New Barbie teaches children sign language.

Toys "R" Us Exclusive - New Barbie Teaches Children Sign Language - Proceeds Donated to the Deaf.

Toronto, Ontario - April 3, 2000, Toys "R" Us announced the exclusive launch of Sign Language Barbie in Canada. Partnering with Mattel, Toys "R" Us will donate $1 for every Sign Language Barbie sold in Canada to the Canadian Association Of The Deaf (CAD). In addition, the newest Barbie will be ushered into the marketplace with 14 cross-country, in-store sign language demonstrations, instructed by members of the Canadian Association Of The Deaf.

The CAD promotes and protects the needs, concerns, rights, and responsibilities of deaf Canadians, in particular those who are profoundly deaf and whose preferred mode of communication is Sign Language. "Our organization is operated by deaf people, thus the money, which is garnered from the sale of Sign Language Barbie, goes directly to the Deaf themselves," says Gordon Wiebe, president of CAD. "We are excited by the awareness that Sign Language Barbie will create for the deaf and by the much-needed funds the sale of the doll will generate for our organization."

Sign Language Barbie was developed in partnership with the National Center of Deafness at California State University to ensure the doll instructed sign language accurately and was not offensive to deaf people or those hard of hearing. "Equipped with more than 20 sign pictures, Sign Language Barbie teaches children to sign simple words, such as dog, cat, boy and girl," says Mary Zanette, Director of Marketing at Toys "R" Us Canada. "But, the doll does more than instruct an introductory level of sign language communication, it also enables children, who are not challenged by deafness, to communicate and thus befriend children they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to interact with."

Sign Language Barbie will be available exclusively at Toys "R" Us throughout Canada April 1, 2000.

Toys "R" Us, the world's leading resource on kids, families and fun currently operates 1,544 stores: 710 toy stores in the United States; 454 international toy stores, including franchise stores; 205 Kids "R" Us children's clothing stores; 130 Babies "R" Us stores and 45 Imaginarium stores.

For more information contact: Emily Spensieri or Elizabeth Gesualdo at Quiller & Blake 416-502-0591, email: espensieri@quillerandblake.com

Or visit the Toys "R" Us web site at http://www.toysrus.com/ or go directly to the product page for Sign Language Barbie at http://www.toysrus.com/speciallocation