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Inclusive Technology announced today that it has sold a 25% shareholding to RM Group, a company with a strong focus in educational resources, for a consideration of £1m.
Inclusive Technology Ltd is the UK's largest supplier of assistive technology – the hardware and software that enables learners with special educational needs (SEN) to live, learn and communicate. As well as providing products, Inclusive has an extensive advice and support service for customers to help ensure they have just the right resources for their learners and to maximise its effectiveness.
Working more closely with RM will complement the services that Inclusive already offers to customers in the field of special needs while enabling both companies to strengthen their offering, for example in their provision for Building Schools for the Future projects.
Martin Littler, Chairman and CEO of Inclusive Technology, said:
"BSF offers a unique opportunity to include learners with SEN in bright new buildings, designed for them, with the right assistive technology and ICT. RM and Inclusive Technology have already enjoyed working together successfully on BSF with a number of local authorities. Our new enriched partnership should offer a complete service across the whole range of ability and need in the UK - while leaving Inclusive free to develop its own special solutions for learners with severe and complex special needs worldwide.
"RM’s 25% stake in Inclusive Technology will enable us to be partners where this will benefit the whole range of customers while continuing to bring our special skills to bear in helping the learners who face the greatest challenges."
Commenting on the acquisition, Tim Pearson, CEO of RM, said:
"At a time when the BSF programme is driving significant investment in SEN facilities for new and refurbished schools, our alliance with Inclusive Technology is particularly valuable – bringing unique products and expertise, as well as a much closer association with the market leader.
"It's also great news for our growing education resources business. We've already established a good position in the SEN market through our Special Direct business and our acquisition of SpaceKraft last year. Our relationship with Inclusive will further strengthen our presence in this area."
Notes:
About Inclusive Technology
Inclusive Technology was created in 1996 as a brand of Ocean Software. It then became a separate company in 1998 through an MBO by its founders Martin Littler, Trish Hornsey and Roger Bates.
Inclusive supplies assistive technology for people with special educational needs. The company also develops and publishes software, with a particular speciality in activities for those who access a computer using a simple switch.
Inclusive provides additional help and support for customers, with an advice service, highly regarded Information Days, an informative website and by organising the Special Needs Fringe exhibition. The company also provides training in a state of the art ICT suite.
Inclusive is now the largest supplier of assistive technology in the UK, with annual sales over £5m and 28 employees. The company has won BETT Awards for educational technology, several Deloitte Fast 50 Awards and a Parcelforce Small Business Award, while Chairman Martin Littler has reached the finals of Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year. The company’s revenue in the year to June 2007 was £5.4m, with adjusted operating profit of £480k.
About RM Group
Founded in 1973, the RM Group is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, colleges and universities, local government, and central government education departments and agencies. RM works closely with educationalists to create new products, processes and technology which improve teaching and learning.