REDMOND, Wash. — Dec. 3, 2012 — Five teachers from the U.S. were celebrated Saturday night as five of the most innovative educators in the world, as part of Microsoft Corp.’s annual Global Forum Educator Awards. During the ceremony, held in the prestigious Prague Castle to mark the culmination of the 2012 Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum, Microsoft announced 21 winners, narrowed down from more than 250,000 teachers registered across national and regional forums throughout the year.

“We can’t educate tomorrow’s leaders with tools and practices from the past. We must continue to invest in the development of enhanced learning environments that lead to better outcomes,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president, Worldwide Education for Microsoft. “We are honored to recognize these amazing professionals for the work they do every day to enrich the educational experiences of children around the world.”

These are the winning U.S. educators:

1st Place: Collaboration

Pauline Roberts and Rick Joseph; Birmingham Covington School (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)

Project: Doing Business in Birmingham

Doing Business in Birmingham aims to promote the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision-making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity. After learning about sustainability in business, students took to the streets of downtown Birmingham to assess the sustainability of businesses in their local community. Armed with informational flyers and brochures they had created, the students visited more than 90 establishments to interview and educate local business owners. Students used Microsoft Office, Photosynth, Publisher and MovieMaker among other technologies to complete the project.

2nd Place: Cutting-Edge Use of Technology for Learning

Robin Lowell and Sherry Hahn; Washington State School for the Blind (Vancouver, Wash.)

Project: “LYNC”ing Distance Learning Math Classes to Blind and Visually Impaired Students

The Washington State School for the Blind developed an effective program built on Microsoft Lync that provides specialized mathematics instruction to blind and visually impaired students. The school’s teacher lives more than 100 miles away from the campus and uses videoconferencing and Lync to instruct her classes to any student with a Lync client and an Internet connection.

3rd Place: Educators’ Choice

Todd LaVogue; Roosevelt Community Middle School (West Palm Beach, Fla.)

Project: What’s Up Egypt?

Students created a TV show about ancient Egypt to gain a deeper understanding of life during that time. Students used Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer and video editing software to research and create a “TODAY”-style news program with news, weather, sports, cooking, lifestyle, history and music segments. Students compared and contrasted ancient Egypt with today’s society and in the end they had a better understanding of what it would have been like to have lived during that time.

“Having the opportunity to be here at the Microsoft Global Forum has been one of most meaningful experiences for both Pauline [Roberts] and me as teachers principally because we have the opportunity to interact with other practitioners from around the globe,” said Rick Joseph, first-place winner in the Collaboration category. “We as teachers believe our children learn in a global environment. When we can get together with teachers from around the world and see what they’re doing and see the ways in which they engage their students, it’s very energizing to us because it really enables us to be the best that we can be.”

“We have connected with teachers and schools from around the world that are amazingly innovative and so passionate. This is just the beginning of what we can do. There is so much more innovation and new ways of teaching, new ways of learning, that this is the tip of the iceberg,” said Robin Lowell, second-place winner in the Cutting-Edge Use of Technology for Learning category. “We’ve gathered ideas to take home with us, which is going to improve us as teachers and improve our students’ education and life.”

“Teachers don’t work for recognition, but for our students. Still, to have our effort and impact recognized by Microsoft as one of the country’s best is an incredible feeling,” said Todd LaVogue, third-place winner in the Educators’ Choice category. “My intent is to give my students my very best, and the ideas I’ve gathered from other educators at the Partners in Learning Global Forum are helping me do just that. My students are starting to understand how special and important they are and that their success in adult life begins right now.”

Saturday night’s awards were presented to educators across six categories. All winners will be automatically included in the new Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert Program, a one-year initiative created to recognize educators globally who are using technology to transform education. Educator Experts will become Microsoft’s partner in many of its education activities throughout the year, focused on ensuring learning outcomes and sharing of experiences with peers and policymakers on effective use of technology in education.

