[Ohio-talk] GW Micro is now free

[Marianne Denning]

This is great news!

Jan-14-2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fort Wayne, Indiana (January 14, 2014) - GW Micro, Inc.
(www.gwmicro.com) is proud to make a revolutionary announcement. GW
Micro and Microsoft Corp. have partnered to make Window-Eyes available
to users of Microsoft Office at no cost. Window-Eyes is a screen
reader that enables people who are blind, visually impaired, or print
disabled to have full access to Windows PCs and makes the computer
accessible via speech and/or Braille.

To better deliver Window-Eyes to the people who need it most, GW Micro
and Microsoft have collaborated on this global initiative, available
in over 15 languages, to enable anyone using Microsoft Office 2010 or
later to also use Window-Eyes for free.  Access to technology is
critical to people who are blind or visually impaired in order to have
the same opportunity to compete in the workplace. As such, this
initiative between GW Micro and Microsoft has the potential to reduce
barriers for millions of people who are blind or visually impaired
around the world.

As the population ages, technologies like Window-Eyes will become more
and more important as the number of people with age-related macular
degeneration and other retinal degenerative diseases increases. "This
significant change in the way we are doing business reflects the
changing perception of accessibility and also technology in general.
Rather than wait for the world to change, Microsoft and GW Micro are
leading the way," said Dan Weirich, Vice President of Sales and
Marketing for GW Micro.  Weirich believes this technology can help
millions of people gain access to their PC, and that providing it free
of charge will open a whole new world of assistive technology to many
people.

In light of the rapidly changing face of technology and specifically,
the changing face of assistive technology, the combined efforts of GW
Micro and Microsoft have the goal of providing accessibility to people
who are blind and visually impaired for the long term.

Microsoft continues to take accessibility seriously.  “By partnering
with GW Micro in this endeavor we are demonstrating Microsoft’s
ongoing commitment to provide all of our customers with the technology
and tools to help each person be productive in both their work and
personal lives.” said Rob Sinclair, Chief Accessibility Officer for
Microsoft.

Eligible customers, using Microsoft Office 2010 or higher, will be
able to download a full version of Window-Eyes starting today at
www.WindowEyesForOffice.com.  The website provides download
instructions as well as additional details about this offer.

GW Micro, Inc. (www.gwmicro.com) has been a trusted pioneer in the
adaptive technology industry since 1990, and continues to lead with
innovative, customer

-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053