Tool Factory News

TF News #3

Sean Hannon — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:33:55 GMT

Sunderland, VT, July 21, 2008 - As an addition to the robust Tool Factory Keyboarding programs, Tool Factory has just launched a free online typing quiz that measures the typist's speed and accuracy in just 3 minutes! Tool Factory's Keyboarding software has been used to teach over 4,000,000 people to type worldwide, and has been wildly popular among schools this spring. The 3-minute quiz is posted right on the Tool Factory Keyboarding Adventure page, behind the ?Test Your Speed? button in the upper right. Simply insert your name and email address and start typing! The quiz will let you know when the time is up, and display your results. Take the quiz as many times as you like.

The keyboarding quiz is a free online resource for anyone surfing the Tool Factory website. It's designed to gauge your need for a keyboarding tutorial. Tool Factory Keyboarding Adventure is designed for elementary students and has animated graphics and a storyline that also improves reading skills. It's an adaptive program, which means it gauges the skill level of the user and presents lessons appropriate to the demonstrated proficiency. Students find the program fiercely addictive, and teachers love the tracking and reporting features.

Tool Factory Keyboarding Skills is perfect for secondary learners and teachers. Based on the same adaptive lesson structure, it's one of the fastest ways to learn to type that we've found! Both programs are ideal for learning environments where students are working at a variety of ability levels.
The online typing quiz does not reflect the graphics, nature of the Keyboarding Adventure and Skills CD-programs - it is simply provided for anyone who would like to test their typing skills. To learn more about Tool Factory Keyboarding program or take test your typing accuracy visit http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2150.

Where to Buy

Tool Factory's Keyboarding Software is available from Tool Factory's website or by purchase order.

Tool Factory Inc.,
3336 Sunderland Hill Road
Sunderland, VT 05250

Request a free demo CD!

To Order: (800) 220-8386 Fax PO to: (802) 375-6860

Tool Factory Keyboarding Adventure

Grades K-8, Inclusive
Platform: PC/MacX/Hybrid/Networkable/Linux
Item #: 2150
Single: $69.95 Unlimited Network Site License: $699.95
http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2150

Tool Factory Keyboarding Skills

Grades 6-12 and adult, Inclusive
Platform: PC/MacX/Hybrid/Networkable/Linux
Item #: 2151
Single: $69.95 Unlimited Network Site License: $699.95
http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2151

Tool Factory Keyboarding - 2 Program Bundle

Get both Tool Factory Keyboarding programs and cover the complete range of learners, elementary through adult!
Item #: 2152
Single: $119.95 Unlimited Network Site License: $1,199.95
http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2152

ABOUT TOOL FACTORY

Tool Factory is a woman-owned, Vermont-based business with the goal to make a difference in US education by providing superior educational software. The catalog offers over 150 titles, including a suite of digital imaging products designed to maximize the use of digital imaging in the classroom. Teachers, students, and parents join the Tool Factory staff in testing products to ensure that they are easy to navigate, fun to use, and beneficial to the learning process. Tool Factory is now combining many of the special education and mainstream products to better serve the inclusion classroom.

Media Contact: Jennifer Sweeney
Tool Factory Inc., 3336 Sunderland Hill Road, Sunderland, VT 05250
Telephone: (802) 375-6549 Ext. 201 Fax: (802) 375-6860
Email Address: Jennifer@toolfactory.com
Orders: orders@toolfactory.com
Website: http://www.toolfactory.com

Flip Video Mobile Lab is the Hottest New Technology for Education!

Heather Chirtea — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:36:14 GMT

Sunderland, VT, August 13, 2008 - Tool Factory has just launched the newest addition to its Mobile Lab Collection: Tool Factory's Flip Video Mobile Lab. The rolling classroom crate contains 12 Flip Video camcorders, double battery power with re-chargers, tripods, action mounts, and all the software you need to start a classroom video program. Whether you're training groups of students or staff, this is the perfect classroom set to kick-start your program. With the slick and easy-to-use Flip Video cameras, students will embark on video-infused learning projects. Shoot on-location using the Flip Video Camcorders, then return to the computer and integrate the videos into everyday curriculum. Simply "flip" out the USB jack and transfer the files. The video editing software is already loaded on the camcorders, for cropping videos and one-click uploading to the internet.