In return, members receive the inside track on the latest Microsoft thinking and technologies, as well as access to the latest and greatest software and products. In addition, Microsoft will ensure that this group is getting the professional and career development opportunities that will be long lasting and help them make a difference in their students’ lives.

Participants were judged by an international panel of education professionals through rigorous scoring. Through virtual classroom tours and onsite interviews by judges, these teachers demonstrated innovative teaching practices, giving their students critical 21st century skills, such as collaboration, critical thinking and social responsibility, by leveraging effective and engaging technology resources. Teachers were recognized across the following categories:

1. Extended Learning Beyond the Classroom

2. Collaboration

3. Knowledge Building and Critical Thinking

4. Cutting-Edge Use of Technology for Learning

5. Educator as Innovator and Change Agent

6. Educators’ Choice

Saturday’s award ceremony was attended by more than 500 teachers, school leaders and education leaders, as well as government officials from more than 80 countries. The celebration capped off a week of education workshops and announcements, including an additional $250 million investment by Microsoft over the next five years in Partners in Learning and a new $75 million partnership between Microsoft and some of the largest and most impactful humanitarian organizations in the world to execute a program to help children and teachers gain first-time access to technology.

An example of this initiative begins today with a program entitled Spark a Child’s Digital Future http://www.worldvision.org/bethespark. This initiative is a collaborative effort uniting World Vision, British Council, Microsoft and Intel, linking African youth with over 1 million potential donors in the United States alone.

About Partners in Learning

Microsoft Partners in Learning is a 15-year, $750 million commitment by Microsoft to help education systems around the world. Since its inception in 2003, the Partners in Learning program has reached more than 210 million teachers and students in 119 countries. Partners in Learning helps educators and school leaders connect, collaborate, create and share so students can realize their greatest potential. The online Partners in Learning Network is one of the world’s largest global professional networks for educators, connecting millions of teachers and school leaders around the world in a community of professional development.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

REDMOND, Wash. — Dec. 3, 2012 — Five teachers from the U.S. were celebrated Saturday night as five of the most innovative educators in the world, as part of Microsoft Corp.’s annual Global Forum Educator Awards. During the ceremony, held in the prestigious Prague Castle to mark the culmination of the 2012 Microsoft Partners in Learning Global Forum, Microsoft announced 21 winners, narrowed down from more than 250,000 teachers registered across national and regional forums throughout the year.

“We can’t educate tomorrow’s leaders with tools and practices from the past. We must continue to invest in the development of enhanced learning environments that lead to better outcomes,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president, Worldwide Education for Microsoft. “We are honored to recognize these amazing professionals for the work they do every day to enrich the educational experiences of children around the world.”

These are the winning U.S. educators:

1st Place: Collaboration

Pauline Roberts and Rick Joseph; Birmingham Covington School (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)

Project: Doing Business in Birmingham

Doing Business in Birmingham aims to promote the knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and processes required for personal decision-making, participation in civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity. After learning about sustainability in business, students took to the streets of downtown Birmingham to assess the sustainability of businesses in their local community. Armed with informational flyers and brochures they had created, the students visited more than 90 establishments to interview and educate local business owners. Students used Microsoft Office, Photosynth, Publisher and MovieMaker among other technologies to complete the project.

2nd Place: Cutting-Edge Use of Technology for Learning

Robin Lowell and Sherry Hahn; Washington State School for the Blind (Vancouver, Wash.)

Project: “LYNC”ing Distance Learning Math Classes to Blind and Visually Impaired Students

The Washington State School for the Blind developed an effective program built on Microsoft Lync that provides specialized mathematics instruction to blind and visually impaired students. The school’s teacher lives more than 100 miles away from the campus and uses videoconferencing and Lync to instruct her classes to any student with a Lync client and an Internet connection.

3rd Place: Educators’ Choice

Todd LaVogue; Roosevelt Community Middle School (West Palm Beach, Fla.)

