Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RECORDING FOR THE BLIND & DYSLEXIC® AND SCHOLASTIC WORK TOGETHER TO BRING HARRY POTTER'S FINAL ADVENTURE TO STUDENTS WITH PRINT DISABILITIES
Marathon recording session in the days leading up to the official release of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"
July 19, 2007 (Princeton, NJ) - Prior to the international release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, volunteer readers with national nonprofit Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D®) quietly slipped into recording booths to digitally record Harry's final adventure. Working with Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, RFB&D ensured the availability of its accessible audiobook for people with print disabilities within hours of the print version's official unveiling at 12:01 a.m. on July 21. RFB&D, a nonprofit organization, is the nation's educational library of recorded textbooks for students with visual impairment, dyslexia or other physical disabilities that make reading print difficult or impossible.
With extra precautions in place, more than a dozen RFB&D volunteers recorded the nearly 800 pages of the long-awaited final chapter in the phenomenonally successful series by author J.K. Rowling. By delivering the navigable audiobook version within hours of the publisher's midnight release on July 21, RFB&D guaranteed a significantly faster turnaround time for its members. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is now part of RFB&D's CV Starr Learning through Listening® Library alongside the previous six books in the Harry Potter canon.
"Over the last decade, the Harry Potter series has delighted our members and readers all over the world," says RFB&D President & CEO John Kelly. "This year, thanks to the cooperation of Scholastic and our dedicated volunteers and staff, we ensured that our digitally recorded version of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was delivered to our members at virtually the same time as the printed version was available to their friends and peers."
RFB&D members can order Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (product number DT-HV342) on CD now. As an added bonus, members who order the audiobook may purchase a VictorReader Wave portable CD player for $219 (shipping and handling not included), a $30 savings off the regular price of $249. Members can place their order with RFB&D's Member Services Department at 800-221-4792 or, to order the book only (and not the CD player), visit www.rfbd.org.
RFB&D serves more than 146,000 students from kindergarten through graduate school and beyond with its one-of-a-kind collection of educational titles on CD. RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD provide unprecedented navigation, ease of use, superior sound quality and proven effectiveness as learning tools for students with print disabilities. Students rely on RFB&D's unique accommodation to access the printed page and to achieve educational success. All of RFB&D's accessible titles are recorded by volunteers working in 29 RFB&D recording studios nationwide.
Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, www.scholastic.com.
For information on RFB&D, volunteering or making a donation, call toll-free 866-RFBD-585 (866-732-3585) or visit RFB&D's accessible website at www.rfbd.org.
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