VoiceXML Forum to Offer Developer Certification Program

Testing will be available at nearly 5,000 testing centers worldwide by October 2003

24 June 2003 - Piscataway, NJ -- The VoiceXML Forum announced today it has engaged Prometric, a part of The Thomson Corporation to develop and deliver the Forum's VoiceXML Developer Certification Program. VoiceXML Forum members will oversee the program, and the Forum plans to launch the test program publicly by O

The program's goals are to set the core competency baseline for VoiceXML development skills; certify developers with baseline VoiceXML development skills; increase the number of skilled VoiceXML developers; and to advance the adoption of VoiceXML as the standard in the speech/telephony in

"The VoiceXML Forum's Developer Certification Program is yet another indicator of the rapid adoption and maturity of VoiceXML within the industry," said Jonathan Engelsma, Chair of the VoiceXML Forum's Education Committee. "By capitalizing on Prometric's extensive experience in testing and assessment services, and the VoiceXML expertise found within the Forum's membership, we are establishing an industry competency baseline for VoiceXML developers, designed to further promote and refine the technical skills of the VoiceXML community at large

The planned developer certification test will measure a developer's knowledge of the W3C Speech Interface Framework languages required to develop speech applications, including VoiceXML 2.0, Speech Synthesis Markup Language (SSML), Speech Recognition Grammar Specification (SRGS), and Semantic Interpretation Language. It will also test how programmers may use these languages effectively to create world-class VoiceXML applic

"The VoiceXML developer certification program will help increase the number of qualified speech application developers as well as help hiring managers evaluate the credentials of speech application developers," said Tim Moynihan, director of marketing, Intel Network Building Block Division. "This is yet another benefit the VoiceXML Forum and open-standards offer to the speech and communications market

To develop the program and create the tests, Prometric will be conducting two multi-day workshops this summer for VoiceXML experts to attend and contribute requirements and questions. VoiceXML Forum Sponsor and Promoter Members will nominate their own expert developers to participate in these wor

"The collaboration between VoiceXML Forum and Prometric to develop and deliver their certification program meets the industry's need for valid and reliable testing and learning - further driving the skill levels of the program participants," said Michele Rhoades, Vice President of Global Sales for Prometric "This kind of knowledge credibility is what Prometric technologies were designed for

The VoiceXML Forum web site () is a one-stop resource for training tutorials, VoiceXML-related news and events, and other valuable information available to the community. The website will host additional information about the VoiceXML Developer Certification Program, including a copy of the VoiceXML Forum testing blueprint, as soon as it becomes available. The testing blueprint is a detailed description of the topics covered by the certification test, which can be used as a basis for software trainers to develop courses in Vo

About the VoiceXML Foum
The VoiceXML Forum is an industry organization that formed to create and promote the Voice Extensible Markup Language (VoiceXML). With the backing and contributions of its diverse membership, including key industry leaders, since its inception the VoiceXML Forum has successfully driven market acceptance of VoiceXML through a wide array of speech-enabled applications. Currently the Forum has over 380 member companies, distributed across three membership categories (Sponsor, Promoter and Supporter). Membership in the Forum is open to any interested c

The core activities of the VoiceXML Forum are driven by its four active committees: Education, Marketing, Tools and Conformance. The Forum publishes VoiceXML Review (http://www.voicexmlreview.org), an electronic magazine dedicated to VoiceXML, featuring insightful articles written by industry experts. Its public website (www.voicexml.org) is a rich, one-stop source for information about VoiceXML and related technologies.

For more information about the VoiceXML Forum please visit www.voicexml.org or contact the VoiceXML Forum Administrative Team at +1 732 465 6464 or voicexml-admin@voicexml.org. The VoiceXML Forum is organized as a program of the IEEE Industry Standards and Technology Organization (IEEE-ISTO)

About The Thomson Corporation and Prometric
The Thomson Corporation, with 2002 revenues of $7.8 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges (TSX: TOC; NYSE: TOC). Its learning businesses and brands serve the needs of individuals, learning institutions, corporations and government agencies with products and services for both traditional and distributed le

Prometric (www.prometric.com) is the global leader in technology-enabled testing and assessment services for information technology certification, academic admissions and professional licensure and certifications. Prometric delivers standardized tests for more than 300 clients, in more than 25 languages, over the Web or through a global network of testing centers in more than 121 countries. Based in Baltimore, MD, Prometric employs more than 3,000 employees wor

For all inquiries please contact:
Cindy Tiritilli
Program Manager, VoiceXML Forum
c/o IEEE-ISTO
cindy@ieee-isto.org

+ 1 732 9

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