[Bridging_the_digital_divide] Fwd: press release

[Jason Barkeloo]

TouchSmart Publishing and SOCHE Announce Strategic Alliance
Friday, July 2, 9:22 am ET

Cincinnati, OH--(PRWEB)—July 2, 2004--TouchSmart Publishing, LLC and 
the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education (SOCHE) today 
announced a strategic alliance to investigate ways to reduce textbook 
costs in higher education.

According to Jason Barkeloo, President of TouchSmart Publishing, 
“textbook costs are rising fast. A recent Public Interest Research 
Group (PIRG) study indicates students are borrowing more money to meet 
this increasing demand.”  Barkeloo added that “our interactive wireless 
textbooks connecting to digital content we may help reduce the costs of 
textbooks to its consortium members. Sean Creighton, Executive Director 
of SOCHE, reinforced the alliance by adding that, “SOCHE is pleased to 
work with such a forward-leaning organization as TouchSmart in reducing 
textbook costs for students in our region.”

Barkeloo says that because “students can press pictures and words on 
the paper that enables the connection, the back-end digital content is 
incredibly important.”  The touch user interface (TUI) technology 
connects paper directly to digital content that can reside on optical 
media, the Internet, or hard-drives. As a result, the weight and number 
of printed pages in the book is reduced and the associated costs with 
it.

Furthermore, SOCHE is concerned with increasing participation in higher 
education for those with access concerns and feels this technology 
could help disability services departments. According to Creighton, 
“This TUI-based technology shows promise in increasing accessibility.” 
The SOCHE and TouchSmart alliance is a step in advocating for student 
success and in-line with the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education 
and the Economy report.”

About TouchSmart Publishing, LLC.

TouchSmart Publishing is a developmental-stage company with the 
exclusive license to develop and distribute touch-sensitive books to 
the K-12 math, science, and special education needs students. The 
Company's mission is to create and distribute exciting and easy-to-use 
interactive textbooks that connect to digital content by touching pages 
in a book.  TouchSmart Publishing provides a bridge over the digital 
divide for more students, regardless of learning style, special needs 
or socioeconomic position, than are current connected.  For more 
information, please visit the TouchSmart Publishing web site at 
http://www.touchsmart.net.

About SOCHE

Formed in 1967, the Southwestern Ohio Council for Higher Education 
(SOCHE) is a regional consortium of colleges, universities, and 
business advancing higher education through academic collaboration, 
corporate and community partnerships, and student success. SOCHE’s 
initiatives include cross-registration between member schools, a 
student research programs at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, degree 
finder for prospective students, cost savings programs, and continuous 
improvement conferences. For more information, visit www.soche.org.

Contact:
      TouchSmart Publishing, LLC
      Jason Barkeloo, 513.225.8765


	SOCHE
	Sean Creighton, 937.258.8890

Source: TouchSmart Publishing, LLC

---

Jason Barkeloo
President
TouchSmart Publishing
http://www.touchsmart.net
tele 513.225.8765


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