Education & Distance Learning Enthusiasts- Simple Distance Learning System Taking Off

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Simple Distance Learning System Taking Off

Newsbytes News Network - February 15, 1996

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A., 1996 FEB 15 (NB) -- One Touch Systems Inc., a provider of interactive distance learning response systems, has announced the following new customers: American Red Cross, Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd., Housing Telecommunications Inc., and Pacific Gas & Electric. One Touch's simple interactive distance learning system is proving very popular with a growing list of major corporate and government clients, claims the company.

The major ingredient in the One Touch system is a simple microphone-equipped keypad for each student. The keypad is like a simple calculator pad, and is used by the student to interact with a remote program or instructor.

The One Touch system includes the One Touch Instructor Computer giving instructors immediate access to each individual student, and a microphone-equipped Response Keypads furnishing an audio and data link between remote users and their distance learning instructor. All the voice and data transmissions are coordinated with proprietary software that keeps the sessions in order.

Speaking to Newsbytes, Laura Thurman a spokesperson for One Touch, said, "With this system, students use microphone-equipped keypads to communicate both verbally and electronically with an instructor at a central studio site. Students answer questions and electronically raise their hands without leaving their seats. The instructor employs a user friendly host touch screen to issue formatted questions and activate student microphones. Questions and comments are heard by all students on the network."

The system is compatible with any video delivery method. According to the company, most users have satellite-based networks, but it can operate on microwave, fiber, cable, or any other video network.

The American Red Cross will use the One Touch system for 65 sites around the United States. They will use the One Touch system for both regulated and unregulated courses associated with blood banking, including required training for certification of employees.

Ford Motor Company of Canada, Ltd. will utilize the One Touch system to link over 625 sites to a host studio. This network is the Canadian arm of the worldwide Fordstar network that will connect dealers across Canada for ongoing sales, technical training, new product launches, and warranty administration.

Housing Telecommunications Inc., which operates a non-profit network providing education for the public housing community, has installed 200 keypads in 20 sites and is scheduled to expand to 100 housing authority offices nationwide. Using the system, housing authority staff will receive training in management principles and techniques, finance, accounting, human resources, and security issues.

Pacific Gas & Electric has implemented a major training program using the One Touch system. Broadcasting out of its own production facility in San Francisco, PG&E will conduct interactive training sessions to 50 One Touch sites in Northern California.

Current customers include: AT&T, Digital Equipment Corporation, Federal Aviation Administration, Ford Motor Company, John Hancock Financial Services, Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Wescott Communications, Xerox Corporation, Bob Jones University and Wayne State University.

According to the company, a beginning system, including host site and remote site equipment for five sites, with five keypads per site, is under $50,000.

(Richard Bowers/1996215/Press Contact: One Touch Systems Inc. Laura Thurman, 408-436-4647)

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