STARBRIGHT WORLD ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR SERIOUSLY ILL KIDS MARKS 10th ANNIVERSARY WITH UNVEILING OF NEW WEB-BASED TECHNOLOGY

STARBRIGHT WORLD ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR SERIOUSLY ILL KIDS MARKS 10th ANNIVERSARY WITH UNVEILING OF NEW WEB-BASED TECHNOLOGY

**Schematic Builds New Online Community for Starlight Starbright’s Seriously Ill Children

***Userplane Sponsors Live Communication Technology for Starlight Starbright

LOS ANGELES – Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation (www.starlight.org) announces the launch of a new-and-improved Starbright World (www.starbrightworld.org), a safe and secure online community for seriously ill teens and their siblings. A first-of-its-kind program when it debuted in 1996, Starbright World has provided thousands of sick teens with peer support through chat, instant message, bulletin boards, blogs, a message center and other tools. To create the new Starbright World, Starlight Starbright engaged Schematic, a full service interactive agency, to help craft a technology strategy and build the online community, and partnered with Userplane to take advantage of great advances in online communication technology. The new Web-based technology enhances the user experience and increases Starbright World access to millions more sick teens worldwide.
“The technology upon which Starbright World was originally based, though first-rate at the time, is nearly obsolete,” said Paula Van Ness, Chief Executive Officer of Starlight Starbright. “Beset with maintenance challenges, we have been working with old technology, old software, and old computers. You can imagine how thrilled we are to unveil a completely revamped Starbright World that is up to date and easy to use.”
The new platform enables users to:
• Connect easily from home or the hospital via the Internet with virtually no technical issues
• Communicate with unprecedented performance and stability, enabling users to easily detect who is online and chat seamlessly – no installation or setup necessary
• Find simple, fast access through connection speeds ranging from dial-up to broadband
• Experience the look and feel of a modern Web-based application without compromising the familiarity of the long-standing Starbright World online community

Starlight Starbright turned to Schematic and its team of technology and design experts to build the new Starbright World. The interactive agency created the user experience and the entire back-end infrastructure for the online social network. Schematic also evaluated different technology approaches for Starbright World and recommended Userplane’s technology for the project.
“We worked closely with Starlight Starbright and the great team at Userplane to design the new Starbright World to promote communication, self-expression and positive coping behaviors among a peer group wrestling with the realities of living with a serious illness,” said Matthew Rechs, CTO, Schematic. “It has been an amazing experience putting our expertise to use, helping build a dynamic and engaging online network for a truly unique community.”
Userplane’s Flash-based communication technology now enables Starbright World members to interact through Web-based applications. “We are extremely pleased to contribute our services to an organization that cultivates a much-needed sense of community for a very special group of people,” said Michael Jones, co-founder and CEO, Userplane. “Starbright World facilitates peer interaction and conversation between children who may not otherwise have the opportunity to leave their homes, hospital rooms or beds.”
About Schematic
Schematic is a full-service interactive agency focused on improving the digital interfaces between companies and their customers. Headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in New York and Atlanta, the firm provides user experience, design, technology and marketing solutions for a wide array of platforms, including the Internet, interactive television, set-top boxes, game consoles and mobile devices.

Schematic’s clients include ABC, Accenture, Amp’d Mobile, AOL, BMW, CNN, Comcast, DIRECTV, Electronic Arts, ESPN, Fox, Hitachi, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola, MTV Networks, NBC Universal, The NFL Network, Panasonic, Paul Mitchell, Pfizer, Showtime, Sony, Starz!, Target, Turner and Warner Bros. For more information, please visit www.schematic.com.

About Userplane
Userplane is the premier provider of enterprise social software for online communities. Userplane Apps are easy to use, rapidly deployed Flash web applications that support live text and A/V communication. Each Userplane App adds core, must-have features to thriving community websites. Deployed internationally on sites ranging from online dating to social networks to intranets, Userplane Apps reach millions of users in more than fifteen countries. Userplane dramatically increases online interaction and improves guest-to-member conversion.

Note to editors: High-resolution Web or print Userplane Application screenshots are available at http://www.userplane.com/partner/press.cfm.

About Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation
Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation is a nonprofit organization that transforms the lives of seriously ill children and their families through imaginative programs that educate, uplift their spirits, foster a sense of community, and help alleviate the pain and fear of prolonged illness. Starlight Starbright offers an impressive array of in-hospital, outpatient, school and home-based programs and services that touch the lives of more than 180,000 children and families each month. To learn more visit www.starlight.org.