Fifteen Years After Passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Necessities of Basic Communication Are Still Out of Reach for Many Americans

WASHINGTON , Four prominent disability rights
organizations strongly urged Congress to make update of the 1996
Telecommunications Act their highest priority to foster the more rapid
deployment of broadband technology to all Americans and to include provisions
that ensure access to communications for persons with disabilities.org

About ACB
The Council strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually
impaired people by: serving as a representative national organization of blind
people; elevating the social, economic and cultural levels of blind people;
improving educational and rehabilitation facilities and opportunities;
cooperating with the public and private institutions and organizations
concerned with blind services; encouraging and assisting all blind persons to
develop their abilities and conducting a public education program to promote
greater understanding of blindness and the capabilities of blind people.asp and
must be submitted by June 1, 2005.

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Make Telecom Update Your Highest Priority Disability Groups Tell Congress

Congress had a bold vision when it enacted the Americans with
Disabilities Act fifteen years ago. 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.

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edu/faculty/frank_g_bowe/Two-Way_Technologies.S."

About Kurzweil 3000

Kurzweil 3000 is widely recognized as the most comprehensive and
integrated solution for addressing language and literacy difficulties.

About Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc. For more company and
product information or to order online, visit www.

dissemination minorities

"Our new Innovator of the Year award
will honor and recognize their ingenuity and perseverance in finding
ways to ensure academic success of all their students.

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K-12 teacher who demonstrates excellence in
helping students (including those with a learning disability) optimize
their learning potential, and who shows a strong understanding and
interest in integrating technology into the curriculum.

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One of the
report's recommendations is that people with disabilities be assured
accessibility to services delivered over broadband connections , just as they
now are to the same services offered over traditional phone lines.
Application forms and details can be downloaded from the Kurzweil
Educational Systems Web site www. The Kurzweil Educational Systems
Awards Committee will review all applications, make final selections
and notify student winners in July 2005 and all other winners in
August 2005.
Kurzweil Educational Systems and Kurzweil 3000 have recently received
numerous industry excellence awards from organizations including the
Software and Information Industry Association (SIIA), the Learning
Disabilities Association of Massachusetts (LDAM), The Heller Reports,
Media and Methods, eSchool News, District Administration , Technology +
Learning and ComputEd Gazette publications.

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In a letter sent to members of the House and Senate Commerce committees in
conjunction with the 15th Anniversary of the enactment of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA), the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), the
American Association for Persons with Disabilities (AAPD), the American
Council of the Blind (ACB) and the World Institute on Disability (WID) state,
"Broadband is not just nice to have. To fully realize that vision, we need
telecom policy reform that ensures the incorporation of accessibility features
in new technologies from the design phase," said Melanie Brunson, executive
director of the American Council of the Blind.
Mr. Bowe's report is available online at
http://people. K-12 teacher currently using Kurzweil 3000 who demonstrates a
unique or innovative use of Kurzweil 3000 with his /her students.

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It is a necessity of basic communication
for people with disabilities .

Kurzweil Educational Systems School Excellence Award, which will
be awarded to a U.

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Bloch: "Thousands of deaf and hard of
hearing Americans are now 'making phone calls' using high-speed broadband
connections. We can sign to each other, just as other people speak to each
other.hofstra.html

About AAPD
American Association of People with Disabilities is the largest national
nonprofit cross-disability member organization in the United States, dedicated
to ensuring economic self-sufficiency and political empowerment for the more
than 56 million Americans with disabilities .aapd-dc.
http://www.acb. All award winners will
receive complimentary license(s) of Kurzweil 3000 , for individual or
classroom use, as well as complimentary support services.

Kurzweil 3000 "Innovator of the Year", which will be awarded to a
U.

Kurzweil Educational Systems, founded in 1996, is the industry
leader and innovator of reading, writing and learning solutions for
people with learning disabilities, and people who are blind or
visually impaired. Other company names and products
are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

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org

About NAD
The NAD, as a national federation of state association and organizational
affiliates, safeguards the civil rights of 28 million deaf and hard of hearing
people in the United States of America.S.com/k3000awards.

Education for persons with mental or physical disabilities.

