• T.H.E. Institute, AOL@SCHOOL Launch New Online Course on 'Net Literacy

  T.H.E. Institute and AOL@SCHOOL have announced the release of “Internet Literacy – Making the Most of the Web,” an online course for educators interested in using the Web in teaching and learning. This six-hour tutorial for elementary and secondary school teachers provides tools for educators to integrate technology into their curricula in order to improve student achievement and meet requirements of NCLB legislation. In addition, AOL@SCHOOL and T.H.E. Institute are underwriting 300 scholarships for New Leaders for New Schools (http://www.nlns.org), a national nonprofit organization that trains educators to become urban school district principals. For more information on “Internet Literacy – Making the Most of the Web,” as well as other T.H.E. Institute online education courses, visit http://www.thejournal.com/institute. For information about America Online's school program, visit http://www.aolatschool.com.

  For the full story, visit http://www.101com.com/display.aspx?id=11948

• AAP Sues Google Over Plans to Digitize Books

  The Association of American Publishers (AAP) has filed a lawsuit against Google over its plans to digitally copy and distribute copyrighted works without permission of the copyright owners. The lawsuit was filed only after lengthy discussions broke down between AAP and Google's top management regarding the copyright infringement implications of the Google Print Library Project (http://print.google.com/googleprint/library.html). The suit, which seeks a declaration by the court that Google commits infringement when it scans entire books covered by copyright and a court order preventing it from doing so without permission of the copyright owner, was filed on behalf of five major publisher members of AAP: The McGraw-Hill Cos., Pearson Education, Penguin Group (USA), Simon & Schuster, and John Wiley & Sons.

  For the full story, visit http://www.publishers.org/press/releases.cfm?PressReleaseArticleID=291

• California Ed Tech Consortium Selects PowerMediaPlus.com as Its Media-on-Demand Vehicle

  The Central California Educational Technology Consortium (CCETC) has chosen PowerMediaPlus.com (http://www.PowerMediaPlus.com) as the media-on-demand interface and video delivery platform for its 13-county service area, which currently reaches from Los Angeles County in the south through Tuolumne County in the north. After a thorough review process, CCETC chose the streaming media system from CLEARVUE & SVE as the solution that could best meet the needs of the consortium and support statewide expansion into the future. To assist in meeting CCETC's goal of developing its own content collection, CLEARVUE & SVE will begin by establishing a practical yet scalable hardware configuration in California. The PowerMediaPlus.com interface will then be customized and preloaded with content already owned or licensed and digitized by CCETC. Additional content will be sourced through CCETC, counties, and districts to create specific media packages that best serve the needs of individual schools and districts.

  For the full story, visit http://www.powermediaplus.com/pressRelease.asp?objectID=20

• Connections Academy Selects Hooked on Phonics as Content Partner

  Connections Academy (CA; http://www.connectionsacademy.com), a national operator of K-9 virtual public schools, has announced the addition of the Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read learning system to its curriculum. The introduction of Hooked on Phonics for grades K-2 provides additional reading practice and ensures that all CA students are reading by the third grade. Connections Academy is the only virtual public school program that provides students with the Hooked on Phonics learning system. Beginning with the 2005-06 school year, CA students in grades K-2 will receive Hooked on Phonics materials as part of the overall CA curriculum offering, which includes a nationally certified print-rich curriculum that combines high-quality textbooks, technology-based resources, and hands-on materials. The Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read system includes materials that provide a compelling resource for students to develop a strong foundation in phonics and become confident readers.

• Blackboard, WebCT Announce Agreement to Merge

  Blackboard Inc. and WebCT Inc. have recently announced a definitive agreement to merge. Under terms of the agreement, Blackboard will acquire WebCT in a cash transaction for $180 million, which values the offer at approximately $154 million, net of WebCT's Aug. 31, 2005 cash balance of $26 million. The ultimate value of the offer will vary depending on WebCT's cash balance at closing. The transaction will combine two pioneering academic eLearning organizations into a single company with the client base, resources, and expertise to uniquely meet the rapidly evolving needs of educators worldwide. The merger of Blackboard and WebCT marks a major milestone in the build out of networked learning environments by colleges, universities, schools, and other education providers. It creates a large, collaborative community of academic institutions supported by unsurpassed resources for innovation and support. Currently, more than 3,700 higher education, K-12, corporate, government, and commercial academic institutions enhance their learning environments with solutions offered by the two organizations. Bringing Blackboard and WebCT together provides a powerful platform for innovating and supporting what at many institutions is the least developed, yet one of the most strategic segments of their technology infrastructure. Further, it will break down barriers and enable collaboration across institutions by developers and end-users at a critical time in the evolution of eLearning technologies.

  For the full story, visit http://www.blackboard.com/company/press/release.aspx?id=767025

Helping schools prepare for the upcoming flu season and a possible flu pandemic, Unotron (http://www.unotron.com/US/index.html) has released its new SpillSeal washable computer keyboards to mitigate the spread of infection. SpillSeal keyboards are manufactured and assembled so that the dome under each key is welded into the key assembly, allowing the keyboard to be cleaned and disinfected using commercial cleansers and sealing it against liquids entering the keyboard. With standard keyboards, even though they incorporate upturned domes underneath each key, their keys are either set in a rubber mat or single and loose, so when liquid cleansers are applied, the fluids can easily pass through the key, damaging the equipment and rendering it inoperable. Another benefit of the SpillSeal keyboards is that they are not sealed in a single casing like most other sealed keyboards, so they are easier for students to use. For pricing information, visit the company's Web site or call 800-381-5817.