Earlier this year, time magazine reported that the National Federation of
the Blind gave Eric Weihenmayer $250,000 to climb Mt. Everest.  The
article below does not disclose his compensation for this new position.

Kelly


Business Wire

December 20, 2001

 Accomplished Blind Mountain Climber Erik Weihenmayer To Promote
Technology for Freedom Scientific

Freedom Scientific Inc., a leader in assistive technology products for
people with sensory impairments and learning disabilities, named Erik
Weihenmayer as chairman of its newly created Product Advisory Board.

He will also serve as company spokesperson for Freedom's full line of
hardware and software products for those who are blind or vision
impaired.

Weihenmayer, the first blind mountain climber to summit Mt. Everest, is
a long time user of Freedom Scientific notetakers and screen reading
software. He took his Braille 'n Speak notetaker on his Everest
expedition, using it to record his journal notes and report back to
those following his progress on the Internet from around the world.

"Erik embodies the mission of our company -- to help those with vision
impairments change their world," said Richard H. Chandler, chairman and
president of Freedom Scientific. "His extraordinary resolve and
accomplishments have encouraged others to achieve the highest levels of
success and make him a welcome addition to the Freedom Scientific team."

Members of Freedom Scientific's Product Advisory Board are prominent
assistive technology experts representing some of the most recognized
public and private organizations in the blindness field. The Board meets
three to four times annually with company product managers and
engineers, providing advice on product ideas and enhancements most
needed by those who are blind or vision impaired. Weihenmayer will
assume his role as chairman on Jan. 16, 2002 at the Assistive Technology
Industry Association (ATIA) 2002 Conference in Orlando, Fla.

"Too often, those who are blind are told to recognize their limitations,
but I've always found it more fun to ignore that advice and focus on
stretching your own limits; that is why this chairmanship is so
attractive to me," Weihenmayer said. "Technology helps you do that --
leveling the playing field in educational and professional pursuits for
the blind. The Product Advisory Board gives me and other product users a
totally new forum to contribute our ideas and help define the next
generation of product breakthroughs."

Weihenmayer, a former middle school teacher and wrestling coach, is the
best known and most versatile blind athlete in the world: an acrobatic
skydiver and skier, a long-distance biker and marathoner, a wrestler and
scuba diver. But his passion has always been mountaineering, ice
climbing and rock climbing.

This spring he summitted Mt. Everest, and, at 33 years old, is on course
to become one of the youngest people to climb all of the Seven Summits.
He previously scaled Mt. McKinley (1995); Mt. Kilimanjaro

(1997); Aconcagua (1999); Vinson Massif (2001/Antarctica); El Capitan, a
3,300-foot rock face in Yosemite, and Polar Circus (2000), a 3,000-foot
ice waterfall in Alberta.

The National Federation of the Blind sponsored Weihenmayer on two
Himalayan expeditions, the summit of Ama Dablam, and the eventual ascent
of Everest, 29,035-feet, the highest peak in the world.

Weihenmayer documented his accomplishments using his Freedom Scientific
notetaker. His inspiring story is told in his recent book, Touch the Top
of the World. The book recalls Weihenmayer's struggle to push past the
limits of vision loss, to his dream to climb mountains, and finally his
quest to reach each of the Seven Summits.

Along with numerous personal appearances, Weihenmayer attracted
attention from the news media, among them Time Magazine, Sports
Illustrated, Reader's Digest, Parade Magazine, Today Show, CBS Early
Show, NBC Nightly News and the Tonight Show.

Freedom Scientific Inc. emerged as the largest manufacturer of software
and hardware for people with vision impairments in the United States
when it was formed by the merger of Henter-Joyce, Blazie Engineering and
Arkenstone in early 2000. The consolidation of these companies brought
together expertise in the development and manufacturing of both hardware
and software assistive technology products. Freedom Scientific products
are sold in 52 countries around the world.

CONTACT: Freedom Scientific Inc., St. Petersburg

Scott Meyers, 800/444-4443 or 727/803-8000
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