For information, here's some information about the new release of
Kurzweil 3000.
More at http://www.kurzweiledu.com/press_131102.asp.
Ian
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Kurzweil Educational First to Offer Customizable Test-Taking Technology
New Version of Kurzweil 3000 Provides Unprecedented Flexibility, Allowing
Teachers to Provide Accommodations Based on Specific Student Test-Taking
Needs
Kurzweil Educational Systems, innovator of reading technology products
for individuals with learning and visual disabilities, today announced
the new Kurzweil 3000 Version 7, to be unveiled at the International
Dyslexia Association 53rd Annual Conference on November 12-15 in Atlanta,
GA. Kurzweil 3000 Version 7 is the first product that not only adds
reading aloud and visual dual highlighting to the testing experience, but
also enables a teacher to selectively link both classroom and
standardized tests to a wide range of additional, customizable
accommodations that help assure that ability, not disability is being
tested.
Depending on individual needs, testing purposes and IEP requirements,
educators can provide access during testing to a selection of writing and
decoding tools. These tools include annotations, voice notes,
definitions, personalized toolbars, word prediction and more. All of
Kurzweil 3000’s test taking innovations, as well as comprehensive tools
for more accessible reading, writing and studying continue to be included
in a single integrated package - no additional software purchases are
required.
“Gone are the days when children would score poorly on tests simply
because they could not read the questions or have problems writing,” said
Roger Rachow, Adaptive Technology Specialist, Halverson Regional School
District, Iowa. “Using the new Kurzweil 3000, students with reading and
writing challenges have access to a range of easy-to-use features that
help them demonstrate their knowledge and spend minimum time reading the
test or typing in their answers. And it is especially helpful to have a
software solution that can be easily customized in keeping with
accommodations specified in a student’s IEP for test taking, unlike other
products that have a one size-fits-all approach. The benefits for both
student and teacher are huge.”
A complete redesign of the underlying image display components of
Kurzweil 3000 resulted in the exclusive AccessibleImage™ technology,
which significantly boosts usability and flexibility for students engaged
not only in testing but a multitude of reading, writing and learning
tasks. AccessibleImage also provides a striking overall improvement in
the clarity of scanned page images, as they are re-presented on the
computer screen.
Another exciting leap forward is Kurzweil 3000’s ability to automatically
search multiple websites for electronic text materials. Among the text
repositories explored by Kurzweil 3000 is Bookshare.org, the online
community that allows people with reading related disabilities to legally
download over 10,000 public domain and copyrighted books. In addition to
an automated link to Bookshare.org, Kurzweil 3000 Version 7 will include
a free 30-day Bookshare.org trial membership for qualified users.
Streamlined test taking:
Students can now have an electronic experience that closely simulates
taking a test on paper, entering their answers directly on to a highly
accurate image of a test or worksheet. The enhanced ability to drag-and-
drop selected text within image documents also assures that students can
borrow sections of questions or answer options and use them to create
their responses with less time and effort.
The text-to-speech and visual highlighting components of Kurzweil 3000
allow students to proceed seamlessly from reading the questions to
responding, simplifying the self-checking process.
To help students focus on the content of their responses, the text field
provided is automatically resized to accommodate a short or long answer.
Also, to help assure that students respond to all the questions, blanks
waiting to be filled are pointed out via a unique color marker and an
audible pause.
Access to online resources:
Version 7 revolutionizes access to contemporary and classic literature
that can be found on the Web. Students can enter a single author or title
to initiate an automatic search across multiple online book repositories.
Students searching for books online need not be limited to public domain
material but can now explore online text repositories such as
Bookshare.org, Project Gutenberg, or Baen Free Library, and request books
by title or author, then download, open and read them.
To help students focus on the content of their responses, the text field
provided is automatically resized to accommodate a short or long answer.
Also, to help assure that students respond to all the questions, blanks
waiting to be filled are pointed out via a unique color marker and an
audible pause.
Product upgrades, patches and news, as well as teaching and technical
tips, are automatically retrieved online from Kurzweil Educational.
Enhanced control over text and image content:
Educators can now check and correct scanned images more quickly and
efficiently with tools for global spell checking as well as search and
replace capability that is not limited to text documents.
Students can drag-and-drop from an image document directly into a waiting
notes field or external text document, creating new, simplified note
taking options.
The Page Thumbnail feature is now a vastly improved tool for getting the
fastest possible overview of a multi-page document, with expanded page
images in vibrant color.
“New state-wide standardized tests have catapulted test-taking onto
center stage in most schools around the country, and to most educators it
is important that it be used to measure, as accurately as possible, a
student’s abilities. Given that, the very flexible test-taking
capabilities included in Kurzweil 3000 are a significant breakthrough in
our effort to help teachers unlock the minds of students who have had
difficulty demonstrating their knowledge,” said Michael Sokol, CEO and
President, Kurzweil Educational Systems.
Pricing and Availability
The product is available in various packages. A popular example is the
Kurzweil 3000 5-unit Color Learning Lab Pak at $539 per seat. Further
discounts are available for larger configurations. Both standalone and
network versions are expected to be available in January 2003. Kurzweil
3000 can be purchased directly from Kurzweil Educational at 800-894-5374,
or from Kurzweil Educational’s worldwide network of distributors and
resellers (http://www.kurzweiledu.com/resellers.asp).
About Kurzweil 3000
Kurzweil 3000 is Kurzweil Educational’s flagship product for struggling
readers and writers. It is widely recognized as the most comprehensive
and integrated solution for addressing language and literacy
difficulties. The software uses a multisensory approach – presenting
printed or electronic text on the computer screen with added visual and
audible accessibility. The product incorporates a host of dynamic
features including powerful decoding, study skill and test taking tools
designed to adapt to each individual’s learning style and minimize
frustration for both the learner and educator.
About Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc.
Kurzweil Educational Systems, founded in 1996, is the industry leader and
innovator of scanning, reading and writing solutions for people with
learning disabilities, and people who are blind or visually impaired. Ray
Kurzweil, a co-founder of the original company, invented computer-based
reading machine technology 25 years ago to provide access to printed text
for the blind. With a pioneering history in developing assistive
technology, the company has received worldwide recognition for enabling
people with disabilities to lead more independent lives through improved
reading and writing abilities. Kurzweil 3000, the company's flagship
product for individuals with reading and writing disabilities, recently
won the "District's Choice Top 100 Product" 2002 Award published by the
District Administration magazine. For more company or product
information, visit www.kurzweiledu.com.
Contact
Collaborative Insight, Inc.
Hepzi Fonseca
617-520-9107
[log in to unmask]
Paula Charest
617-520-9135
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