Extend the learning further with Tool Factory Workshop V3. Integrate video projects into school e-newsletters, make photo enriched lab reports, collect video histories and log them in a database. You can even put video in your spreadsheets. Tool Factory's Flip Video Mobile Lab is the ultimate all-in-one purchase for video integration in the classroom! See more and download a flyer:

http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2127

Tool Factory's Flip Video Mobile Lab Includes:
?12 Flip Video Camcorders - Simple yet powerful video cameras for beginners and power users!
?12 Tool Factory Workshop V3 Software - A complete classroom office suite equipped with a Word Processor, Spreadsheet, Database, and Math Draw program (Mac ships with Word Processor and Spreadsheet).
?9 Mini-Tripods - Keep your video recording steady with these flexible mini tripods!
?3 Action Mounts - Strap the Flip Camcorder to your bike helmet or handlebars for hands-free shooting.
?12 USB Extender Cables - These USB cables are useful when trying to connect your Flip Video Camera to USB ports in "hard to reach" location.
?AA Batteries and Rechargers - Double battery power lets you have one set of batteries in the cameras, and the other set on the re-chargers. There's an awesome quick-charge feature that lets you charge 2 batteries in about 15 minutes.
?1 TSA Combination Lock.
?1 Hard-shell, Waterproof, FAA Approved Carry-on Crate.

Free Upgrade

Schools who order now, will receive a free classroom set of lesson plan books!

?12 - Adventures in Classroom Technology- (Release in October 2008) 40 lesson plans in English, Math, Science and Social Studies using video, podcasting, and digital photography.

Tool Factory's Flip Video Lab is the third in the collection of Tool Factory Mobile Labs. The collection also includes:

Tool Factory's Mobile Podcasting Lab - Get a site license to Tool Factory Podcasting, 15 digital voice recorders, 15 headsets and mics, plus all the necessary accessories you need to run a podcasting program in the classroom...all packaged in a hard-shell, airline approved storage case. To see more visit: http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2123.

Tool Factory's Mobile Digital Camera Lab - Get 10 point-and-shoot cameras for daily classroom use, a 7.1 megapixel "yearbook" camera, plus all the necessary accessories you need for digital imaging in the classroom...all packaged in a hard-shell, airline approved storage case. To see more visit: http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2200.

Where to Buy:

Tool Factory's Flip Video Mobile Lab is only available from Tool Factory's website, by purchase order, or exclusively through the www.digitalwish.org where your school can earns an automatic 2% rebate.

Tool Factory Flip Video Mobile Lab

Everything you need to start a classroom video program in your school!
Item #: 2127
Pricing: $3,495.95
http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2127

Tool Factory Inc.,
3336 Sunderland Hill Road
Sunderland, VT 05250

Request a free demo CD of Tool Factory Workshop V3!

To Order: (800) 220-8386 Fax PO to: (802) 375-6860

ABOUT TOOL FACTORY

Tool Factory is a woman-owned, Vermont-based business with the goal to make a difference in US education by providing superior educational software. The catalog offers over 150 titles, including a suite of digital imaging products designed to maximize the use of digital imaging in the classroom. Teachers, students, and parents join the Tool Factory staff in testing products to ensure that they are easy to navigate, fun to use, and beneficial to the learning process. Tool Factory is now combining many of the special education and mainstream products to better serve the inclusion classroom.

Media Contact: Jennifer Sweeney
Tool Factory Inc., 3336 Sunderland Hill Road, Sunderland, VT 05250
Telephone: (802) 375-6549 Ext. 201 Fax: (802) 375-6860
Email Address: Jennifer@toolfactory.com
Orders: orders@toolfactory.com
Website: http://www.toolfactory.com

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Sean Hannon — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:52:52 GMT

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http://www.toolfactory.com

Heather Tests the RSS Feed

Heather Chirtea — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:50:41 GMT

Tool Factory Keyboarding Skills is perfect for secondary learners and teachers. Based on the same adaptive lesson structure, it's one of the fastest ways to learn to type that we've found! Both programs are ideal for learning environments where students are working at a variety of ability levels.
The online typing quiz does not reflect the graphics, nature of the Keyboarding Adventure and Skills CD-programs - it is simply provided for anyone who would like to test their typing skills. To learn more about Tool Factory Keyboarding program or take test your typing accuracy visit http://www.toolfactory.com/products/page?id=2150.

