Press Release - January 24, 2005
Educators Resoundingly Recommend MY Access!™ With IntelliMetric® to Their Peers
Recent study by Vantage Learning shows strong support for online instructional writing tool
Newtown, PA, January 24, 2005 - A new study by Vantage Learning (www.vantagelearning.com) shows that 91% of educators using its MY Access! system would advise others to purchase this program as an instructional classroom tool. MY Access! is a web-delivered instructional writing program that allows students to practice and revise their essays and receive immediate feedback, specific to their writing style, using the IntelliMetric automated essay scoring technology. The high marks for the program were revealed after a nationwide study of thousands of MY Access! licensed users conducted in late 2004."Earlier studies have shown that MY Access! use contributes to dramatic gains in writing performance and statewide test results," says Harry Barfoot, VP of Sales of Marketing for Vantage Learning. "It is gratifying to know that teachers recognize the importance of this valuable instructional tool."
Other results of the study show that:
- 85 percent of users view MY Access! as an effective tool for preparing for state-mandated assessments.
- 82 percent of users are satisfied with key features of MY Access!. In particular, the reporting tools were cited as an effective component of the program.
Vantage has been supporting writing instruction with its award-winning IntelliMetric technology since 1998. IntelliMetric evaluates student writing through a rich blend of natural language understanding, artificial intelligence and the digitization of human expertise. The IntelliMetric scoring engine evaluates a student's competency in subjects ranging from reading and writing to science and social studies. IntelliMetric consistently and accurately evaluates students' progress and provides immediate feedback on how they can improve their skills.
About MY Access!
MY Access! is a web-based assessment and diagnostic writing environment that scores student essays instantly and provides individualized instruction that engages and motivates students to improve their writing proficiency. The robust online reporting feature provides up-to-the-minute student performance data, enabling teachers to make timely, data-driven decisions for successful differentiated instruction. MY Access! analyzes more than 300 semantic, syntactic and discourse characteristics and provides a holistic score as well as domain scores for five major areas: focus and meaning, organization, content and development, language use and style, and mechanics and conventions.
About Vantage Learning
Vantage Learning (www.vantagelearning.com), an affiliate of Vantage Laboratories and the leading provider of online assessment and automated essay scoring, developed IntelliMetric to meet the needs of business, education, and government agencies needing a comprehensive Internet-based test authoring, delivery, scoring and reporting platform. IntelliMetric administers and scores responses to open-ended questions over the Internet using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology. An individual can enter a response to a question posed, submit the response, and receive an immediate score with feedback within seconds.
Most recently, Vantage Learning's MY Access! won the 2004 Award of Excellence from Technology and Learning Magazine, and Eduventures selected Vantage Learning as one of the eight most innovative educational technology companies. In addition, MY Access! was included in Technology and Learning Magazine's Top 10 Smart Technologies for Schools in 2002, and is a Codie Awards finalist three years in a row. Vantage Learning provides services in all 50 states including Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, Oregon, and Texas and provides services to educational leaders such as The College Board, ACT, Harcourt Assessment, Inc., CTB/McGraw Hill and Thomson Learning, and industry giants such as Microsoft, Apple Computer, AOL, and Sun Microsystems.