RFB&D® Uses NetReach's cmScribe Content Management System (cms) for Innovative, Section 508 Accessible Learning Through Listening® Support Website fo

Ambler, PA (PRWEB) July 19, 2007 -- Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D®), the nation's educational audiobook library for students of all ages who cannot read standard print effectively because of a learning disability, visual impairment or other physical disability, in an innovative collaboration with the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST), announced the launch of its new educator support website at www.learningthroughlistening.org (http://www.learningthroughlistening.org). The site was deployed using NetReach's web-based content management system (cms), cmScribe, to deliver information and resources to educators that is fully accessible and compliant with Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act and the W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

The new website, entitled Learning Through Listening, provides free resources 24/7 to powerfully assist all educators seeking to integrate listening skills into their classrooms. The site provides easy-to-use, research-based information developed by educators, targeted to the K-12 classroom. A special customized Curriculum Builder was added to cmScribe to deliver and manage lesson plans and other downloadable materials that are grouped and searchable by subject and grade level. By design, the intended audience has varying degrees of knowledge, comfort and proficiency with print disabilities, technology and RFB&D as an organization and service. The cmScribe toolset allows for easy and compliant upload of both stand-a-lone audio and video content, including integration of text-based transcripts and forced inclusion of alt tags on imagery and image-type buttons as well as the addition of form controls, such as "for" tags to associate form controls with their labels making the site easy to use for persons visiting using text-readers and other assistive technologies.

"The Learning Through Listening website was created to support and build the skills of K-12 educators so they will be even more successful in teaching students with different learning styles," says John Kelly, RFB&D President and CEO. "This new website will provide greater access to helpful educational materials developed by and for educators."

"As multimedia technologies bring listening back to a central role in literacy, this website provides educators with the practical ideas and resources they need to prepare diverse learners for success in a multimedia world," says David Rose, Founder and Chief Education Officer of CAST.

"My background in educational research made it particularly gratifying for me to participate in a project like this that addresses different learners needs," said Stephen Bouikidis, Executive VP, NetReach. "In order to perform to the stringent specifications for accessibility compliance that both RFB&D and CAST required for this project, cmScribe, which is built using Microsoft's® .NET 2.0 platform, was rigorously tested and retested using Watchfire® Bobby? to ensure programmatic compliance with WC3 and Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act."

About RFB&D

RFB&D serves nearly 180,000 students from kindergarten through graduate school and beyond with its one-of-a-kind collection of educational titles. RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD provide unprecedented navigation, ease of use and proven effectiveness as

learning tools for students with print disabilities. All of RFB&D's accessible titles are recorded by volunteers working in 29 RFB&D recording studios nationwide. For more information visit RFB&D's accessible website at www.rfbd.org.

About CAST

CAST is a research and development organization that has earned international recognition for its innovative, technology-based educational resources and strategies based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). CAST's staff includes specialists in education research and policy, neuropsychology, clinical/school psychology, technology, engineering, curriculum development and K-12 professional development. Additional information about CAST is available at www.cast.org.

About NetReach

NetReach was founded in 1994 with a vision to help businesses fully capitalize on the opportunities created by the Internet. NetReach has been at the forefront of web-based technology and design for the past 13 years, creating innovative sites, applications, games and tools that help clients achieve their business goals. Today the company continues its commitment to increasing an organization's return on its internet investment through cmScribe, its premiere suite of web content management, authoring and collaboration tools (CMS) and through related strategic consulting and design services. NetReach provides value through its products and services to a broad range of organizations including healthcare/pharmaceutical, associations, non-profit, high tech, higher education, legal, and industrial. For more information, about this project and NetReach please visit www.netreach.com/section508 (http://www.netreach.com/section508)

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