Kurzweil Educational Announces First Kurzweil 3000 User Group Meeting; Ray Kurzweil to Present CSUN Conference Keynote, 'The End of Handicaps'

Business Wire, March 18, 2003

Business Editors/Education Writers/High-Tech Writers

BEDFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 18, 2003

Kurzweil Educational Systems, Inc. innovator of reading technology products for individuals with learning and visual disabilities, today announced its first Kurzweil 3000 User Group Meeting at the California State University of Northridge (CSUN) "Technology and Persons with Disabilities" 2003 Conference. Kurzweil 3000 is the premier reading, writing and learning software for struggling students. The User Group Meeting will be held at CSUN on Thursday, March 20th in the Los Angeles Marriott Executive Suite 2 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. CSUN is being held at the Hilton Los Angeles Airport and Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotels from March 17-22, 2003.

Inventor, technology futurist and Kurzweil Educational's Chairman Emeritus, Ray Kurzweil, will present the conference keynote tomorrow, March 19th at 7:30 a.m. Mr. Kurzweil's presentation, "The End of Handicaps," will focus on the accelerating pace of technology, the handicaps associated with disabilities, and the role of technology as a great leveler in bridging the communication and mobility challenges associated with sensory and physical disabilities. Mr. Kurzweil will also be available to meet with conference attendees following his address, from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. in the Catalina C Room of the Hilton Airport Hotel.

"We are very pleased to be holding our first annual User Group Meeting," said Cindy Johnson, Vice President of Marketing at Kurzweil Educational Systems. "The User Group Meeting is an excellent opportunity for Kurzweil 3000 users to meet both company executives and fellow Kurzweil 3000 users, to learn about our latest technology, and to hear first-hand about real-life applications of the Kurzweil 3000. Just as importantly, it provides a face-to-face venue for the company and users to exchange product ideas and feedback."

All meeting attendees will be eligible to receive a complimentary copy of the new Active Learning and Study Strategies Using Kurzweil 3000 book, which will be available in April. The book, as the name indicates, provides suggestions for teaching active reading and study strategies in the classroom and the use of Kurzweil 3000 features to apply these skills.

Kurzweil Educational Systems will also be exhibiting in Booth 323 at CSUN. Attendees can visit the booth for one-on-one product demonstrations and in-booth theatre presentations, to receive free trial copies of Kurzweil Educational software, and to register to win a free copy of Kurzweil 3000 for Windows Version 7.

In addition to in-booth demonstrations and presentations, Kurzweil Educational will be presenting the following general sessions:

-- Test-Taking with Kurzweil 3000:

Wednesday, 1:30 - 3:50 p.m. in Chicago/Dallas, at the Marriott

See first-hand the Kurzweil 3000 test-taking features and how they help struggling students in both classroom and standardized test-taking environments.

-- Incorporating Kurzweil 3000 Study Tools Into Your Curriculum:

Thursday, 4:10 - 5:10 p.m. in La Jolla B, at the Hilton

Learn how to effectively implement Kurzweil 3000 into the classroom and provide long-term strategies for effective utilization.

-- Benefits of Assistive Reading Software for Students with

Attention Disorders:

Friday, 9:20 - 10:20 a.m. in La Jolla B, at the Hilton

See a demonstration of how Kurzweil 3000's reading and writing tools and enhanced study skill features help struggling students.

-- Kurzweil 3000-PC and Macintosh-User Forum:

Friday, 10:40 - 11:40 a.m. in Atlanta/Boston, at the Marriott

Participate in a lively discussion on Kurzweil 3000 for Windows and Kurzweil 3000 for Macintosh and learn about the latest technology advances and product enhancements.

-- Using Kurzweil 1000 As a Powerful Educational Technology Tool:

Saturday, 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. in La Jolla B, at the Hilton

Meet with Kurzweil Educational's Chief Technology Officer to learn more about Kurzweil 1000 software for individuals who are blind or visually impaired and how the product provides access to online books and educational tools for increased productivity in the classroom or office.

Separately, Kurzweil Educational Systems is participating in Microsoft's Assistive Technology Vendor Program (MATvp), to be announced at the conference. Kurzweil Educational joins a select group of industry leaders working with Microsoft to make computers more accessible and user-friendly for people with disabilities. As a member of the program, Kurzweil Educational Systems is working with Microsoft to evolve a central resource on the web where people with disabilities can locate a full range of assistive technology services.

About Kurzweil 3000

Kurzweil 3000 is Kurzweil Educational's flagship product for struggling readers and writers. It is widely recognized as the most comprehensive and integrated solution for addressing language and literacy difficulties. The software uses a multisensory approach - presenting printed or electronic text on the computer screen with added visual and audible accessibility. The product incorporates a host of dynamic features including powerful decoding, study skills tools and test taking tools designed to adapt to each individual's learning style and to minimize frustration for both the learner and educator.