CoSN: The Consortium for School Networking

CoSN Announces Leadership Initiative to Expand Access to Technologies for All Students

Accessible Technologies for All Students Initiative to Create Dialogue Between General and Special Education Technology Decision Makers

For more information contact:

Elizabeth Engel, Vice President, Marketing
Consortium for School Networking
202/861-2676, ext. 120
elizabeth@cosn.org

Press Release:

Ted Richane
The Fratelli Group
202/822-9491
trichane@fratelli.com

Washington, D.C. (January 27, 2005) - The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) today launched a multi-year initiative designed to increase achievement and success for all students through the use of accessible technologies. Accessible Technologies for All Students will bridge the divide between those in charge of assistive technologies (AT) and those responsible for information technologies (IT) at the K-12 school district level. Currently, interaction between these education communities is rare, due to separate programs, educational goals, funding sources, staffs and instructional priorities for students.

"America's schools need a new conversation between those responsible for general education and those responsible for special education around how technology can assist all students," said Bob Moore, Chair of CoSN and Executive Director of IT Services at Blue Valley USD #229 in Overland Park, KS. "This new initiative will demonstrate how successful districts are overcoming these obstacles and what tools can be employed to extend access to technology to students of all abilities."

An assistive technology device, as defined by IDEA, means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially (off the shelf), modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve the functional capabilities of a child with a disability. Accessible technologies, as employed in K-12 districts, go beyond that to include the universal and equitable access by all students to the full range of educational technologies, including the system-wide use of assistive technologies. Accessible Technology takes off where Assistive Technology stops. It's inclusive of Assistive Technology, but much broader.

Sponsors of the initiative include the Sprint Foundation, AlphaSmart, Apple, Educational Testing Service, gh LLC, IntelliTools, Kurzweil Educational Systems and Verizon. The Founding Sponsors have each made three-year commitments to the initiative.

Since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), schools are subject to strict accountability for the educational progress of all students, including those with disabilities. While the special education community has done an excellent job employing assistive technologies for disabled students, use of assistive and accessible technologies must be expanded to all students. Effective communication and cooperation between AT and IT decision-makers and educational programs will strengthen a district's ability to meet accountability standards and dramatically expand access to assistive and accessible technologies for all students. Accessible Technologies for All Students will seek to combine the expertise inherent in the IT and AT communities to provide technology tools that can take full advantage of students' individual learning styles and to foster the increased use of accessibility functions embedded in current education applications.

"Ensuring that students of all abilities benefit from education technology is central to our company mission," said Manish Kothari, President of AlphaSmart. "We firmly believe that by providing universal access to the right technology solutions within the classroom, schools can experience a measurable improvement in student performance and achievement. We look forward to the important dialogue this initiative seeks to create."

"For more than 50 years, ETS has followed a social mission dedicated to advancing quality and equity in education for all learners, and especially for students with disabilities," remarked Kurt Landgraf, Educational Testing Service President and CEO. "More than ever we are committed to closing the achievement gap for all students, and in today's increasingly complex world, access to technology is key to that effort. We're pleased to be working with CoSN to make technology more accessible to all students."

"gh, LLC is excited to be a sponsor for CoSN's Accessible Technologies for All Students project," stated gh CEO and co-founder David Schleppenbach. "The goals of CoSN and this project fit well with gh's vision of providing greater access to information for individuals with print disabilities, and incorporating universal design concepts into products and services developed to meet the needs of all students. We look forward to actively participating in this project."

"Technology is a powerful tool for raising the achievement of struggling learners," observed Arjan Khalsa, President and CEO of IntelliTools. "What excites me most is that this initiative will provide powerful case studies and clear evidence of the efficacy of instructional technology."

"Employing technology to expand learning opportunities for all students is what drives our company each and every day," commented Michael Sokol, President and CEO, Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc. "By improving communications at the district level, we can extend the reach of our technology, and other assistive technologies, allowing school systems to save valuable time and resources as they strive to educate all of their students. We are proud to be sponsors of this very important initiative."

"Verizon applauds CoSN's efforts to expand awareness of the role that today's information and communications technology can play in helping all children achieve their potential and succeed in the 21st Century economy," stated Kathryn Brown, Senior Vice President, Verizon. "The capabilities of broadband communications will enhance the lives of all consumers, but this advanced technology is particularly suited to enrich the educational experience of students at all levels."

