March 7, 2001
For Immediate Release

Contact: John Gardner, CEO /President, 541-754-4002, [log in to unmask]

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, [log in to unmask], 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: [log in to unmask]
URL: http://dots.physics.orst.edu