WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) announces the expanded TechMatrix (http://www.TechMatrix.org), a free, user-friendly database funded by NEC Foundation of America to help educators identify and compare over 235 assistive technology software products for students with special needs. The release comes at a critical juncture as the nation recognizes Learning Disabilities Month and as educators begin to decipher the objectives outlined for students with disabilities within the recently reauthorized Higher Education Opportunity Act.

The TechMatrix offers users the ability to customize a detailed search of products and to generate a tailored report within seconds. Searching the database can be conducted by four distinct topic areas including mathematics, reading, writing, and assistive technology devices and programs; by learning supports; by technology features; and/or directly by product name.

"We are delighted to support NCTI to offer this 'break the mold' resource advancing the assistive technology field," commented Sylvia Clark, Executive Director of NEC Foundation of America. "Now, more than ever, with the recent reauthorization of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, there is a need for educators to have access to a credible resource reporting on the latest technologies available to help students with disabilities succeed in the classroom."

Also available through the site is the Consumer Guide (http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/index.php/2008/02/28/consumer_guide/), a decision support tool outlining critical questions for school administrators and educators to ask in making well-informed technology decisions. Further, the online portal offers additional information such as detailed product descriptions and features, cost ranges, populations served, current research base for the products, and operating technology platforms and compatibility, as well as direct access to product's Web sites.

NCTI does not endorse featured products and therefore provides unbiased, credible information.

About NEC Foundation of America

NEC Foundation of America (http://www.necfoundation.org) was established in 1991 and endowed at $10 million by NEC Corporation and its United States subsidiaries. Income generated by the endowment is donated to nonprofit organizations in the United States in support of programs with national reach and impact in the arena of assistive technology for people with disabilities. Through its grants, NEC Foundation of America underscores its philosophy of advancing society through technology and enabling individuals to realize their full potential.

About the National Center for Technology Innovation

The National Center for Technology Innovation (NCTI) (http://www.NationalTechCenter.org), established in 2001, advances learning opportunities for all students, with a special focus on individuals with disabilities, by fostering technology innovation. Funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education and located at the American Institutes for Research (http://www.air.org/), NCTI offers technical guidance to facilitate the growth and sustainability of assistive and learning tools.

SOURCE National Center for Technology Innovation