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Mobile-Mind Announces Availability of American Sign Language Fingerspelling Application for QUALCOMM's BREW™ Platform

June 23, 2003 - Watertown, MA. USA

Mobile-Mind today announced the availability of the company's American Sign Language (ASL) Fingerspelling application developed for QUALCOMM's Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless™ (BREW) platform. The application is currently available via Verizon Wireless' Get It NowSM service and is available for all operators offering BREW-based services.

ASL Fingerspelling presents the twenty-six letters of the American Sign Language alphabet, the basic building blocks for learning sign language, as a one-time application download. Users can study and quiz themselves on the fingerspelling alphabet using high-contrast, easy-to-see images on the phone. They can also instantly view the animated fingerspelling of any word up to thirty-two characters and use what they learn to communicate with anyone who knows fingerspelling.

Bill Mangino, vice president of sales & marketing for Mobile-Mind said, "American Sign Language is the primary language of millions of deaf Americans and Mobile-Mind is delighted to premier this important mobile learning application on BREW-enabled phones in the U.S. Millions of hearing students and adults wanting to learn sign language and to communicate with the deaf community will benefit greatly with ASL Fingerspelling."

Rita Straubhaar, Information and Outreach Specialist at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH) commented, "This is a terrific learning tool for students who are beginning to learn American Sign Language."

"Mobile-Mind has shown initiative in developing a highly educational and creative BREW-based application that students of all ages will find useful in learning the American Sign Language alphabet," said Jan Lezny, senior director of developer and OEM relations, QUALCOMM Internet Services. "This development of ASL Fingerspelling is an example of Mobile-Mind's continuing leadership in driving the creation of mobile learning tools."

ASL Fingerspelling was developed by Mobile-Mind as part of its mobile learning suite of products, which includes XAP apps for SAT® test preparation and English and foreign language learning applications. Mobile-Mind is currently developing ASL Basic Signs, which will feature animated American Sign Language words and phrases.

QUALCOMM's BREW solution is a complete product and business system for the development and over-the-air deployment of data services on wireless devices. The BREW solution provides the necessary tools and value-added services to developers, device manufacturers and wireless operators for application development and distribution, device configuration, and billing and payment.

 

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