In2Books To Be Free for Economically Disadvantaged Schools
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ePals this week announced that it will make its In2Books series of digital literacy tools available to Title I schools at no charge beginning in fall 2008. The company has also announced some enhancements to the 2008-2009 classroom edition of In2Books.
In2Books is an online literacy curriculum based around a dialog between a student and an adult mentor. Designed to improve student achievement on standardized tests and increase critical thinking and writing proficiency, it combines digital books with collaborative technologies linking students, mentors, and teachers.
"Technology enables ePals to bring adult role models, an authentic, rigorous curriculum and high-quality teacher resources into economically disadvantaged classrooms everywhere, for free," said Nina Zolt, founder of In2Books and co-founder of ePals, in a statement released this week. "These learning opportunities help all students build the foundational comprehension and communication skills necessary for 21st century success and increase their motivation and aspirations."
In addition to making the literacy tools free for disadvantaged schools, ePals also announced enhancement to the 2008-2009 classroom edition of In2Books. Among other things, the new edition will include a resource called Student Place, which provides students with self-direction tools to help them pick the books they will read based on "genre, sampling passages from the book, trying out the readability, and exploring the author's style," according to ePals. It also provides scaffolded writing and literacy tips. Further information about In2Books can be found here.
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About the author: David Nagel is the executive editor for 1105 Media's online education technology publications, including THE Journal and Campus Technology. He can be reached at [email protected].
Proposals for articles and tips for news stories, as well as questions and comments about this publication, should be submitted to David Nagel, executive editor, at [email protected].