Language Weaver Expands Its Reach in Educational Market with Sale of Automated Translation Software to Educational Testing Service.

LOS ANGELES -- Non-profit educational advancement company uses translation to simplify instruction for English language learners

Language Weaver, a leading software company developing enterprise software for the automated translation of human languages, announced it has gained ETS, an educational testing and quality advancement non-profit institution, as a customer for its automated translation system.

ETS is using Language Weaver's SMTS 4.1 English/Spanish module in an automated text adaptation tool that will be used to modify classroom reading assignments to accommodate English language-learners. ETS will begin evaluations of the tool in pilot studies with various schools with large Hispanic student populations this autumn for middle school-age students.

"ETS purchased Language Weaver's English-to-Spanish machine translation system to help in the research and development of K-12 computer-based applications that can offer native language support to English language learners," said Jill Burstein, ETS principal development scientist. "We are determining the system's best use within applications that might help these learners improve in reading and writing, especially in the content areas."

Features related to the Spanish language support in the automated text adaptation tool are expected to facilitate understanding of classroom texts for native Spanish-speaking students. According to a report published for the California Department of Education, California has nearly one-third of the nation's five million English learners with almost a million and a half children who attend public schools knowing little or no English. Approximately 85% of them are native Spanish speakers. The tool will allow teachers to provide margin-notes in English or Spanish in a reading comprehension program, identifying Spanish cognates for English words, basic synonyms for vocabulary comprehension, advanced synonyms for vocabulary building and antonyms for vocabulary comprehension.

The task of serving English learners successfully continues to be a challenge in the state. Since Proposition 227 passed in June of 1998 California teachers must teach students "overwhelmingly in English" through structured English immersion programs for a temporary period. Students are then transferred to mainstream English-language classrooms. Following the passage of Proposition 227, the proportion of English-learners receiving native language instruction with English language development (commonly referred to as bilingual instruction) dropped significantly (from 30 to 8 percent), and the proportion receiving specially designed academic instruction in English increased.

According to Kirti Vashee, vice president of sales and marketing at Language Weaver, this is the second application of Language Weaver's software in the educational environment. California State University at Chico recently expanded its localization program in its Business School, using Language Weaver's Arabic/English and French/English modules to help students collaborate with foreign students in building culturally-sensitive Websites.

"We are gratified that our software is able to help in such diverse applications in the educational environment," said Vashee. "It is clear that most large urban centers will see rapidly growing Hispanic populations. Automated translation really can assist both teachers and students to learn and to communicate more effectively. This could make the difference between a student falling behind and dropping out or managing to keep up with the class and stay in the game. We applaud ETS in recognizing the opportunity to incorporate automated translation into the middle and high school level."

About ETS

ETS is a nonprofit institution with the mission to advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services for all people worldwide. In serving individuals, educational institutions and government agencies around the world, ETS customizes solutions to meet the need for teacher professional development products and services, classroom and end-of-course assessments, and research-based teaching and learning tools. Founded in 1947, ETS today develops, administers and scores more than 24 million tests annually, in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide.

About Language Weaver, Inc.

Language Weaver was founded in 2002 to commercialize a unique approach to automatic language translation using proprietary statistical translation algorithms that resulted from research and development at the University of Southern California's Information Sciences Institute (USC/ISI). Its resulting product, statistical machine translation software (SMTS), provides the highest quality output to date in automated translation. Language Weaver's translation systems produce fluent, natural sounding translations and save customers money and time through automation of the translation process. The company has more than 50 patents pending on its SMTS technology worldwide. Language Weaver licenses a server version of its software, currently available for 18 language offerings. Website: www.languageweaver.com