DynaVox® Mayer-Johnson Introduces Boardmaker™ Studio Software

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- DynaVox Mayer-Johnson, the leading provider of speech generating devices and special education classroom software, announces the introduction of Boardmaker Studio, the newest addition to the Boardmaker Software Family.  First launched in 1991, the Boardmaker Software Family features essential tools to help educators and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) create and adapt activities for individuals with speech, language or learning challenges.

Boardmaker Studio is designed to reach more students with instruction and supports that are more closely adapted to their individual needs – all within an integrated solution that makes more efficient use of the teacher's time.  An extensive content library, activities that can quickly be adapted for individual students, new Picture Communication Symbol™ (PCS) Collections targeting specific academic areas, and closer integration with the BoardmakerShare.com sharing site will allow teachers and SLPs to work faster – and see results more quickly – than ever before.  As an added benefit, users will find a sleek, efficient design with clear toolbars, logical drop-down menus, and convenient project management tools that make it easier to create and manage the materials their students need.

"Boardmaker Studio delivers on our continued promise to save time for teachers and SLPs while delivering results for students," said Michelle Heying, president and COO at DynaVox Mayer-Johnson.  "Boardmaker Studio provides powerful tools for creating and adapting individualized activities, flexible configurations for different implementations, and customizable options for meeting the specific needs of their students."

Boardmaker Studio enables teachers and SLPs to:

Create materials fast with "ready-made" content.

Boardmaker Studio comes with hundreds of pre-made templates that allow rapid creation of classroom materials, lessons, and student activities.  Ready-to-use content, organized by curriculum and academic areas, will allow educators to address a wider range of instructional topics, while still employing the tools needed to adapt activities for individual student needs.

Extend the Reach of Picture Communication Symbols™.

Boardmaker Studio will introduce new symbol libraries that extend the user's options for using PCS, the symbol system that is long-recognized as the industry standard.  In addition to featuring the PCS Classic symbols that teachers and SLPs have used for years, Boardmaker Studio will be compatible with new PCS Thin Line™ and PCS Persona™ collections, which extend the reach of PCS into new content and topic areas, while allowing greater personalization for symbol users

Easy access to projects and support through a new "Boardmaker Studio Connect" dashboard.

Boardmaker Studio Connect will provide a central "dashboard" that gives users quick access to recent projects and key functions, as well as connecting them in one click to a wider community of support and resources available through the BoardmakerShare.com sharing site.

Connect with a community and save time.

BoardmakerShare.com, easily accessible from Boardmaker Studio Connect, is an online community with free activities and support resources such as groups, discussions and expert articles.  This community allows teachers and SLPs to "create, share, and engage" with other users who have created thousands of Boardmaker activities that are ready for download and student use.

Work faster with an easy-to-learn interface.

To address the ever-increasing demands on educators' and SLPs' time, Boardmaker Studio offers a clean new interface with familiar icons and menus that users will recognize from other Windows© programs.  This updated interface will enable users to create and adapt professional-looking activities in less time than ever.

The Boardmaker Studio software will be available in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. for purchase on September 7, via download or CD installation. Additional content, including a growing library of activities targeting literacy and other subject areas, will also debut on the 7th.

Visit www.mayer-johnson.com to learn more about Boardmaker Studio and all of the other products in the Boardmaker Software Family.

Boardmaker™ is a registered trademark of Mayer-Johnson LLC a wholly-owned subsidiary of DynaVox Systems LLC.

About DynaVox Inc.

DynaVox Inc. (Nasdaq: DVOX) is a publicly traded holding company with its headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, whose primary operating entities are DynaVox Systems LLC and Mayer-Johnson LLC.  DynaVox is the leading provider of speech generating devices and symbol-adapted special education software used to assist individuals in overcoming their speech, language and learning challenges. These solutions are designed to help individuals who have complex communication and learning needs participate in the home, classroom and community.  Our mission is to enable our customers to realize their full communication and education potential by developing industry-leading devices, software and content and by providing the services to support them. We assist individuals, families, and professionals with an extensive field support organization, as well as centralized technical and reimbursement support. For more information, visit www.dynavoxtech.com.

SOURCE DynaVox Inc.