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"
Citing a report issued last month, Two-Way Technologies: A History of the
Struggle to Communicate, by Hofstra University Professor Frank Bowe, the
groups underscore the fact that the quality of life for many people with
disabilities rests on decisions that only Congress can make.
http://www. The NAD also offers grassroots and
youth leadership development, and legal expertise across a broad spectrum of
areas including but not limited to accessibility, education, employment,
healthcare, mental health, rehabilitation, technology, telecommunications, and
transportation. high school seniors or full-time community
college students of high merit with identified learning disabilities
who plan to pursue a two- or four-year undergraduate degree.

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org

About WID
The World Institute on Disability (WID) is a nonprofit research, public
policy and advocacy center dedicated to promoting the civil rights and full
societal inclusion of people with disabilities. The awards recognize students ,
teachers, and schools who have shown a commitment to learning or an
excellence in teaching students , including those with learning
disabilities. Kurzweil
3000 is premier reading, writing and learning software for struggling
students.

provisions minorities

"The U.
http://www.

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nad.org

com

Kurzweil Educational Systems is a registered trademark of, and
Kurzweil 3000 and Kurzweil 3000 LearnStation are trademarks of,
Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc.

childhood digests

S.
http://www. Two honorable
mention winners will also be chosen.

Applications for all four awards are now being accepted.

inclusion outcomes

Over half of the Board of Directors and staff are
people with disabilities and are respected national leaders in the disability
field as well as in industry, government and social services. Two honorable mention winners will
also be chosen.

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Company Announces "Call for Applications" For All Awards Including
New Award Spotlighting Innovative Use of Kurzweil 3000

Kurzweil Educational Systems , Inc. In addition to the three existing awards, Kurzweil
Educational Systems has added a fourth award , 'Innovator of the Year',
for educators currently using Kurzweil 3000 who have developed an
innovative or unique use for the software.

Kurzweil Educational Systems Scholastic Excellence Award, which
will be awarded to two U.
"Educators in schools across the country are using Kurzweil 3000
in ways which we had never imagined," said Michael Sokol, President of
Kurzweil Educational Systems .

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With the promise of ubiquitous true broadband
service, we can imagine a day when the life functions of many people with
disabilities are truly revolutionized. Said NAD
chief executive officer Nancy J.

Kurzweil Educational Systems Kicks-off Second Annual Kurzweil 3000 Software Awards for Students Teachers and Schools

kurzweiledu. 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.

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"
"New technologies are increasing the independence and productivity of many
Americans.wid.

The 2005 software award categories are:

Kurzweil Educational Systems Teaching Excellence Award, which will
be awarded to a U.

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Business Editors /Education Editors

BEDFORD, Mass.

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, innovator of reading
technology for individuals with learning disabilities or visual
impairments, today announced that applications are now being accepted
for its 2005 annual software awards.S.
The software uses a multi-sensory approach - presenting printed or
electronic text on the computer screen with added visual and audible
accessibility.kurzweiledu .

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K-12 public/private school (or district) that has
shown a commitment to integrating students with learning disabilities
into the general classroom, and a commitment to investing in ongoing
training opportunities for staff to further the use and understanding
of technology in the classroom.

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WID 's work focuses on four
areas: employment and economic development; accessible health care and
Personal Assistance Services; inclusive technology design; and international
disability and development.

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As we develop applications like Voice-over-Internet-Protocol
(VoIP) telephony, wireless broadband Internet connectivity and other advances,
it is critical that these technologies increase the inclusion , independence
and empowerment of Americans with disabilities, as well as America's growing
senior population," stated Andrew Imparato, President and CEO of the American
Association of People with Disabilities. Specific services include public information and
dissemination; information and referral services; technical assistance,
training seminars; national and regional conferences; legal and public policy
analysis, guidance and research; and litigation consultation services.

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Since the functionality is the same, so too should be the regulations
governing the service.
NAD, AAPD, ACB and WID urge Congress to develop and pass comprehensive
telecommunications legislation that will include provisions that ensure access
for people with disabilities. AAPD works in coalition with
other disability organizations for the full implementation and enforcement of
disability nondiscrimination laws, particularly the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.S. The product incorporates a host of dynamic features,
including powerful decoding, study skills , writing and test-taking
tools, all designed to adapt to each individual's learning style and
to encourage active learning.