  | ||
| | |
| Press Release Wireless Generation mCLASS®:DIBELS® Assessment Software Wins 2005 SIIA Codie Award for Best Handheld Education Solution NEW YORK, June 3, 2005 - Wireless Generation, the leading provider of handheld software for preK-12 observational assessments, today announced that its mCLASS®:DIBELS® software has been named Best Handheld Education Solution by the Software & Information Industry Association's (SIIA) 20th Annual Codie Awards. mCLASS (for Mobile Classroom Assessment):DIBELS software was one of five finalists for Best Handheld Education Solution. This category recognizes the best education solution, either curriculum or administrative, designed for handhelds, PDAs, and other mobile devices. Overall, the Codie Awards received a record-breaking 1,000 nominations this year from more than 800 companies. First round judging was completed by a panel including industry trade press representatives, mainstream technology writers, and industry experts and analysts. Second round judging was based on votes by SIIA members. mCLASS:DIBELS software offers standardized, individually administered measures of early literacy for students in grades K-6. Like the proven paper-based assessment known The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills, or DIBELS, it quickly identifies students at risk for reading failure and helps teachers to monitor students' response to intervention. Teachers turn on their handhelds, select a student's name and test activity, and follow along as their students do reading tasks, making notes of correct and incorrect answers with just a tap on the screen. Once the assessment is finished, the teacher receives a student's results instantly on the handheld, "syncs" the handheld to a computer to view Web-based reports on the class and individual students, and uses the information to tailor instruction to students' needs. Administrators can access additional reports on a school or district. "Wireless Generation is honored to win such a prestigious award," said Larry Berger, Co-Founder and CEO of Wireless Generation. "We have received incredible feedback from the tens of thousands of educators who are using mCLASS:DIBELS software, who are thrilled to get real-time results and reports that allow them to pinpoint the needs of their students and monitor their progress toward achieving critical learning goals." "The 20th Annual Codie Awards continues SIIA's tradition of celebrating the best products in the software and information industry," said Ken Wasch, President of SIIA. "Being chosen as the winning company from among so many fine nominees is a tremendous achievement. This year, Wireless Generation confirms its strength as a market leader in the education industry." DIBELS has been cited by the Individual with Disabilities Act (IDEA) for its excellent compatibility with No Child Left Behind's Reading First, a nationwide effort to enable all students to become successful early readers. The assessment has been selected by 45 states as part of their Reading First plans. mCLASS:DIBELS software was developed in partnership with DIBELS authors Roland Good, Ph.D., and Ruth Kaminski, Ph.D., of the University of Oregon and Dynamic Measurement Group. The Codie Awards winners were announced on May 25, 2005 at Universal Studio's Globe Theater in Universal City, CA. A complete list of winners can be found at http://www.siia.net/codies/2005/winners.asp. About Wireless GenerationWireless Generation is the leading developer of preK-12 observational assessment software. With its suite of handheld computer-based assessments for early reading and math, the company has transformed the way educators collect and use assessment data, helping to create a culture of continuous feedback and improvement in classrooms. Wireless Generation continues to develop new products based on its mission of using technology to maximize the educational value of every teacher -student interaction. More information is available on the Web at www.wirelessgeneration.com. | ||