Officials from 3D application developer Autodesk have announced the release of the latest version of Maya Personal Learning Edition Software (PLE), a special version of the company's popular Maya software, providing free access to Maya for non-commercial use. Based on Maya Complete 8.5 software, the Maya PLE software provides an integrated learning path that orients new users and guides them through a series of documentation and tutorials. Beginners are also directed to books, DVDs, classroom training options, and events and seminars that can assist in their learning. Key features included in this latest release include many of those found in the commercial version of Maya Complete 8.5, such as modeling support for NURBS, polygons, subdivision surfaces; character rigging and full body Inverse Kinematics (IK); a complete particle system; and Adobe Photoshop integration and Adobe Illustrator connectivity. The software is now available for download in English and Japanese from the Autodesk website. In addition, additional tutorials, as well as free shaders, models and sample scene files are available on Area, the Autodesk Media & Entertainment community portal.