Project: What’s Up Egypt?

Students created a TV show about ancient Egypt to gain a deeper understanding of life during that time. Students used Microsoft Word, Internet Explorer and video editing software to research and create a “TODAY”-style news program with news, weather, sports, cooking, lifestyle, history and music segments. Students compared and contrasted ancient Egypt with today’s society and in the end they had a better understanding of what it would have been like to have lived during that time.

“Having the opportunity to be here at the Microsoft Global Forum has been one of most meaningful experiences for both Pauline [Roberts] and me as teachers principally because we have the opportunity to interact with other practitioners from around the globe,” said Rick Joseph, first-place winner in the Collaboration category. “We as teachers believe our children learn in a global environment. When we can get together with teachers from around the world and see what they’re doing and see the ways in which they engage their students, it’s very energizing to us because it really enables us to be the best that we can be.”

“We have connected with teachers and schools from around the world that are amazingly innovative and so passionate. This is just the beginning of what we can do. There is so much more innovation and new ways of teaching, new ways of learning, that this is the tip of the iceberg,” said Robin Lowell, second-place winner in the Cutting-Edge Use of Technology for Learning category. “We’ve gathered ideas to take home with us, which is going to improve us as teachers and improve our students’ education and life.”

“Teachers don’t work for recognition, but for our students. Still, to have our effort and impact recognized by Microsoft as one of the country’s best is an incredible feeling,” said Todd LaVogue, third-place winner in the Educators’ Choice category. “My intent is to give my students my very best, and the ideas I’ve gathered from other educators at the Partners in Learning Global Forum are helping me do just that. My students are starting to understand how special and important they are and that their success in adult life begins right now.”

Saturday night’s awards were presented to educators across six categories. All winners will be automatically included in the new Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert Program, a one-year initiative created to recognize educators globally who are using technology to transform education. Educator Experts will become Microsoft’s partner in many of its education activities throughout the year, focused on ensuring learning outcomes and sharing of experiences with peers and policymakers on effective use of technology in education.

In return, members receive the inside track on the latest Microsoft thinking and technologies, as well as access to the latest and greatest software and products. In addition, Microsoft will ensure that this group is getting the professional and career development opportunities that will be long lasting and help them make a difference in their students’ lives.

Participants were judged by an international panel of education professionals through rigorous scoring. Through virtual classroom tours and onsite interviews by judges, these teachers demonstrated innovative teaching practices, giving their students critical 21st century skills, such as collaboration, critical thinking and social responsibility, by leveraging effective and engaging technology resources. Teachers were recognized across the following categories:

1. Extended Learning Beyond the Classroom

2. Collaboration

3. Knowledge Building and Critical Thinking

4. Cutting-Edge Use of Technology for Learning

5. Educator as Innovator and Change Agent

6. Educators’ Choice

Saturday’s award ceremony was attended by more than 500 teachers, school leaders and education leaders, as well as government officials from more than 80 countries. The celebration capped off a week of education workshops and announcements, including an additional $250 million investment by Microsoft over the next five years in Partners in Learning and a new $75 million partnership between Microsoft and some of the largest and most impactful humanitarian organizations in the world to execute a program to help children and teachers gain first-time access to technology.

An example of this initiative begins today with a program entitled Spark a Child’s Digital Future http://www.worldvision.org/bethespark. This initiative is a collaborative effort uniting World Vision, British Council, Microsoft and Intel, linking African youth with over 1 million potential donors in the United States alone.

