The agreement between netLibrary and
Blackboard represents a logical next step in e-Learning,
combining the powerful and established e-Learning tools of
Blackboard's course management system with the enhanced
pedagogical value of MetaText edition digital textbooks. Among
other pedagogical tools, MetaText editions enable instructors
to communicate with and educate students by self-publishing
annotations to the text, which are viewable by all students in a class. Students
can also take advantage of enhanced user features to search, navigate,
annotate, highlight and bookmark their MetaText editions.
Blackboard works to provide the education
market with the best e-Learning tools available," said Matthew
Pittinsky, chairman, Blackboard Inc. "This agreement with netLibrary is the perfect
complement to our current course management efforts."
Single sign-on location
Through the
collaboration, Blackboard instructors will be able to browse
a list of MetaText editions during the Blackboard course set up
process. Upon selection of a MetaText edition by an instructor
and purchase by a student, Blackboard and netLibrary will share
user authentication information, making Blackboard a single sign-on location through which instructors
and students may access their MetaText editions. Blackboard and
netLibrary intend to make this integrated e-Learning/eTextbook solution available to classes
beginning in fall semester
2001.
"We look
forward to working with Blackboard to provide students and instructors
with a seamless e-Learning experience through the integration of
MetaText digital textbooks into Blackboard's e-Learning platform," said Herb
Hilderley, netLibrary Vice President of Publisher Relations. "The combination of Blackboard's e-Learning
functionality and MetaText's digital textbook capabilities is a win-win-win for instructors, students
and our publishing partners, alike."
Secure gateway from
the Blackboard Resource Center
In addition to digital textbook
integration efforts already underway, netLibrary and
Blackboard have agreed to develop a secure gateway from the
Blackboard Resource Center (http://resources.blackboard.com
) to netLibrary eBook collections owned by participating educational institutions. Through
this additional integration work, netLibrary and Blackboard will be
able to extend the powerful research functionality of netLibrary eBooks
to Blackboard users, enabling them to search their institution's eBook collections
without leaving the Blackboard e-Learning environment.
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"netLibrary and MetaText are
continually implementing new ways to add value for our
publishing partners and our customers in the e-Learning and
academic library markets," said netLibrary President and CEO,
Rob Kaufman. "Through this comprehensive eBook integration
with Blackboard, we have increased the value of our two
academic market products, making it easier for instructors and
students to use both MetaText digital textbooks and netLibrary
reference and research eBooks."
Blackboard Inc. is a
leading e-Learning Internet infrastructure software company.
Blackboard's technology powers online education and related
educational services in the academic marketplace of schools,
colleges and universities, as well as the organisations that
serve them, such as education publishers, test preparation
companies and other education service providers. With more
than 1,500 "live" institutions, Blackboard serves 3.5 million
active users in more than 70 countries, generating more than
250 million page views per month. With an additional 5,500
institutions using Blackboard's Web site, Blackboard.com,
Blackboard is fast becoming the industry standard platform for
bringing education online.
MetaText creates web-based digital textbooks
MetaText was founded in 1998 to help
publishers, instructors, and students harness the power of the
information age. MetaText creates web-based digital textbooks
that provide instructors and students with a full range of
interactive learning tools. Since its acquisition by
netLibrary in March 2000, MetaText has utilised netLibrary's
industry leading conversion and technology development
capabilities to rapidly expand its digital textbook
initiative. MetaText currently works with leading textbook
publishers, including Houghton Mifflin, Thomson Learning and
W.W. Norton. For more information, go to www.MetaText.com
.
netLibrary (www.netLibrary.com
) is a leading provider of eBooks and internet-based
content management services. Hundreds of publishers of academic, professional, reference,
and scholarly books have adopted netLibrary's digital rights management infrastructure.
netLibrary develops, archives, hosts, and securely distributes eBooks through
a variety of channels, including academic, corporate, public, and school
libraries. netLibrary eBooks are full text searchable and
available for use on personal computers in online and offline
formats.
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