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Building Wings

Our History of Excellence

Building Wings is a new chapter in the legacy of Don Johnston, an esteemed advocate on disability issues in education and a leader in assistive technology development.

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Cover of Readtopia Teacher Guide "Fact or Fiction Anchored by The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" on a tablet screen with other First Author materials to the right of the tablet.

The Legacy of Don Johnston

IMPACT

IMPACT

For over 40 years, Don Johnston, founder and CEO of Building Wings, has helped students and teachers build literacy skills through specially-designed curriculum and assistive technology. His technologies, implementation, and personal connections have made the impossible possible in over 32,000 schools across America.

INSPIRATION

INSPIRATION

At the heart of Don’s endeavors is inspiration gained during his personal journey as a reader who struggled in school. In eighth grade, a teacher recognized his potential and helped him think and learn in non-traditional ways. This is the philosophy behind all of Don’s product development and company endeavors.

TRANSFORMATION

TRANSFORMATION

Through Don’s leadership and long-standing partnerships with interdisciplinary experts, Building Wings is creating special education resources to help many more students reach new heights in their literacy development.

A student writing on a worksheet at a desk.
A student in a coral shirt, writes on a piece of paper at a desk, with a bright white brick background
A student working at a desk, wearing a black and white striped shirt, smiles at the camera with a pencil in hand.
An adult gives a student a high five at a desk.
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Our Mission

Building Wings creates special education resources that help teachers take ALL students to new heights in their learning.

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Building Wings Success Stories

CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

First Author® Helps Teacher Spark Writing Breakthroughs for Students

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VIDEO

VIDEO

Readtopia® Meets Diverse Student Needs, Growing Excitement for Reading

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CASE STUDY

CASE STUDY

Readtopia® Restores Balance in a Teacher’s Classroom and Life

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Karen A. Erickson, Ph.D.​

Karen A. Erickson, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Literacy and Disability Studies at University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill. Her focus is on understanding the best ways to assess and teach reading and writing to children with the most severe disabilities. As a special education teacher, Dr. Erickson has worked to support students with a range of disabilities in a variety of classroom settings, particularly students who do not use speech as their primary means of communication.

Website: https://www.med.unc.edu/ahs/clds

Author Profile: https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_Contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=110&Name=Karen+Erickson,Ph.D.​

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