Yahoo - Premier Programming Solutions' Assistive Software Grant Program for Pri

[Ginette Perkins]

Monday July 1, 9:02 am Eastern Time
Press Release
SOURCE: Premier Programming Solutions
Premier Programming Solutions' Assistive Software Grant Program for
Primary, Secondary Schools Reaches $6.5 Million
Company's Installed Base Now Largest Worldwide in Assistive Software
with 5 Million PCs Using "Accessibility Suite" Packages
DEWITT, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 1, 2002-- Premier Programming
Solutions, a leading provider of assistive software that gives disabled
individuals better access to modern technology, today announced its
major software grant program aimed at primary and secondary schools has
reached $6.5 million -- $5.5 million more than the company initially
committed. 

The company's installed base will, as of September's start of school,
reach five million PCs, making it the largest assistive software company
worldwide. 

Schools applied for the grants by describing how Premier Programming
Solutions' "Accessibility Suite" of software would help them meet the
accessibility needs of students with learning and/or visual
disabilities. 

"We have been overwhelmed by the positive response from schools around
the globe applying for this grant, and we are tremendously honored and
excited to have been able to expand the total program so as to include
more schools to reach more students," said Steve Timmer, president and
founder of Premier Programming Solutions. "Our goal has been to assist
as many schools as possible to improve the lives and learning
experiences of visually- or learning-challenged youth. Now millions of
students will be able to access our lineup of advanced assistive
software products." 

Selected schools are now being installed with a range of quality
software that converts printed text and web pages into audio files,
speaks digital text, and performs calculations or word processing tasks
audibly, among other functions. Each school selected is receiving all of
the products offered in the Accessibility Suite, which includes a broad
range of products to help students learn. 

Among the software titles in the Premier Programming Solutions
Accessibility Suite are the following: 

Text-to-Audio 5.0, a new application that converts documents, web pages,
and other printed material into audio files;
Scan and Read and Scan and Read Pro, two easy-to-use reading tools that
converts scanned books, magazines, or other documents into spoken text
(Scan and Read Pro supports twelve different languages);
Text Cloner and Text Cloner Pro, two Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
tools minus internal text reader, that provides a non-verbal alternative
to Scan and Read;
Complete Reading System, an easy-to-use reading package designed for
non-computer users that eliminates the need for both a screen reader and
a mouse;
Talking Word Processor, designed for individuals who have difficulty
with reading and writing. Includes unique features such as word pause,
repeat word, and word magnify;
Scan and View, a simple product that converts a computer and scanner
into a CCTV;
Screen Magnifier, for enlarging screen images from 2x to 16x;
Screen Reader, a powerful, yet stable and easy-to-use product that
leverages the speech interface of the Windows operating system (Visual
Basic Scrip support is included for user-defined enhancements);
Talking Web Browser, to convert any web page or series of web pages into
spoken text; and
Talking Calculator, a full-functioning, on-screen calculator that
pronounces each button, edit area, and numerical problem as it is
entered, including the result. 
Premier Programming Solutions has a history of donating assistive
software to public and private schools from kindergarten to collegiate
level. For more information about the company and its products, visit
www.premier-programming.com. 

About Premier Programming Solutions: 

Premier Programming Solutions, established in 1999, is a DeWitt,
Michigan-based software development company. Its mission is to provide
affordable, accessible, easy-to-use systems and applications. The
company's president and founder, with some 15 years of software
development experience, has successfully deployed more than a dozen
major business systems in both the public and private sectors. For more
information about Premier Programming Solutions and its line of
assistive software products, call 517-668-8188 or visit
www.premier-programming.com. 



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Contact: 

     S&S Public Relations, Inc.
     Kristen Stonecipher, 317/275-2275, ext. 28
     kristen at sspr.com
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