AbleNet, Inc. Announces the Acquisition of Chester Creek Technologies

AbleNet, Inc. acquires Chester Creek Technologies to enhance the product portfolio in computer and iDevice accessories for individuals with disabilities.

St. Paul, MN, USA – OCTOBER 16, 2014 – AbleNet Inc., a world leader in technology, curriculum, and services for persons with disabilities, announced the acquisition of Chester Creek Technologies. This acquisition includes the full line of uniquely designed keyboards and iDevice accessories. 
 
AbleNet has organically developed new products, established exclusive licenses, as well as acquired companies within the consumer-device access space to better meet the unique needs of students with disabilities. Chester Creek is another representation of a company providing unique solutions to the K12 market for more than ten years.

“We work tirelessly to ensure solutions that work for our customers can be provided to the worldwide market” said Jennifer Thalhuber, CEO of AbleNet. “To that end, access solutions allow our customers to engage consumer-ready devices in ways that are meaningful for them at home, in the community, or at school.” With the addition of Chester Creek products, AbleNet will provide these solutions to customers and distribution partners worldwide. “We look forward to offer these excellent products to our K12 school customers, as well as our network of worldwide resellers and distributors” said Adam Wing, Vice President of Global Business. “We also have an opportunity to build relationships with new direct customers and distributor partners who seek to meet the needs of people looking for unique solutions around computer and iDevice access.”

AbleNet is an international company and industry leader in providing educational and technical solutions to help children and adults with disabilities lead productive and fulfilled lives. This includes a complete line of communication aids for nonverbal individuals; access aids, such as switches and wheelchair-mounting devices for people who require physical supports; and special education classroom curriculum and software that both enhance and help ensure learning progress. AbleNet products are used in hundreds of thousands of homes, clinics and classrooms across the globe. AbleNet is a partner company to Communicate AT and AbleNet products are an important part of the assistive technologies Communicate AT distributes to Australian’s living with disability. The addition of Chester Creek keyboards and mouse alternatives is an exciting announcement not just for Communicate AT but for the Australian assistive technology commununity.

About Chester Creek Technologies Products

Chester Creek Technologies, now part of the AbleNet Inc family of products, includes a full line of uniquely designed keyboards and iDevice accessories. These computer access alternatives have been designed to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities and provide solutions across all age ranges and needs, with particular focus on students in K-12.

Follow this link to read about the unique Chester Creek computer access options added to our Webstore

Below we have brief descriptions of what's on offer from Chester Creek along with the individual links to the details of each in our webstore

VisionBoard-Black™ and VisionBoard2™

Large, high visibility keys offer improved readability and control. The VisionBoard2 offers a big advantage to people who find it painful or difficult to use a traditional keyboard, with applications in such places as assistive living communities, manufacturing facilities, special educational institutions, adult daycare and home use.

Click here to learn more about VisionBoard2 or here for VisionBoard-Black

Big Blu KinderBoard is a large-key computer keyboard that can assist children with vision or motor-skill impairment, and is an excellent first keyboard for any child. The Big Blu KinderBoard has big 1" oversized keys and large, bold, easy-to-read numbers and letters.

Click here for more information about Big Blu KinderBoard

Big Blu™ VisionBoard

Big Blue VisionBoard is the first Bluetooth large-key keyboard. White keys with bold black lettering. Large 1'' keys offer an advantage to people who find it painful or difficult to use a traditional keyboard. White keys with black lettering makes it easy to see. Large print is nearly 250% larger than the print on standard keyboards.

Click here to learn more about Big Blu VisionBoard.

LearningBoard™

LearningBoard helps kids of all ages learn the location of letters and other keys on a standard QWERTY keyboard with vibrant color-coded vowels, consonants, numbers and function keys.

Click here for more information about LearningBoard ...

LessonBoard™

All thumbs? Hunt-n-peck? Or simply need to improve your touch-typing speed? The LessonBoard is a standard-size computer keyboard with a patented color-coded by finger layout to show correct finger placement, help reduce the chance of forming bad keyboarding habits, and improve precision and speed.

Click here for more information about LessonBoard ...

LessonBoard™ Pro

The LessonBoard Pro is color-coded by zone to show correct finger placement on a computer keyboard. Now without letters printed on the keys, the “Pro” helps improve keyboard memorization, accuracy and speed, while requiring students to concentrate during testing.

Click here for more information about LessonBoard Pro ...