Scientific Learning Announces Reading Assistant Expanded Edition
Newest edition of Reading Assistant reading intervention software offers expanded content and reporting and enhanced support for comprehension and English language learners
3/10/09
Media Contact:Jessica Lindl
Vice President of Marketing
Scientific Learning Corporation
(510) 625-6784
jlindl@scilearn.com
Investor Contact:
Robert Feller
Chief Financial Officer
Scientific Learning Corporation
(510) 625-2281
investorrelations@scilearn.com
Oakland, Calif. - March 10, 2009 - Rich new content, reporting tools, and additional support for comprehension and English Language Learners (ELLs) are all features of the new Reading AssistantTM Expanded Edition announced today by Scientific Learning® (NASDAQ:SCIL). Designed to help struggling, self-conscious readers become successful readers, the Reading Assistant reading intervention software combines advanced speech recognition technology with scientifically-based interventions to help elementary and secondary students strengthen their reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Enhanced Content
With 450 fluency passages, Reading Assistant Expanded Edition will offer almost double the content of Reading Assistant v4. In addition, Reading Assistant Expanded Edition will now be sold in four grade bands--K-3, 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12--to provide schools and districts with added flexibility. Each grade band includes passages across a variety of genre and a range of readability levels to address diverse student needs.
To save teachers' time and improve students' experiences, Reading Assistant Expanded Edition will be able to place students automatically into the appropriate reading level based on their performance on Reading Progress Indicator. Reading Progress Indicator is a summative, normed assessment that is part of Progress Tracker, an online data analysis and reporting tool that enables educators to monitor performance by students working on the reading intervention software.
Expanded Learning
Reading Assistant Expanded Edition will introduce a new instructional sequence that builds fluency by enforcing progression through increasingly difficult content. The structured sequence is designed to help students maximize fluency, vocabulary and comprehension growth. Each reading selection includes three student activities: Preview and Read Silently, which includes guided reading questions to scaffold comprehension; Record My Reading to provide oral reading practice with immediate feedback to build fluency; and a quiz to assess comprehension.
Expanded Insights
To inform decision-making, Reading Assistant Expanded Edition will feature expanded and simplified reporting. Reading Assistant reports will now be accessible through Progress Tracker, the same online data analysis and reporting tool used by the Fast ForWord® family of products. The new At-A-Glance report in the Reading Assistant Expanded Edition will provide teachers and administrators with key information on student performance. In addition, new comprehension strategy reporting will pinpoint the areas in need of improvement.
Supports for ELLs
Reading Assistant Expanded Edition will include additional supports for English language learners (ELLs), including directions for Spanish-speaking students, scaffolds for comprehension, and increased access to academic vocabulary. Reading Assistant also offers a content-rich glossary with powerful vocabulary-building information for ELLs. The Reading Assistant Expanded Edition's emphasis on language development will help bring ELLs to proficiency quickly.
Availability
Reading Assistant Expanded Edition is planned for release to customers this Fall. Promotional pricing is expected to be available through the end of 2009.
About Reading Assistant
Reading Assistant acts as a patient, non-judgmental listener for struggling, self-conscious readers and provides the much-needed reading practice that benefits all students. Using research-validated speech recognition technology, Reading Assistant "listens" to a child as he or she reads aloud. Monitoring for signs of difficulty, the program intervenes with assistance when the student is challenged by a word. Readers are helped with interactive resources, immediate feedback on errors, and private playback. The software maintains careful performance records and the corresponding audio of each reading session for review by student and teacher. Teachers receive assessment reports as if they had been sitting next to their students, listening.
About Scientific Learning Corp.
Scientific Learning creates educational software that accelerates learning by improving the processing efficiency of the brain. Based on more than 30 years of neuroscience and cognitive research, the Fast ForWord® family of products provides struggling readers with computer-delivered exercises that build the cognitive skills required to read and learn effectively. Scientific Learning Reading AssistantTM combines advanced speech recognition technology with scientifically-based courseware to help students strengthen fluency, vocabulary and comprehension to become proficient, life-long readers. The efficacy of the products has been established by more than 550 research studies and publications. For more information, visit http://www.scientificlearning.com/ or call toll-free 888-452-7323.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor created by the federal securities laws. Such statements include, among others, statements relating to planned product launches and the planned features of and expected results to be achieved through new products. Such statements are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Actual events or results may differ materially as a result of many factors, including but not limited to: unexpected challenges in product development; the extent to which the products are implemented in accordance to the Company's instructions; the actual performance of the products after introduction; and other risks detailed in the Company's SEC reports, including but not limited to the Report on Form 10K for 2008 (Part I, Item 1A, Risk Factors), filed March 5, 2009. The Company disclaims any obligation to update information contained in these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
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