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Press RoomFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Don Johnston Makes 'Access' to Instructional Materials a Reality for Schools Implementing New IDEA RegulationsRead:OutLoud® Accessible Text Reader Breaks Price Barrier for Schools
Provides Access to General Curriculum for Students with Disabilities September 9, 2008—Volo, Illinois—
Don Johnston has just released an affordable whole-school license option for its Read:OutLoud accessible text reader. This software will open all common accessible book formats and read text out loud. Built-in comprehension and fluency tools support students who read below grade level.This new option will help U.S. schools comply with the amended 2004 IDEA regulation that requires schools to provide accessible instructional materials to students with disabilities. State and local administrators, assistive technology professionals, special educators and digital rights managers can also use this accessible technology solution to provide a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach to serve all students. 
The program includes an accessible web browser that speech-enables the Internet. It will open NIMAS files "on the fly" without expensive conversion. Read:OutLoud is an approved testing accommodation in most states. It includes several reading strategy tools: an eHighlighter to improve study skills; the Franklin Talking Dictionary to provide over 32,000 word definitions; a bibliographer to help students accurately cite research. Ben Johnston, Director of Marketing, said "According to NAEP, over 90% of students with IEPs read below proficient levels; yet only an estimated 1-3% have access to technologies to help them overcome reading barriers. There is a clear gap between students who need these technologies and students who now have access. A key cause for this disparity is the high price of accessible technologies. Read:OutLoud will break the price barrier for schools, making universal access a reality." A whole-school license for students with IEPs costs from $339.50 to $485 per site (based on number of schools) for the first year and $199.50 to $285 per site in subsequent years, which includes upgrades and technical support. Districts who purchase Read:OutLoud for 90% or more of their schools will receive additional 'take-home' rights. In early 2008, Don Johnston announced a partnership with Bookshare.org (Palo Alto, CA) to provide a free version of Read:OutLoud for students with print disabilities who qualify under the Chafee Amendment. The program was funded by a$32 million dollar grant from OSEP, the Office of Special Education Programs, to support 1-3% of the special needs population. The new Read:OutLoud whole-school license will make universal access a reality for all students with IEPs, not just those who qualify under the Chafee Amendment.
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About Don Johnston Incorporated
Read:OutLoud Bookshare.org Partnership Watch NIMAS 101: What Educators Need to Know Download a PDF of this Press Release 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 | |