>March 7, 2001
>For Immediate Release
>
>Contact: John Gardner, CEO /President, 541-754-4002, vps@ViewPlusSoft.com
>
>ViewPlus Software Inc. introduces the Accessible Graphing Calculator
>Making math easy for all and accessible for the blind or dyslexic
>
>Corvallis, Oregon (March 7, 2001) ViewPlus Software Inc. today announced
>the availability of the Accessible Graphing Calculator. This Windows
>application was created to allow better access for blind and dyslexic users
>to the study of math, and can also make learning math more fun and easy for
>the non-disabled.
>
>Designed specifically to be equally usable, both visually or in audio, the
>Accessible Graphing Calculator audibly announces all functions and results
>with a speech engine included with the product. Even graphs can be
>displayed as audible tone plots, to make graphs "viewable" by people who
>are blind or dyslexic.
>
>While audible announcements are not necessary for non-disabled individuals
>to learn math and graphing, they can be helpful. By doubling a user's
>sensory perceptions, the Accessible Graphing calculator has been found to
>help people with math anxiety or students who simply find it enjoyable to
>learn and use math with audio. In many ways, the Accessible Graphing
>Calculator is a great tool for the teaching and study of math for both
>disabled and non-disabled individuals.
>
>"Listening to sighted people describe a graph I am supposed to understand
>was always amusing, but not particularly helpful for understanding the
>graph," says blind Oregon State University student Patti Walsh. "With the
>Accessible Graphing Calculator, I am now able to understand the graph
>through my own senses and not have to rely on someone else to help me."
>
>"Graphing scientific calculators are a requirement in most high school
>academic math classes in the U.S. today," says Susan Osterhaus, Secondary
>Mathematics Teacher at the Texas School for the Blind and Visually
>Impaired. "Even as early as Algebra I (often taught in 8th grade) the
>end-of-course exam may require the use of such a calculator. Accessibility
>issues prevent most visually impaired students from using such calculators.
>The AGC (Accessible Graphing Calculator) is accessible to all. The
>on-screen graphics are easily seen by a low vision student and the graph
>can be listened to by using the audio wave feature. Print copies can be
>made using any standard printer using a variety of fonts including braille.
>The print copies with braille fonts can be copied on to swell paper and run
>through a tactile imaging machine. However, the best way is to have a TIGER
>(braille/graphics embosser) from ViewPlus Technologies. The combination of
>the AGC and the TIGER is awesome!"
>
>"Even though I am not disabled, I use the Accessible Graphing Calculator
>regularly to help me with my studies," says Oregon State University student
>Ben Legg. "Being able to see and hear the graph that I create on the
>calculator, greatly improves my ability to understand and retain the
>information I am given. Plus, it's easy to use and even kind of fun."
>
>Pricing and availability
>
>A free 30-day fully functional copy downloadable from the web at
>www.ViewPlusSoft.com. CD copies are also available for a small handling
>charge.
>
>The Accessible Graphing Calculator is priced to make it easily available to
>everyone. Single copy license priced at just $75 with substantial
>institutional quantity discounts available. Downloadable file of the
>Accessible Graphing Calculator, License details, pricing policy, and
>detailed instructions for loading, installing, and learning the program may
>be found at http://www.ViewPlusSoft.com
>
>Background
>
>The Accessible Graphing Calculator was developed by the
>internationally-acclaimed Science Access Project of Oregon State
>University. The Science Access project is dedicated to development of
>technologies that promote full accessibility of electronic information by
>future generations of people with print disabilities. "Print disabilities"
>include low vision, blindness, and dyslexia.
>
>ViewPlus Software, Inc. is the exclusive distributor of this product,
>www.ViewPlusSoft.com, vps@ViewPlusSoft.com, 800 NW Starker Avenue,
>Corvallis, OR 97330.
>
>
>John Gardner
>Professor and Director, Science Access Project
>Department of Physics
>Oregon State University
>Corvallis, OR 97331-6507
>tel: (541) 737 3278
>FAX: (541) 737 1683
>e-mail: John.Gardner@orst.edu
>URL: http://dots.physics.orst.edu
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