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For Immediate Release

Contact:

Al Renshaw
Phone: 1-800-577-9040
e-Mail: Al Renshaw

THE GRABLE FOUNDATION AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS GRANT $200,000 TO SUBSIDIZE QUANTUM® TUTORING SOFTWARE FOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

Funding is administered to schools through the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU) Math & Science Collaborative and is estimated to provide personal tutoring assistance to more than 12,000 students over a five-year period

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - August 10, 2005, The Math & Science Collaborative (MSC), in partnership with Quantum Simulations, Inc., a developer of artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring and assessment software, has secured support of $150,000 from The Grable Foundation and $50,000 from The Heinz Endowments to offer subsidy for the Quantum Tutors® for Chemistry to high schools in southwestern Pennsylvania.

In time for the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) science assessments, scheduled to begin in the 2006-07 school year, the fund-matching program will provide school districts with the financial support needed to improve performance in chemistry, a subject that is critical to success in science. These local foundations have made grants to the Math & Science Collaborative to support 50 percent of the total subscription cost of the Quantum Tutors® over a five-year period with an average cost to school districts of $10.00 per student.

"The Grable Foundation is very pleased that more children will have the opportunity to use this superior learning technology," stated Charles (Chip) Burke, Jr., Chairman at The Grable Foundation. "We hope this program will give students a head start and allow school districts to be proactive as they prepare for the NCLB science assessments next year."

"Having the Quantum Tutors® available to students in our own backyard is very rewarding to us professionally - and personally," added Rebecca Renshaw, Executive Vice President at Quantum Simulations, Inc., headquartered in Murrysville, Pennsylvania. "We are grateful to The Grable Foundation and The Heinz Endowments for these contributions to the Math & Science Collaborative in support of this program for local educators."

Scientifically-proven to increase test scores by as much as 50 percent, the Quantum Tutors® for Chemistry and Applied Mathematics are accessed over the Internet for use anytime, anywhere. Because of the "Enter Any Problem" feature, the software is compatible with any school's curriculum and requires no change to existing lesson plans, textbooks or homework assignments used by teachers. Just like working with a human tutor, students receive detailed explanations of concepts for every step in a problem, personal feedback on their own work, and can request hints and ask questions.

"Since 1996, the MSC has gathered data about successful course completion, including chemistry, across 11 counties in Southwestern Pennsylvania," stated Dr. Nancy Bunt, Director of the Math & Science Collaborative at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit (AIU), and administrator of the foundation grants. "As of 2002-2003, looking at our regional average, fewer than 2/3 (62%) of the graduating seniors successfully completed chemistry by graduation. That percentage of successful completion ranged among districts across the region from fewer than 1/3 to almost all students (31% to 98%). Research indicates that this tutoring tool can help to increase the percentage of students who have success with chemistry."

By using AI technology, the Quantum Tutors® scaffold learners based on their personal knowledge, including explaining errors they make as they attempt to solve problems. Quantum's patented technology gives students immediate guidance and instruction so that they can correct their errors and achieve successful solutions through true conceptual comprehension.

"By supporting access to programs such as the Quantum Tutors® by local districts, we help more students find success with these essential higher level courses in science," said Dr. Bunt. "We are particularly pleased that the questioning strategies built into the Tutors model the types of questions that excellent teachers ask to assess and advance student understanding."

To date, ten school districts have been selected to participate in the subsidy program, including:

. Carmichaels Area
. Derry Area
. Franklin Regional
. Jefferson-Morgan
. Monaca
. Penn-Trafford
. Rochester Area
. Sharon City
. South Allegheny
. Steel Valley

Funding for the Quantum Tutors® is currently available to districts on a first-come, first-served basis for high schools in southwestern Pennsylvania. For more information about the fund-matching program, please contact the Math & Science Collaborative at 412-394-5700.

About Quantum®
Quantum Simulations, Inc. develops artificial intelligence (AI) tutoring, assessment and professional development software that empowers teachers and inspires students from middle school through college to improve their knowledge and appreciation for the sciences. Teacher tested and approved by educators across the United States, Quantum's AI software is proven in research studies to improve comprehension, problem solving skills and test scores by as much as 50%. Quantum's intelligent tutoring engines are integrated with existing web-based learning products, providing a strong competitive edge for distributing partners. A "technology think tank," Quantum® is funded and supported by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. For a virtual demonstration of the Quantum Tutors®, visit www.quantumsimulations.com/demo.

About the Allegheny Intermediate Unit
The Allegheny Intermediate Unit is an educational service agency supporting schools, families and communities. As one of 29 intermediate units commissioned by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit supports the 42 Pittsburgh suburban school districts. Through partnerships and collaborative leadership, the Allegheny Intermediate Unit provides over 100 programs to meet the needs of a diverse community of learners. For more information, vist www.aiu3.org.

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