Tool Factory Announces 2009 Student Photography Contest

Kendra Ericson — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 00:35:33 GMT

Tool Factory, a Vermont based educational software company, announces the launch of its 2009 Student Photography Contest.

Sunderland, VT, December 18, 2008 - Tool Factory, a leader in educational software products, supports student photographers by awarding bi-annual photography grants to K-12 students who demonstrate the best artistic vision and technical skill.

The contest is divided into two categories: best photography and best photo manipulation. Judging is based upon overall composition, creativity, color, focus and clarity. Two Grand Prize winners, one from each category, will receive an Olympus EVOLT E-420 Digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera with 14-42 mm lens, a copy of the Tool Factory Software of their choice, and a Digital Camera Basics book - a total prize worth more than $1,100! All Honorable Mention winners will receive a copy of the Tool Factory Software of their choice.

"With the next deadline rapidly approaching, teachers are encouraged to assign the contest as homework over the winter break," said Heather Chirtea, Tool Factory's President. "Not only is the contest fun for students, but it gives them the opportunity to share their work with a larger audience and potentially get something in return."

Students are also encouraged to check out their competition at http://www.clipartstation.com, where all approved entries are posted. 2009 deadlines are rapidly approaching on January 5th and May 15th. Contest flyers can be printed from Tool Factory's Grants site at http://www.toolfactory.com/olympus, and 25 winners will be awarded in the 2008-2009 contest.

Tool Factory Podcasting Contest Winners Announced + New Contest Details

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:39:12 GMT

Tool Factory Introduces Reading Software for Visual Learners

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:25:04 GMT

A Busy Day software allows visual learners and those learning English as an additional language new tools to experience reading success.

Sunderland, VT, January 20, 2010 - Tool Factory announced today that it is now offering A Busy Day educational software. Winner of the Best Special Education Resource Involving ICT at the Education Resources Awards (ERA) in 2008, A Busy Day acts as a bridge between words and reading, helping all students attain reading success through motivating graphics and interactive, kinesthetic activities.

A Busy Day utilizes 13 interactive scenes of daily activities that are familiar to all children, such as getting up in the morning or going to school, to help learners understand that words carry meaning by encouraging them to hear, say, remove and match words to pictures. Particularly effective for learners on the autistic spectrum, those with Down's syndrome, 'visual' learners and those learning English as an additional language, the software is a valuable tool for all students learning to read. The program also features inclusive teacher controls to customize activities to each learner and a built-in tracking and reporting feature to monitor student achievement.

"We're excited to introduce A Busy Day to teachers across the country," said Gordon Woodrow, Tool Factory's Director of Operations. "The software approaches reading in an innovative way to reach less able or reluctant readers. A Busy Day has the potential to help many educators close the reading gap in their classrooms by giving students a concrete visual learning tool."

Developed by SEMERC, A Busy Day was authored by Rosemary Starrett, an educator working with learners on the autistic spectrum in Belfast, Ireland. Starrett created A Busy Day reading program specifically for 'visual' learners and for learners for whom traditional reading programs contain too many abstract words and ideas. For more information on A Busy Day, please visit the Tool Factory website at http://www.toolfactory.com.

Title: A Busy Day
Item #: 20121
Price: $69.95 (single), and $529.95 (unlimited network site license)

About SEMERC
SEMERC is a leader in ICT special needs publishing, supplying software and hardware to both mainstream and special educational needs settings across the UK. All of SEMERC's recent software includes a range of accessibility options, such as switch access, voice input and display options. Individual student records are also available so that resources can be personalized to suit the individual's interests, learning styles and curriculum requirements. http://www.semerc.com