Visit http://www.microsoft.com/enable

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 3 -- On A Roll Radio's December Corporation of
the Month,
Microsoft announced today the creation of a new international grant
program to support research and product development initiatives that
make PC technology more accessible and effective for people with
disabilities. The new program, Exploring PC Accessibility:  New
Discoveries, was introduced today during a presentation by Microsoft's
accessibility group before the United Nations, in conjunction with the
U.N.'s International Day of Disabled Persons.

Computer accessibility will be the subject of On A Roll this Sunday,
and more information about the grant program will air on the
program.   On A Roll airs Sundays at 9:00 PM Eastern Time on the Talk
America Radio Network.  To view a list of affiliate radio stations and
for information on how to listen live on the Internet, visit
http://www.onarollradio.com

Microsoft will award one-year grants of up to $50,000 cash to
educational or not-for-profit organizations that are developing
accessibility technologies to be placed in the public domain. A total
of $250,000 will be distributed through this program, all of which
will support innovations that help people with disabilities take
advantage of cutting-edge technology simultaneously with other users.

"There is a compelling need for Microsoft and the PC industry to
anticipate how evolving technology can be made accessible," said Greg
Lowney, director of accessibility for Microsoft. "Microsoft is
committed to building accessible products and fostering innovation in
accessibility across the industry. We believe that the research
initiatives supported by this grant will have near-term benefits for
computer users with disabilities."

The Exploring PC Accessibility:  New Discoveries grant also is
intended to increase the knowledge base of all groups dedicated to
improving accessibility of PC technology and to facilitate the
dissemination of new accessibility concepts and products. Perhaps most
important, the grant will provide an opportunity for those in the
accessibility field to share new thinking.

"Microsoft is extending its accessibility agenda by providing
resources for an important pilot project to re-engage people with
disabilities, through small and innovative developers, in the
development of appropriate and accessible technology tools," said Russ
Holland, program director, Alliance for Technology Access. "By
providing development resources for this market, which is often
perceived as 'marginal,' this project has the potential to show the
efficacy and impact of a consumer driven model, as well as to
demonstrate clearly that when technology tools are designed to meet
the needs of people with disabilities, the end result is better and
more useable for everyone."

"Computer technology can provide the means for a person with a
disability to travel just about anywhere around the globe (even to the
remotest regions of our outback)," said Michael O'Leary, managing
director of Spectronics, a supplier of computer access technologies in
Australia. "But for many such people, they might as well be on another
planet when it comes to accessing PCs with the standard keyboard and
mouse that so many of us take for granted. The commitment that
Microsoft is making with the generous research funding it has
announced today will greatly assist with the never-ending search for
innovative, alternative access options for tomorrow's PC
technologies."

Applications for Exploring PC Accessibility:  New Discoveries grants
must be submitted on or before Feb. 12, 1999. Information about the
grant program and application process can be obtained from Microsoft's
accessibility Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/enable/. Award
winners will be announced March 16 at the Technology and Persons With
Disabilities Conference, hosted by California State University
Northridge in Los Angeles.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for
personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and
services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission
of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of
the full power of personal computing every day.