Texas School for the Deaf Goes to the Head of the Class with Installation of Sprint Empowered Education^℠ Desktop

From: Sprint - Oct 22, 2003

Media Contact:
Alice O'Brien,
816-309-4545
alice.a.obrien@mail.sprint.com

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — October 22, 2003

Today, Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) became the first school serving the deaf and hard-of-hearing in the United States to implement the Sprint Empowered Education^℠ Desktop, an innovative combination of Sprint's world-class network and a state-of-the-art online educational curriculum. The customized solution includes Sprint Relay Online^℠ and Sprint Video Relay^℠, powered by Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD).

Sprint Empowered Education Desktop provides web-based access to a comprehensive listing of high-quality educational curriculum and learning tools from a wide range of leading K-12 content providers. By providing online access to a variety of curricula through software applications, teachers can extend the learning experience beyond the classroom to help improve student achievement.

"The Sprint Empowered Education Desktop entitles our students to learn in ways they haven't been able to do before," said Claire Bugen, superintendent of Texas School for the Deaf. "The curriculum packages are challenging, interactive and fun, and with the addition of the Sprint Relay services, students can now easily communicate with other students, teachers and family around the world from anywhere internet access is available."

Sprint is donating the Sprint Empowered Desktop and other education technology services to the Texas School for the Deaf for one year, a value totaling over $90,000. Sprint and CSD have also provided videophone equipment to place Video Relay calls for faculty and students. In the near future, with a click of a mouse, Austin based Texas School for the Deaf students can engage in VRS calls right from their desktop.

"For over thirteen years, Sprint and Texas School for the Deaf have worked together to improve communication for the students and faculty," said Mike Werth, Sprint director of marketing. "TSD is a model school to showcase the Sprint Empowered Education Desktop, and with the addition of Sprint Relay services, Sprint and TSD are setting a precedent to enhance the educational experience through advanced technology."

Sprint is the nation's leading provider of telecommunications relay services (TRS), which include video and Internet relay, with over a decade of experience. The U.S. government, 30 states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico currently rely on Sprint's 12 relay operations centers to provide service to millions of deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-disabled consumers nationwide. Additional information may be found at www.sprint.com/relay.

About Sprint Sprint is a global integrated communications provider serving more than 26 million customers in over 100 countries. With approximately 70,000 employees worldwide and nearly $27 billion in annual revenues, Sprint is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying state-of-the-art network technologies, including the United States' first nationwide all-digital, fiber-optic network and an award-winning Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint provides local communications services in 39 states and the District of Columbia and operates the largest 100-percent digital, nationwide PCS wireless network in the United States. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

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