SPA Demonstrates Effectiveness of Education Technology
Supports Technology for Education Act

July 21, 1993 (Washington, DC)--For many American children, traditional
schooling is a difficult or tedious experience. "While their world outside
the school is awash in electronic media, their classrooms have not
progressed with society and remain much as they were in the 1950's. Today
in a hearing before the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, three
members of the Software Publishers Association (SPA) testified in support
of The Technology for Education Act of 1993. Known as S. 1040, the bill
will make it possible for all schools to integrate technology into their
curriculums.

The SPA members, John Kernan of Jostens Learning Corporation, Jerry
Caldwell of EduQuest, an IBM company, and Dr. Jeffrey Orloff of Apple
Computer, demonstrated some of the latest curriculum software products,
designed to grab students' attention and make learning fun by using the
same technologies that have turned kids on to Nintendo and MTV.

Testifying on behalf of the SPA, Jostens Learning Corporation Chairman John
Kernan pointed to a report, The effectiveness of Technology in Schools
1990-1992, and stated that, "It has been proven that technology can
favorably affect student achievement, student self-concept and attitudes,
and teacher-student interaction. Yet, not every school can afford the
technology they need to educate their students."

The Technology for Education Act solves this problem by providing
mechanisms such as guaranteed financing with low-interest loans for state
and local education agencies to acquire education technologies.

Yet merely putting computers in classrooms does not mean that they will be
used effectively. The legislation introduced by Senator Bingaman (D-NM)
and cosponsored by Senators Kennedy (D-MA), Cochran (R-MS), and Harkin
(D-IA) provides for teacher training and support, and encourages parent
involvement and research and assessment. Supplying teachers with computer
technology, but not with appropriate staff training, is like giving them a
textbook with blank pages.

Although the bill is an important first step toward providing all American
students the technology-based skills they need for future employment, SPA
General Counsel Ilene Rosenthal cautioned that the bill appears to contain
a presumption in favor of setting a single standard for educational
hardware and software technology. "New technologies are developing so
rapidly that any attempt to establish a single uniform standard would
render the standard obsolete and useless, as well as waste millions of
dollars already invested by schools in education technologies."

To demonstrate the variety and effectiveness of the technologies that the
bill will make available to America's schools, Kernan and representatives
from Apple Computer and EduQuest put on a dazzling display of education
technology.

W. H. Gerald (Jerry) Caldwell, Jr., Director of Marketing Programs and
Support at EduQuest, an IBM Company, demonstrated his company's
Illuminated Books and Manuscripts and Columbus: Encounter, Discovery and
Beyond, with which the teacher can explore, design, and create provocative
presentations. With such multimedia tools, the teacher becomes less of a
lecturer-and more of a mentor and facilitator for students.

Dr. Jeffrey Orloff, Manager of National Education Markets for Apple
Computer, Inc., demonstrated three products. At Ease, a simplified
alternative interface to the Macintosh computer, allows teachers to
determine which programs and documents they can use. He also capitalized
on the color and sound capabilities of the Macintosh to demonstrate Edmark
Corporation's Millie's Math House, which teaches children shapes, numbers,
problem-solving, and patterns as they explore a house full of friendly
talking characters and fun sounds. Orloff also demonstrated the
CD-ROM-based Count Down by the Voyager Company.

John Keman demonstrated Compton's Multimedia Encyclopedia, the first
interactive encyclopedia available on CD-ROM. Compton's includes 13,000
visual images, 40 animations and videos, and over 60 minutes of high
quality audio. It also provides instant access to more than 32,000
authoritative entries, as well as Webster's intermediate dictionary. It is
now used by students in almost 2,500 schools nationwide.

"Education is the conerstone of our nation's global competitiveness, and
today, technology is its driving force," Kernan concluded. "With a
responsible, carefully crafted Technology for Education Act, millions of
school children will have new opportunities to learn and succeed through
the systematic integration of technology into all schools in the United
States."

Established in 1984, the Software Publishers Association is the principal
trade association of the personal computer software industry. Its 1,000
members represent the leading publishers in the business, consumer, and
education software markets. The SPA has offices in Washington, DC, and
Paris, France.

Software publishers Association
1730 M St, Northwest, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036
202-452-1600,  Fax: 202-223-8756

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