Kurzweil Education Announces Enhanced Version Of Kurzweil 3000-firefly

DALLAS, July 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Kurzweil Education, Inc., a division of Cambium Learning^® Group, Inc. ABCD, announced today the launch of the newest Kurzweil 3000^®–firefly^® award-winning literacy software, which helps learners read and understand content, then demonstrate what they have learned. This version includes nearly 40 updates to Kurzweil 3000 for Windows, Mac, and the web-based firefly that will enhance the reading experience, help develop a deeper understanding of content, and facilitate assignment completion and writing.

Kurzweil 3000–firefly enables all students, including those with learning differences such as dyslexia and English language learners (ELL and ESL), to learn from the same content as their peers. Anchored in the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), it supports the complex tasks of developing fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, writing, study skills, and test-taking strategies. Built-in multisensory tools foster active participation throughout the full learning process, while anytime, anywhere access to curricula promotes independent learning at home, in the classroom, and beyond.

"We are proud to deliver new and enhanced tools that will allow learners to build literacy skills that will follow them throughout their academic careers and into adulthood," said John Campbell, CEO, Cambium Learning Group. "The updates to Kurzweil 3000–firefly are a direct result of feedback from end users and designed to address their needs. Additionally, as education relies increasingly on a variety of technologies, we have focused especially on delivering necessary supports anytime, anywhere via multiple platforms."

Major features in the new version include:

• High-quality Acapela text-to-speech voices; support for the OpenDyslexic font; an updated Optical Character Reader; improved scanning capabilities; and the ability to read EPUB files, images, and locked files to provide a superior reading experience
• Updates to the built-in American Heritage^® dictionaries; addition of 12,000 new Widgit^® images in the picture dictionary; vocabulary study guides; and translation to 70+ languages to help deepen comprehension
• New and updated writing tools, including updates to word prediction and study guides; new academic word lists; and new writing templates such as Analyzing Informational Text and Determining Important Details
• Enhancements to the Kurzweil 3000–firefly cloud-based Universal Library that provide educators with a centralized, flexible user-management system and usage reporting
• New teacher templates, including a UDL Lesson with Kurzweil 3000–firefly and a Common Core State Standards Lesson Plan

Current subscription customers of Kurzweil 3000–firefly receive all new features at no cost when the updates become available as part of their ongoing subscription. Districts, schools, individual users, and those in the workplace who are using older versions of Kurzweil 3000 can learn more about upgrading at the Kurzweil Education website.

For more information, visit kurzweiledu.com.

About Kurzweil Education, Inc.
Kurzweil Education, Inc., is recognized as the leading developer of literacy software for people with learning differences such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder, or those who are English language learners as well as those who are blind or visually impaired. Kurzweil Education provides complete reading, study skills, writing, and test taking support for students. For more than 30 years the company has been driven by the vision to serve the needs of struggling learners to enable them to reach their full potential. We offer products that bring the power and pleasure of reading and learning to the lives of users, striving to enhance learning and expand literacy. Kurzweil is committed to providing research-based solutions that help educators raise the achievement levels of preK–12 students as well as adult learning communities. Kurzweil Education, Inc., is a member of Cambium Learning^® Group, Inc. (ABCD), based in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.kurzweiledu.com.

Media Contact:
George Robertson
Kurzweil Education, Inc.
781-276-0630
george.robertson@KurzweilEdu.com

Investor Contact:
Philip Davis
Cambium Learning Group, Inc.
investorrelations@cambiumlearning.com

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SOURCE Cambium Learning Group, Inc.