About Partners in Learning

Microsoft Partners in Learning is a 15-year, $750 million commitment by Microsoft to help education systems around the world. Since its inception in 2003, the Partners in Learning program has reached more than 210 million teachers and students in 119 countries. Partners in Learning helps educators and school leaders connect, collaborate, create and share so students can realize their greatest potential. The online Partners in Learning Network is one of the world’s largest global professional networks for educators, connecting millions of teachers and school leaders around the world in a community of professional development.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

PRAGUE — Dec. 1, 2012 — Microsoft Corp. today marked the close of its Partners in Learning Global Forum 2012 by announcing an investment of up to US$75 million to bring digital access to youth and educators in developing nations. The commitment was sealed by signing memorandums of understanding with six global humanitarian organizations. Along with the US$250 million, five-year renewal of the flagship Microsoft Partners in Learning program, the company has further strengthened its commitment to bring holistic transformation of education systems around the world through digital access to youth and capacity building for educators.

The initiative is led by strategic alliances with World Vision Inc., the British Council, SOS Children’s Villages International, Catholic Relief Services, Plan Ltd. and the International Rescue Committee. It is aimed at helping ensure that teachers get the digital training they need and students gain critical skills vital to finding employment, starting their own businesses and contributing to their local communities’ economies.

These commitments are part of Microsoft YouthSpark, a companywide initiative to create opportunities for 300 million youth around the world, helping transform education and expand digital inclusion to empower youth to change their world.

“Today’s young people face an opportunity divide — a gap between those who have the access, skills and opportunities to be successful and those who do not,” said Anthony Salcito, vice president of Worldwide Education for Microsoft. “We firmly believe in the power of technology to help close this gap. But we can only achieve our ambitions with the help of these kinds of partnerships. Together, we can help bring digital access to youth and support to educators in developing countries worldwide.”

Reaching Underprivileged Youth in Africa

An example of this initiative — Spark a Child’s Digital Future http://www.worldvision.org/bethespark — will begin in Kenya, scaling across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond during the next five years.

Spark a Child’s Digital Future, which launches today, is a collaborative effort that unites World Vision, the British Council, Microsoft and Intel, and it links African youth with more than 1 million potential donors in the United States alone. World Vision, the world’s largest nongovernmental organization, will generate donations through its child sponsors. Microsoft will donate software and apply the experience it has gained through Partners in Learning. Together, Microsoft and Intel will offer information and communications technology expertise and training, while the British Council and World Vision bring on-the-ground expertise in education program execution and content development for teacher and school leader professional development, as well as measurement and evaluation.

“We recognize that once a child’s basic needs are met, digital skills development can be vital in securing economic growth,” said Rich Stearns, president, World Vision U.S. “This program is essential in helping children in developing countries succeed in a global world.”

2012 Global Forum Educator Awards

The announcement was made ahead of an award ceremony at the Global Forum in Prague, bringing together more than 500 of the most innovative teachers, school leaders, education leaders and government officials from 80 countries. Teachers who attend the Global Forum are regional finalists selected from more than 250,000 teachers registered across national and regional forums throughout the year.

Teacher projects were awarded across six categories:

Collaboration

• Winner: Pauline Roberts and Rick Joseph (United States), “Doing Business in Birmingham.” A Sciracy project promoting scientific literacy. Students developed informational brochures to educate business owners on sustainability.

• First Runner-Up: Chen Siyun (Singapore), “Impactful Online Service Learning.” The project led a group of Singapore and Indonesian students through a journey of collaboration to solve the issue of the lack of clean water.

• Second Runner-Up: Holger Fröhlich (Germany), “Creating Fairytale-Radioplays.” Using digital media, the students created a fairytale-radioplay building an audio visual experience.

Knowledge Building

• Winner: David Allan Young (Northern Ireland), “Infinity Architecture.” Students from the local primary school developed an architecture project to serve students with special needs. The project is now in early stages of full-scale modeling.

• First Runner-Up: Zamimah Binti Azaman (Malaysia), “The Journalist.” The students developed a simulator to assess content and skills learned in the classroom.

• Second Runner-Up: Youssr Chediac (Lebanon), “The Warak Warak Method.” This project is a teaching methodology that builds and enhances students’ subject knowledge and skills, increases engagement and keeps the momentum going beyond the classroom.

