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Wireless Generation Unveils mCLASS(R):Reading 3D(TM) Second Edition, Complete Balanced Literacy Assessment Solution

Posted on: Wednesday, 18 July 2007, 09:19 CDT

Wireless Generation, the leading education company combining mobile technology and in-person professional services to improve teaching and learning in grades pre-K-12, today announced the second edition of mCLASS®:Reading 3D™ assessment software for grades K-3. Built upon the award-winning mCLASS handheld-to-Web software platform, this complete balanced literacy assessment enables teachers to do flexible, efficient formative assessment and use data to deliver effective instruction to students at every stage of reading development, from emergent or at-risk to high-achieving.

mCLASS:Reading 3D was developed in partnership with Montgomery County Public Schools, MD, which has made formative assessment in the classroom one of the key elements in its efforts to close the achievement gap and raise performance across its diverse student population. The district has made dramatic gains in improving students' literacy skills and narrowing the achievement gap. mCLASS:Reading 3D has been an important component in assessing student progress. At the end of the 2005-2006 school year, 90 percent of white kindergarten students, 87 percent of African American kindergarten students, and 85 percent of Hispanic kindergarten students in the district were reading at or above grade level.

"Montgomery County's commitment to making mCLASS:Reading 3D an integral part of its instructional program was in the context of a clear vision and set of goals. We congratulate the district on its continuing student growth, and believe that this second edition of mCLASS:Reading 3D can similarly help other districts achieve their own goals and write their own success stories," said Larry Berger, Wireless Generation's CEO and Co-Founder.

"Our teachers now have instant access to student data to help them target instruction in the classroom because of the tool we developed with Wireless Generation," said Jody A. Leleck, chief academic officer for MCPS. "If teachers are going to be able to differentiate their lessons to match student needs, then they need access to data in a quick and easy to use fashion."

With mCLASS:Reading 3D, teachers can administer DIBELS and Reading Records -- two forms of observational assessments proven to give teachers valuable firsthand insight into students' reading development and learning needs. The research-based DIBELS alerts teachers when students are at risk of failing to reach key milestones in reading development, and enables frequent progress monitoring of students to ensure that instruction is effective. Reading Records enable teachers to probe students' fluency, reading strategies, and comprehension as they read authentic fiction and non-fiction texts, establishing a proficiency baseline for each child and tracking continued growth. Results from these two assessment components are seamlessly integrated, painting a multi-dimensional view of each child's literacy development.

Research shows that classroom use of formative assessment to understand and meet children's learning needs results in better outcomes, but paper-based progress monitoring assessments can be cumbersome and time-consuming for teachers who need more instruction time, not less. mCLASS technology makes it feasible for teachers to collect information on students' learning needs often and make timely instructional adjustments. Teachers record student responses and reading behaviors on the handheld device, which automates timing and scoring, and delivers results and instructional recommendations immediately. When the handheld is "synced" to an Internet-connected computer, data is transferred to a secure Web site where teachers and administrators can access reports and analyze student, class, grade, school, and district performance. The reports and analytical tools support educators in making data-driven decisions about instruction, professional development, and curricula.

Using mCLASS:Reading 3D, schools can:

Assess in English and Spanish

For benchmark assessment, select a book set from leading educational publishers

Monitor student progress between benchmarks using DIBELS and/or Reading Records, selecting from a library of over 4,000 leveled fiction and non-fiction readers

Rely upon the assessments' research base and validated cut points. MCPS has completed a validation study for the Reading Record proficiency cut points in mCLASS:Reading 3D.

Take advantage of mCLASS Now What? Tools to further support data-driven decision-making, including Item-Level Advisor, Small Group Advisor, and Home Connect

Build lasting internal capacity in mCLASS:Reading 3D data analysis and decision-making with Wireless Generation Professional Services data consultants

For more information about mCLASS:Reading 3D, visit the Wireless Generation web site at www.wirelessgeneration.com.

About Wireless Generation

Wireless Generation pioneered the adaptation of mobile technologies, including handheld computers and digital pens, for use in managing and improving teaching and learning in grades pre-K-12. The company's commitment to listening to educators and gaining a deep understanding of their challenges has lead to the development of offerings that optimally combine mobile tools, Internet technology, and in-person services to help improve student achievement in reading and math. Wireless Generation's mCLASS® products and services streamline collection of data about student learning needs and school operations, facilitate data analysis and interpretation, and build educators' capacity to implement data-driven instructional programs that deliver better outcomes for children. State and district school systems across the country and overseas now rely upon these offerings to achieve and sustain growth in their classrooms. More information is available on the Web at www.wirelessgeneration.com.

Source: Business Wire

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