Accelerated Reader Student App Update Gives Visually Impaired Students Quiz-taking Independence

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis., April 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Renaissance Learning^™ announced today that the newest update to the Accelerated Reader^™ (AR^™) Student App for iOS includes VoiceOver support to enhance learning for visually impaired and blind students.

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Introduced in 2011, the AR Student App provides educators with an option that allows students to wirelessly take AR Quizzes on their iPad^®, iPod touch^®, and iPhone^®. The new feature enables visually impaired and blind students to independently take AR Quizzes.

VoiceOver support narrates the questions and answer choices to provide the full AR quizzing experience. It enables visually impaired students to search for quizzes, take quizzes, and hear their results on their own.

"The AR Student App now fully supports VoiceOver mode to give visually impaired students the same independent quizzing experience as their peers," said Renaissance Learning Chief Executive Officer Jack Lynch. "This new technology is a turning point, not only for today's students but for the next generation of students. According to Prevent Blindness America, one out of every 20 pre-school aged children in the U.S. will have a vision problem that affects their ability to learn. The update supports our mission to improve educational experiences for all students through innovative technologies."

While anyone can download the app, each device needs to be configured to work with a school's AR software in order to take quizzes. The app maintains the integrity of the quizzing process by assuring AR Quizzes continue to be taken in a secure, monitored school environment, in order to maintain data fidelity for classroom use.

The AR Student App is available as a free download from the Apple App Store(SM). After downloading the app, visit http://www.renlearn.com/ar/mobile.aspx for set-up directions.

About Renaissance Learning, Inc.^™
Renaissance Learning, Inc. is a leading provider of technology-based school improvement and student assessment programs for K12 schools. Renaissance Learning's tools provide daily formative assessment and periodic progress-monitoring technology to enhance core curriculum, support differentiated instruction, and personalize practice in reading, writing and math. Renaissance Learning products help educators make the practice component of their existing curriculum more effective by providing tools to personalize practice and easily manage the daily activities for students of all levels. As a result, teachers using Renaissance Learning products accelerate learning, get more satisfaction from teaching, and help students achieve higher test scores on state and national tests.

SOURCE Renaissance Learning