Beyond the Classroom

• Winner: Ghadeer Obiedat and Rania Obiedat (Jordan), “Glimmer of Hope.” These teachers aimed to equip students with the skills needed to innovate and be productive in life, with a project focusing on the early detection and screening of breast cancer.

• First Runner-Up: Devon Caldwell and Leah Obach (Canada), “Little Hands Big World.” This collaborative project links two classrooms of learners to form one community of change agents. These young learners from ages 4 to 7 are identifying, investigating and developing solutions to important issues affecting the planet.

• Second Runner-Up (joint): Margarida Telles da Cruz (Brazil), “Ecoweb.” This project challenges special needs students to develop sustainability activities. Using different technology, students collaborated with neighboring schools to focus on the reuse of different materials and how residents should take care of their local area.

• Second Runner-Up (joint): Katie Boothman (United Kingdom), “The H.I.T. Squad.” Students embraced new technologies to connect and engage communities and learners across generations. Primary schools and local residents have benefited from learning resources created by the Squad in their ongoing mission to share the past with the future.

Cutting-Edge Use of IT

• Winner: Nicki Maddams (United Kingdom), “Kodu in The Klassroom.” This project takes Kodu Game Lab and uses it to enhance learning. From aiding literacy for primary school children to focusing on programming with game design in secondary schools, the versatile and engaging software has been used to teach, learn and inspire.

• First Runner-Up: Robin Lowell and Sherry Hah (United States), “‘LYNC’ing Distance Learning Math Classes to Blind and Visually Impaired Students.” Using the audio/videoconferencing functionality in Microsoft Lync, the team created an unprecedented distance learning mathematics program tailored to the unique needs of blind and visually impaired students.

• Second Runner-Up: Alice Leung (Australia), “Playing. Designing. Learning. Using Games and Project-Based Learning to Develop Creative, Innovative and Independent Learners.” Combining commercial video games and games design with in-depth class projects, students form their own investigations to develop skills in higher order thinking, collaboration, problem solving and self-regulation.

Teaching a Change Agent

• Winner: Munazza Riaz Butt (Pakistan), “Aqua Crunch.” Teaching students to address water problems through technology.

• First Runner-Up: Ayodele Odeogbola (Nigeria), “Rescue Mission.” This project used a mixture of hardware and software to help tackle the challenges (such as examination malpractice, vandalism, bullying, drug abuse and truancy) currently being faced in Nigeria and other countries of the world.

• Second Runner-Up: Maria Loizou Raouna (Cyprus), “Online and Community-Based Research on Recycling Practices.” Using a wide range of technology, including Windows Internet Explorer and Skype, students collaborated on online research around waste minimization to inform new recycling programs in their own community and the development of shared “green” multimedia.

Educator’s Choice

• Winner: João Carlos Ramalheiro (Portugal), “Oratio Classroom.” This software concept for a future educational app was created by students for teachers, responding to the child’s creative mind and offering teachers the opportunity to improve music lessons, using a dynamic, content-rich and attractive application.

• First Runner-Up: Darko Taleski and Sofija Grabulovska (Macedonia), “Fun, Education, Stop-Motion Animation.” This project makes stop-motion animations for all school subjects in primary education, proving that stop-motion animation is adaptive to all school subjects, age and levels.

• Second Runner-Up: Todd LaVogue (United States), “What’s Up Egypt.” By combining what students like (television and music) with their curriculum, this project created a television news show and music video to help improve understanding of life in ancient Egypt.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

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PRAGUE — Nov . 29, 2012 — Microsoft Corp. today kicked off its annual Partners in Learning Global Forum and reaffirmed its commitment to education with a US$250 million, five-year renewal of Microsoft Partners in Learning, bringing Microsoft’s total investment in the program to US$750 million over 15 years. Microsoft aims to grow the Partners in Learning community to 20 million of the 75 million teachers worldwide by 2018 with the renewal and to continue preparing students for the changing global workforce.

