Microsoft Does Its Homework, Unveils New Software to Help Students Make the Grade

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New research finds parents report feeling unprepared to assist with middle- school- and high-school-level homework.

The report card is in, and kids aren't the only ones feeling overwhelmed when it comes to calculus homework and history reports. According to a recent independent survey commissioned by Microsoft Corp. in the United States, United Kingdom, France and Germany, 71 percent of parents with 12- to 18-year-olds consider themselves unprepared to help their children with homework, citing insufficient knowledge and a lack of resources as the primary areas of frustration. Perhaps this is why more than half of the parents interviewed said homework is a source of tension in their household.

Based on consumer feedback and extensive research, Microsoft today introduced Microsoft Student 2006, a comprehensive, subject-specific productivity software product designed to help middle- and high-school students efficiently complete high-quality homework assignments and achieve academic success.

"We know parents aren't always able to act as teacher and tutor, particularly as children get older and homework becomes more complex," said Karla Tharin, senior product manager with the Education Products Group at Microsoft. "Microsoft Student addresses this common frustration by providing the tools students need to get their homework done successfully in a variety of subjects, from history and foreign language to calculus and chemistry."

With curriculum-based templates and tutorials, groundbreaking Graphing Calculator software, tools for cutting through online clutter, and trusted digital reference content, Microsoft Student 2006 gives students the resources they need to effectively and efficiently tackle homework assignments.

Microsoft Student 2006 includes the following features:

* Learning Essentials for Students helps students get to the heart of the assignment by customizing Microsoft Office to meet their unique needs. Learning Essentials for Students provides toolbars, templates and tutorials to help teens with a variety of subjects and assignments, from history reports and English papers to physics projects and foreign languages, using Microsoft Office Word, Microsoft Office Excel and Microsoft Office PowerPoint.
* Teens most frequently ask for assistance with maths homework, yet only a third of parents surveyed feel prepared to help with this subject. Graphing Calculator software presents tools in a straightforward and intuitive manner and helps students visualize and understand difficult maths and science concepts through two-and three-dimensional graphing capabilities.
* Teens use the Internet for everything from downloading music to communicating with friends and family, so it's no surprise they instinctively go to the Web when presented with a research assignment. However, the majority of parents surveyed said their children do not always find what they need online. The Web Companion streamlines research, providing quick access to trusted information.
* Additional features include Book Summaries that deliver illuminating facts and insights to facilitate understanding and appreciation of many classic works of literature, Online Math Homework Help to provide step-by-step instructions and hints for solving maths problems, trusted content from Microsoft Encarta, an Interactive World Atlas, and extensive multimedia to bring learning to life.

More information on Microsoft Student 2006 can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/student

Availability

The Microsoft Student 2006 ***3 is scheduled for availability in July 2005 for an estimated retail price of $99.99 (U.S.)