Archived: FY 2000 PHASE II AWARDS

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

FY 2000 Phase II Awards

SPONSORING OFFICE:
Office of Vocational and Adult Education

Project Title:	Preparing New Internet Reading Courseware for Adults: The BetterReader System
Firm Name:	Interactive Knowledge, Inc. 3201-B North Davidson Street Charlotte, NC 28205
Principal Investigator:	Tim Songer (704) 344-0055
Award:	$299,425

Abstract:
Though technology has played a role in the increased retention and educational gains of low-literate adults, much work remains. Researchers in adult education and policyrnakers have recommended that new instructional technologies with their promise of increased efficiency be pursued. Like personal computers in the earlier part of this decade, the Internet holds much promise for adult Learners. Because of the Internets inherent appeal, there is considerable potential for courseware products delivered over this medium to have a better chance of keeping students enrolled in the adult education program. In addition, the Internet offers students the opportunity to be connected via e-mail, chats and bulletin boards and the World Wide Web to tutors, teachers, other students and the world of information. Interactive Knowledge has successfully completed development of a unique reading courseware prototype that uses the power of this new technology. If this project, titled The BetterReader System , is funded, Interactive Knowledge intends to create a reading comprehension product that has two components: The BetterReader-CD and BetterReader-Online .

The BetterReader-CD is a multimedia CD-ROM that presents adult Learners with a systematic approach to Learning intermediate-level reading comprehension, vocabulary development and critical thinking skills.

The CD-ROM will be extremely interactive and will include several hours of clear digital audio and digital video. A powerful student management and tracking system will also be included. The product will consist of four courses that follow a multimedia template that has been proven highly successful for teaching adults reading skills. Each course contains 15 instructional activities.

BetterReader-Online is an on-line magazine that contains high interest articles and educational activities for adults with intermediate-level reading comprehension, vocabulary development and critical thinking skills. This colorful and engaging site will offer students an opportunity to practice reading high interest material and then complete a series of well-designed instructional activities. An on-line management system will track learner's progress and graphically display their scores.

The site will ultimately contain 10 articles with interactive exercises. The site will debut with four articles. Other articles will be added over time.

Summary of Anticipated Results and Implications:
Interactive Knowledge intends to enter into a marketing agreement with NTC/Contemporary Publishing to distribute The BetterReader System . NTC/Contemporary is currently setting a number of Interactive Knowledge multimedia products to the adult education market.

[ITS]

This page last modified August 15, 2000. (lje)