Microsoft plans to expand Partners in Learning beyond the 119 countries that currently participate with a continued emphasis on driving community, developing networks, and allowing educators to share innovations and learn from each other.

“So many of us have a great teacher to thank for our achievements,” said Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft. “That’s why I am so proud that Microsoft Partners in Learning continues to support innovative teachers. We started this program nearly 10 years ago based on the belief that education is a fundamental human right and the single most important investment in our collective future. This has never been more true, and I’m really pleased to see the continuing commitment to innovations that can help all students and teachers reach their full potential.”

“We see a significant opportunity to invest in the economy of tomorrow by working with educators today to teach 21st century skills,” said Laura Ipsen, corporate vice president, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector. “Studies have shown the measurable impact that a great teacher has on a student’s potential, future earnings and contribution to a global economy. Our focus on PiL is the cornerstone of Microsoft’s commitment to empower youth, spark innovation in the classroom and improve learning outcomes globally.”

Microsoft’s commitment to education centers on providing training resources and building community to support the teaching of 21st century skills that prepare today’s youth for the competitive global workforce. Research shows a strong connection between education and economic growth, and Partners in Learning is Microsoft’s global initiative to partner with educators and governments to advance student success through digital inclusion and innovative teaching practices. Partners in Learning is a key program within Microsoft YouthSpark, a companywide initiative to create opportunities for 300 million youth around the world by connecting them with greater opportunities for education, employment and entrepreneurship. Through the Partners in Learning program, Microsoft has trained more than 11 million teachers and reached more than 200 million students since 2003.

“Transformation in educational practice is one of the most difficult things for schools and educators to achieve,” said Jeff Davis, executive principal, Varsity College, Queensland, Australia. “Everyone talks of 21st century learning, but few have bridged the gap from theory into true innovative practice where students are actually using the technologies available on a daily basis and pedagogy shifts to a new domain. Microsoft’s Partners in Learning program stands apart. Not only does this program support schools and educators in making great leaps in bridging both the technical and pedagogical gaps, but the Partners in Learning program brings together those who have made this transformation leap and builds in them further capacity to become world leaders. Without the support of Partners in Learning, the innovation, collaboration and achievement levels at this school would not have been realized as they are now. We thank Microsoft for its support and belief in our school.”

“A strong education rooted in the skills and technology tools needed to enter the rapidly changing global workforce can lay a foundation for improving global economic outcomes,” said Godelieve van den Brande, European Commission, DG of Education and Culture.

More News F rom P artners i n L earning Global Forum 2012

Microsoft’s annual Partners in Learning Global Forum, hosted in Prague in 2012, is the culmination of national and regional forums that recognize innovative educators and school leaders. The 2012 Global Forum brings together more than 500 of the most innovative teachers, education leaders and government officials from 80 countries. Teachers who attend the forum are global finalists who have made it through a progressively selective competition that started with more than 250,000 participants at national events. They will compete for one of 18 Partners in Learning Global Forum Educator Awards.

Acer is the platinum sponsor of this year’s event and will showcase many of its newest computers running Windows 8 during the Technology Showcase. Participants are encouraged to try the devices, and the judges will use them throughout the week as they record information on the teacher projects. Acer’s full line of complementary education products supports a one-on-one learning approach in all subjects, enabling the pedagogy process in an easy and efficient way. More information is available at http://www.acer.com.

About Microsoft Partners in Learning

Microsoft Partners in Learning is a 15-year, $750 million commitment by Microsoft to help education systems around the world. Since its inception in 2003, the Partners in Learning program has reached more than 210 million teachers and students in 119 countries. Partners in Learning helps educators and school leaders connect, collaborate, create and share so students can realize their greatest potential. The online Partners in Learning Network is one of the world’s largest global professional networks for educators, connecting millions of teachers and school leaders around the world in a community of professional development.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.