare Plus?
Bookshare Plus is currently available to K–12 schools and post-secondary institutions only. There is no Individual Membership option at this time.
Is Bookshare still federally funded if we subscribe to Bookshare Plus?
Yes. Bookshare is supported by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, and remains federally funded for qualifying students regardless of whether your institution subscribes to Bookshare Plus. The two are independent. Bookshare Plus is a paid yearly subscription that adds document remediation and other capabilities on top of what Bookshare already provides.
What exactly does my institution pay for with Bookshare Plus?
Bookshare gives qualifying students access to 1.4 million titles through federal funding. Bookshare Plus extends that with on-demand remediation for the materials that are not in the library, extended natural voice options, and an optional Reading Companion that helps students with comprehension.
Can students access remediated documents in third-party apps?
No. Documents remediated through Bookshare Plus are accessible only within the Bookshare Reader; they cannot be accessed in third-party apps or external reading tools unless the converted files are downloaded and then uploaded to a third-party app or reading tool. Students access remediated materials the same way they access the rest of their Bookshare library: through Bookshare Reader on web, iOS, or Android.
Do students need an IEP or 504 to use Bookshare Plus?
No. Bookshare Plus content is available to all students, no disability qualification or IEP is required. Note that accessing titles from the Bookshare library (which uses NIMAC-sourced materials) does require a qualifying print disability and, for NIMAC titles, an IEP.
Does Bookshare Plus replace the tools we already use?
No. Bookshare Plus is designed to work alongside tools, not replace them. It fills the gap those tools leave: remediating inaccessible instructional and course materials before students ever need to use their other tools.
What happens to our existing Bookshare account?
Nothing changes. Bookshare remains federally funded for qualifying students. Bookshare Plus is an add-on, and your existing library access, student accounts, and reading history are not affected.
Is student data used to train AI models?
No. Student interactions with the Reading Companion are not used to train AI models.
Is a data privacy agreement available?
Yes. A data privacy agreement (DPA) is available upon request. Email privacy@benetech.org and our team will follow up as soon as possible.
Ready to make all of your learning materials accessible?
See a live demo with your own documents, or get a pricing quote for your institution.