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Press RoomFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Co:Writer for Neo Now Available for Students of All AgesImprove Quality and Confidence of Writing on an Affordable Lightweight Laptop
March 31, 2006—Volo, Illinois—
Don Johnston Incorporated® is announcing that Co:Writer® is now available on the AlphaSmart™ Neo™, a lightweight laptop specifically designed for schools from Renaissance Learning™, Inc. This software and hardware combination supports student writing through immediate feedback on grammar, word choices, and sentence structure using an affordable one-on-one computing solution. Co:Writer for Neo™ is a collaboration between Don Johnston Incorporated, an education solutions company providing success for every student and teacher and Renaissance Learning, Inc., (Nasdaq: RLRN), a leading provider of computerized assessment and progress monitoring tools for pre-K-12 schools. Now, at the request of educators across the country, Co:Writer is available on the Neo laptop. Over 500,000 students have relied on Co:Writer technology for more than 15 years and now when combined on the Neo it is being offered with the portability that students need. Co:Writer is powered by industry-standard Linguistic Word Prediction™ intelligence that gives students topic-specific vocabulary suggestions to narrow the gap between their thoughts and written words. Students can effectively express their ideas, improve spelling and focus on the content of their writing. The Neo is the better laptop for schools because it was designed with students in mind. It is durable, lightweight, and can be used anywhere, with more than 700 hours of operation on three AA alkaline batteries. The Neo is easier to use, requires minimal technology support, and does not have the traditional distractions of a laptop (i.e. multimedia player, games, etc.) making it easy for students to focus on their writing. "Co:Writer for Neo supports students in the writing process to write with richer word choice, express their ideas with more descriptive sentences and motivate them to write more. Through this collaboration with Renaissance, students get the supports they need to become better writers all the time," said Don Johnston, chief executive officer of Don Johnston Incorporated. "Students have always been excited about writing on the Neo and by adding this well-regarded software they now have the additional benefits of Co:Writer's word prediction," said Greg Wright, senior vice president, electronics of Renaissance Learning, Inc. "The Neo really motivates students to spend their time writing, and teachers have told us that it improves their quality of writing and overall confidence." Don Johnston Incorporated
Don Johnston Incorporated is an innovative, award-winning, publishing and media technology company with over 25 years of educational experience. Our products and services help teachers support each student in their optimal learning zone. Don Johnston uses validated education research and brain science in the development of products, tools and professional trainings. Renaissance Learning, Inc.
Renaissance Learning, Inc. is a leading provider of computerized assessment and progress monitoring tools for pre-K-12 schools and districts. Renaissance Learning products give students and teachers continuous feedback to inform instruction and help teachers and administrators motivate students, dramatically accelerate learning, and improve test scores. Renaissance Learning has seven U.S. locations and subsidiaries in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom. Photos accompanying this Press Release are the property of Don Johnston Incorporated and may only be used and/or published as accompanying photos with the information found in this release or with specific written approval from Don Johnston or members of his marketing staff. Don Johnston Incorporated | |