Bill Cosby's PicturePages is Back -- New Early Learning Readiness Series for Children Launches.

Entertainment/Business Editors and Education Writers

NOTE TO MEDIA: Multimedia assets available

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 7, 2002

Popular Television Segments Now Fun, Educational Interactive

Computer Games with Innovative Developmental Evaluation Engine Added

Bill Cosby's PicturePages(R) is back! PicturePages Partnership LLC, an interactive educational company dedicated to developing the learning readiness skills of children, today announced the launch of `Bill Cosby's PicturePages -- Early Learning Readiness Series(R).' Based on the widely acclaimed, popular television show, `Bill Cosby's PicturePages,' the series contains 28 interactive educational games that build self-esteem and develop, test, and evaluate the cognitive skills of children ages three through six.

Over 85 million children watched the original television show, which appeared on Captain Kangaroo and Nickelodeon, and was hosted by Mr. Cosby from 1978-1992. From its library of 400 four-to six-minute shows, PicturePages Partnership has digitized and converted select episodes into entertaining and highly interactive educational games available on CD-ROM, DVD, or for play on the Internet at www.PicturePages.com. Children may also choose the original method of learning through watching the shows on VHS, and using PicturePages activity books and playbooks to play along with Mr. Cosby.

"I have a doctorate in education, but much more important than my doctorate is my delight in kids. I devote part of my professional life to entertaining and educating them," says comedian, actor and educator Bill Cosby, Ed.D. "PicturePages are the epitome of what I believe in -- educating children with love and laughter. Together, we'll help your kids develop important learning skills."

An innovative new developmental evaluation engine and reporting tool has been created for the PicturePages games. The evaluation engine provides parents, caregivers, and educators with a report on a child's performance that they can use to gauge each child's developmental level. The criteria used for the developmental evaluation engine and reports are based on the cognitive model of development originated by the renowned Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget. The evaluation engine is synchronized to automatically measure every child's performance against Piaget's stages of childhood development. While children learn through playing the games, PicturePages' evaluation engine helps parents, caregivers, and educators better understand how well each child learns.

Since frustration is often cited by researchers as a cause of negative early educational experiences that adversely affect a child's attitude towards learning and their future development, PicturePages' games automatically -- without adult intervention -- increase or decrease the level of difficulty for each child in real-time as they play the games. This ensures that every child's experience is positive, and one that continually builds a stronger foundation for learning. Importantly, the level of difficulty adjusts automatically during play based on the level of development demonstrated by the child, not their age.

"Parents, caregivers and educators lack tools to assess the developmental level of children during the critical years when they are developing learning skills and forming their attitudes towards learning," says Julius Oleinick, the creator of the original PicturePages concept. "PicturePages develops the learning readiness skills of children and provides caregivers and educators with critical diagnostic information -- all while playing entertaining games with Bill Cosby."

Each computer game begins with an original episode of the television show, followed by interactive games that reinforce the learning concepts explained by Mr. Cosby. By playing the games, children will develop skills in six essential Learning Readiness Skills areas: Logic and Reasoning, Concept Formation, Visual Perception/Discrimination, Auditory Discrimination, Visual -- Motor Coordination, and Verbal Comprehension/Communication. In addition, Mr. Cosby's familiar sidekick, Mortimer Ichabod, comes to life with an entertaining personality and voice. And an entirely new character, a teacher named `Ms. Laura,' has been created to help guide children as they play the digital version of the games.

For 25 years the original PicturePages has provided a strong foundation for learning for children in the areas of reading, math, science, and health. Top educators nationwide, such as the National Education Association (NEA), recommended the original PicturePages television series. The concept behind, and approach of, the television series is exactly the same in the computer version of the games.

The pedagogical philosophy of PicturePages is based upon widely accepted educational research, which shows that students who develop adequate readiness for learning during early childhood years gain in self-esteem and grow in their interest to learn more. Confident and willing children have fewer problems learning as they matriculate, regardless of the subject matter.

Bill Cosby's PicturePages -- Early Learning Readiness Series is the first in a planned 12-part series of educational products from PicturePages Partnership -- all based on the television show. Future PicturePages products will help children up to the age of 12 enhance their learning readiness skills. In the near future, PicturePages Partnership plans to unveil more fun educational products in its 12-part series that will help children in the areas of behavior building, health, reading, math, and science.

Online subscriptions to `Bill Cosby's PicturePages -- Early Learning Readiness Series,' are available at www.PicturePages.com for $29.95. The series can also be ordered online on CD-ROM or DVD, starting at $29.95, or on VHS with an accompanying PicturePages playbook starting at $12.95. Orders may be placed by phone by dialing 877/774-2887. Additional shipping and handling charges apply.

PicturePages will also offer its educational products through a Direct Response TV (DRTV) campaign with a major partner. The company also plans to announce partnerships with major retailers and distributors shortly. Bill Cosby's PicturePages is fun for children with serious objectives; to educate, entertain and evaluate. Look for more from Bill Cosby's PicturePages soon.

About PicturePages Partnership LLC

PicturePages Partnership LLC is an interactive educational company dedicated to developing the learning readiness skills of children. The company's interactive educational game series build self-esteem and stimulate the development of the cognitive skills of children ages three through twelve in a variety of disciplines. The games are based on the widely acclaimed, popular television show, `Bill Cosby's PicturePages,' which was hosted by Mr. Cosby from 1978-1992 and watched by over 85 million children. For sales or information, PicturePages Partnership can be reached at 410/296-4115, [e-mail] or via the Web at www.PicturePages.com. The company's headquarters are located at 1416 Clarkview Road, Baltimore, Md., 21209.

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