Ricoh introduces next generation of the 'bubble-sheet' test, enabling educators to easily customize their own

MALVERN, Pa., April 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh Americas Corporation today introduced new flexibility, efficiency, cost savings and instructional potential to educators in the United States and Canada.

The Ricoh Testing and Grading Solution enables educators to create their own bubble-sheet optical mark recognition (OMR) tests, print them on plain paper from their nearest Ricoh multifunction product (MFP), and automatically grade completed tests using the MFP's scanning capability. No special equipment is required, and educators no longer lose time and money shipping completed tests across the country for grading.

"The Ricoh Testing and Grading Solution is a breakthrough in efficiency and analysis that accelerates educators' progress in a new world of learning," said Tom Brown, Vice President, Government and Higher Education, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "Educators of today and tomorrow require a new level of information mobility that the traditional standardized test hasn't offered. With the Ricoh Testing and Grading Solution, this enhanced information mobility is embedded in the DNA of every Ricoh MFP and, now, is available to every classroom with a Ricoh MFP nearby."

Personalized bubble-sheet testing with the Ricoh Testing and Grading Solution saves tremendous amounts of time for educators who traditionally grade tests by hand, and then uniquely provides detailed analytics on the automatically compiled test results. With this new control, educators now have a better ability to discover and address new individual or system-wide improvement opportunities.

The Ricoh Testing and Grading Solution powered by Remark installs on a PC and directly interfaces with a Ricoh MFP. Educators can create test forms from a variety of word-processing software programs and can include barcodes for identifying classes or schools. Completed tests are scanned at the MFP, with results exportable in more than 35 formats, including SPSS, Microsoft Excel, Access, SQL Server and more. The software produces an individual report for each student.

Analytics are key difference
The Ricoh Testing and Grading Solution includes powerful analytics that give educators insight into a variety of important areas, including individual student needs, student body weaknesses, poorly phrased test questions, pass/fail percentages and distribution of scores.

The Ricoh Testing and Grading Solution helps save school systems money by using plain paper instead of pre-printed bubble-sheet forms, and can integrate with selected student management systems. It is part of a series of Ricoh solutions dedicated to education that includes University Kiosk and Inbound Mail.

For details on Ricoh's full line of products, services and solutions, please visit www.ricoh-usa.com.

| About Ricoh |

Ricoh is a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in about 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2013, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 1,924 billion yen (approx. 20 billion USD).

The majority of the company's revenue comes from products, solutions and services that improve the interaction between people and information. Ricoh also produces award-winning digital cameras and specialized industrial products. It is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its customer service and sustainability initiatives.

Under its corporate tagline, imagine. change., Ricoh helps companies transform the way they work and harness the collective imagination of their employees.

For further information, please visit www.ricoh.com/about/.

© 2014 Ricoh Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Contact:

John Greco
Ricoh Americas Corporation
(973) 882-2023
[email protected]

Jill Searl
Brodeur Partners
(603) 559-5824 
[email protected]

SOURCE Ricoh Americas Corporation