Under the direction of an advisory steering group, CoSN will:

publish an educators' toolkit that will include checklists, slide shows and best practices;
provide case studies to share both successes and challenges encountered in unifying the use of all technologies in school districts;
release a white paper outlining K-12 accessibility and technology advantages and issues; and,
organize an online course and a series of face-to-face workshops with educators to expand understanding of the nature and potential of accessible technologies in the education community.

Project activities will include:

an aggressive communications strategy aimed at district-level decision makers;
a framework for districts to inventory what technologies currently exist in both special education and general education;
a survey of K-12 school district technology leaders and special education directors to identify common accessibility and assistive technology issues and/or problems; and,
a Capitol Hill event to brief policymakers on the potential of accessible technologies and make recommendations for the ways policymakers can best support their effective implementation.

Additional information on the project can be found at www.accessibletech4all.org, the online home of Accessible Technologies for All Students. The site includes information for policymakers, school leaders and technology staff, and will serve as a clearinghouse legislative updates and other relevant developments.

About the Consortium for School Networking

Founded in 1992, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), a national non-profit organization, is the premier voice in education technology leadership. CoSN's mission is to advance the K-12 education community's capacity to effectively use technology to improve teaching and learning through advocacy, policy and leadership development. CoSN has played a leading role in creation of the E-rate and other key national education technology initiatives over the past decade. It is a "CIO-type" organization for education technology leaders at the school district, state and national level. Visit www.cosn.org or call 866/267-8747 for more information.

CoSN's 10th Annual K-12 School Networking Conference, Using Technology for Transformation: Beyond Wires & Boxes, will be held March 21-23, 2005 in Washington, DC, followed by CoSN's International Symposium on March 24, 2005. Visit www.k12schoolnetworking.org for program and registration information.

About Sprint

Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With more than $26 billion in annual revenues in 2003, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. www.sprint.com

About AlphaSmart, Inc.

AlphaSmart, Inc. delivers affordable, portable personal learning solutions for the classroom. Its portable computer companion products are used by students to improve and assess basic skills for writing, keyboarding, math, social studies and science. They are in use in more than 8,000 school districts in the United States and other countries. Based in Los Gatos, Calif., the company was founded in 1992 by former Apple engineers. www.alphasmart.com

About Apple

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store. www.apple.com

About Educational Testing Service

ETS is the world's largest private educational testing and measurement organization. As a nonprofit corporation, our mission is to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services for all people worldwide. Our products and services measure knowledge and skills, promote learning and performance, and support education and professional development. Founded in 1947, ETS today develops, administers or scores nearly 24 million tests annually in more than 180 countries. www.ets.org

About gh, LLC

Founded in 2000, gh, LLC ("gh") is a leading assistive technology company that helps people with visual and print disabilities access information. Using a content-independent media conversion process, the company offers a full range of accessible media formats and software applications, including Digital Talking Books, an Accessible Testing System, Braille, and Tactile Graphics. This process enables people with visual disabilities to improve their educational experience, become more competitive in the workplace, and lead more enjoyable lives. www.gh-accessibility.com

About IntelliTools, Inc.

IntelliTools®, Inc., a pioneer in learning solutions for preK-8 classrooms, has been producing software and adaptive hardware products for 25 years, and has been recognized with 14 Technology & Learning Awards of Excellence and numerous other awards along the way. Its flagship product, IntelliKeys®, is a programmable alternative keyboard that enables users with physical, visual or cognitive disabilities to easily type, enter numbers, navigate on-screen displays, and execute menu commands. Overlay Maker® 3 is a newly updated software program for customizing the IntelliKeys keyboard. IntelliTools® Classroom Suite is a network-based software toolset for K-8 curriculum support, designed to help struggling students, reluctant writers, English language learners, and students with special needs perform to standards. IntelliTools® Reading: Balanced Literacy is a nine-unit supplementary program providing a full year of literacy instruction at a first-grade skill level. All IntelliTools software products are fully accessible for standard keyboard and mouse users as well as its IntelliKeys® keyboard and switch users. www.intellitools.com

About Kurzweil Educational Systems

Kurzweil Educational Systems, founded in 1996, is the industry leader and innovator in reading, writing and learning 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 Educational Systems and Kurzweil 3000 have recently received several 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. www.kurzweiledu.com

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. With a diverse work force of approximately 208,000, Verizon has four business units: Domestic Telecom serves customers based in 29 states with wireline telecommunications services, including broadband, nationwide long-distance and other services. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 42.1 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. www.verizon.com