[bksvol-discuss] O T: Freedom Scientific Reduces Price of Focus 40 Blue Braille Display by 38% to Support Drive for Braille Literacy.

From: "Lynn I" <lynnskyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Bookshare Volunteer List" <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 3 Mar 2010 16:00:49 -0600
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Media Contact: Brad Davis
800-444-4443 or 727-803-8000
www.FreedomScientific.com
Sales: info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Freedom Scientific Reduces Price of Focus 40 Blue Braille Display by 38% to
Support Drive for Braille Literacy
(St. Petersburg, Florida - March 3, 2010) - Freedom ScientificR today
announced that it has reduced the US list price of its Focus 40 Blue Braille
Display from $4,495 to $2,795, a $1,700 reduction, in a move to support
Braille literacy.

The National Federation of the Blind, in their report from the Jernigan
Institute, has declared that there is a "Braille Literacy Crisis in
America," citing such statistics as: 

Fewer than 10 percent of the 1.3 million people who are legally blind in the
United States are Braille readers 
Only 10 percent of blind children in the US are learning Braille 
Over 70 percent of blind adults are unemployed, and as many as 50 percent of
blind high school students drop out of high school 
The factors that contribute to a low Braille literacy rate in the US are
many, among them a shortage of qualified Braille teachers and an increasing
reliance on recorded audio and text-to-speech technologies. 

"We believe that technology should be supporting Braille literacy, not
replacing it," states Dr. Lee Hamilton, President and CEO of Freedom
Scientific. "The combination of JAWSR and a Braille display makes learning
and using Braille easy. JAWS can translate almost any electronic document or
Web page into Braille and then display them on the Focus 40 Blue. JAWS also
has a built-in Braille tutor that works with the Focus 40 Blue to provide
immediate spoken help when the reader encounters an unfamiliar Braille
symbol. This makes independent Braille study easier as it can be used with
any document of interest to the student. With a computer and a Braille
display, a person who is Braille literate can carry hundreds of books on a
single memory card or USB thumb drive.

"Unfortunately, Braille displays have always been expensive, which has meant
that not everyone who wanted a Braille display could get one. Freedom
Scientific wants to open the world of Braille to as many blind people as
possible. We first drastically reduced the cost of Braille displays in 2004,
when we introduced models 40% below the average price of currently available
Braille displays. We are pleased that the manufacturing efficiencies
inherent in our latest product design make it possible for us to reduce
prices once again and hope this will make Braille accessible to many more
people."

The Focus 40 Blue is a compact portable Braille display that is the perfect
companion to a desktop, laptop, or netbook PC. It connects via USB or
BluetoothR and has a Braille keyboard. The 40 Braille cells are constructed
without seams between characters, so the user experience is like reading
Braille on paper. The Focus 40 Blue works with AppleR computers and cell
phones as well as with JAWS for WindowsR. 

Freedom Scientific's Braille displays are the most reliable in the industry
and are backed by technical support and service teams based in St.
Petersburg, Florida.

The new US/Canada list price for the Focus 40 Blue is USD 2,795 and includes
a two-year manufacturer's warranty.

For more information, please visit the Freedom Scientific Web site or call
800-444-4443.

About Freedom Scientific
Freedom Scientific is the leading worldwide provider of assistive technology
products for those with vision impairments. The Company sells its products
worldwide and has offices in Florida and Switzerland. The Company's products
have been translated into 24 languages and are available in 55 countries.
Freedom also has a line of software products for those with learning
disabilities.

Freedom ScientificR and JAWS for WindowsR are either trademarks or
registered trademarks in the United States and/or other countries. The names
of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of
their respective owners. 


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[bksvol-discuss] O T: Freedom Scientific Reduces Price of Focus 40 Blue Braille Display by 38% to Support Drive for Braille Literacy.

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