For Greater Efficiency in Implementing No Child Left Behind Testing, Edformation, Inc. Announces the AIMSweb Digital Pen System Powered by Mi-Forms from Mi-Co

Released on = June 16, 2005, 8:24 pm

Press Release Author = Barrett Joyner / Mi-Co

Industry = Education

Press Release Summary = Edformation, the nation’s leading student progress monitoring company, announced today the introduction of a new digital ink data capture process for schools implementing the AIMSweb product line.

Press Release Body = RTP, NC and Eden Prairie, MN.Edformation, the nation’s leading student progress monitoring company, announced today the introduction of a new digital ink data capture process for schools implementing the AIMSweb product line. This digital ink technology saves time and money, while increasing the quality of
the data for the 20,000 teachers that use Curriculum-Based Measurement (CBM) tests to track results with AIMSweb.

AIMSweb® is a formative assessment system that teachers use to ‘inform’ the teaching and learning process. This web-based software system provides student performance data and reports improvement to parents, teachers, and administrators to enable evidence-based evaluation and data-driven instruction. Edformation’s AIMSweb
Digital Pen System developed on the Mi-Forms Software Platform, allows teachers to get data into the system in a much easier and more reliable process by using digital ink.

“Data capture and entry is fast and simple with the new Digital Pen technology for AIMSweb. This digital scoring system provides the fastest, easiest, and most comfortable way to capture test scores and best of all, upload them directly and electronically into AIMSweb,” stated Gary Germann, President of Edformation, at the
announcement of the digital pen software.

With this system of data capture, AIMSweb and/or DIBELS™ score sheets are provided on ‘smart paper” and the test administrator replaces the regular writing tool with the Digital Pen. The pen writes with a standard ink cartridge but has an optical scanner that captures the writing in the pen’s memory. The pen is then docked into a
cradled attached to a personal computer and, powered by Mi-Forms digital ink recognition technology; the test sores are automatically uploaded to the school’s AIMSweb account.

With this process of data collection, the teacher can keep the score sheet as a hard copy for the school’s records but the data is already in the AIMSweb system. This process eliminates keying, typing, faxing or scanning data into the system which greatly reduces the administrative burden on educators and increases time spent with
students.

Mi-Co develops and markets the Mi-Forms technology that powers Edformation’s data capture component with the Digital Pen. Mi-Co recently released its fifth generation of technology, built within Microsoft’s .NET framework, for use in handwriting conversion and data capture.

“Mi-Co enjoys partnering with companies like Edformation for a number of reasons, including the excellent fit of the core competencies of the two organizations,” said Mi-CO CEO Jim Clary, “Edformation concentrates on managing, assessing and reporting
on the information that is captured and Mi-Co concentrates on providing data capture solutions that are the most efficient and effective in the industry.”

The AIMSweb Digital Pen System will be available for the 2005 -2006 School year. For more information on Edformation’s AIMSweb products and Digital Pen System visit www.aimsweb.com. For information on mobile data capture, e-form systems and handwriting recognition software please contact Mi-Co at www.mi-corporation.com

About Edformation

Edformation, Inc. is a privately held company that creates Standard Assessment probes, formative assessment materials and online monitoring and reporting software for use in K-12, Special Education, Adult Learning, Community Education, home school, charter schools, correctional facilities and other educational settings.
Edformation’s unique and powerful web-based achievement monitoring software engine, AIMSweb, allows users to input, manage, view, report, graphically display, evaluate and analyze student, classroom, building, or district level student performance and
instructional effectiveness. Subscribers get secure web based access to their students’ performance data and instructional effectiveness any time, day or night from any location. Teachers, administrators, policy makers and parents have user defined output menus unique to their needs.

About Mi-Co

Mi-Co, the mobile data capture company, provides digital writing software that enables an efficient and effective process for capturing and communicating handwritten data. Mi-Co’s enterprise Mi-Forms Software System enables flexible e-forms design for data capture using digital ink. In addition, Mi-Forms Software has proven capabilities for handwriting interpretation, verification, data
validation and communication of forms-based data for enterprise users. Mi-Forms supports Tablet PCs, Digital Pens, Pocket PCs and signature capture devices. Mi-Co is headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and has a Washington customer service center. For more information on Mi-Co, visit
www.mi-corporation.com.

Web Site = http://www.mi-corporation.com

Contact Details = 2 Davis Drive
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709
919 677-1810