Blog Juice for Educational Technology

Washington,
DC –VSKOOL.org is a new one-stop resource to match thousands of
displaced students, educators, and families affected by Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita with online and other educational technology resources
so that learning can continue despite the storms’ disruption of the
school year.

VSKOOL.org has received offers of free tuition in
virtual schools, software, training, access to digital libraries, AP
courses, and commitments to provide Internet service from several cable
operators. The offers have come from every state and from as far away
as Vicenza, Italy.

Created by Cable in the Classroom (CIC), the
cable industry’s education foundation, and the North American Council
for Online Learning (NACOL) - in partnership with the U.S. Department of
Education - the site is sponsored by a consortium of online learning
organizations, virtual schools, education institutions, technology and
media companies, corporate and nonprofit organizations, and foundations
working together to provide online K-12 classes, tutoring, and other
educational technology solutions to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita.

"VSKOOL demonstrates once again how the education
community can be counted on to rise to the occasion when disaster
strikes," said Dr. Helen Soule’, executive director of Cable in the
Classroom. "As a community, we share a belief that online courses and
other technology-related educational products and services, such as the
establishment of community- or school-based computer learning labs,
will help states, districts, and schools meet the needs of those who
were displaced and be a welcome addition to ongoing relief efforts."

Specifically, VSKOOL is working to:

"VSKOOL provides critical assistance to children in schools
affected by Katrina and Rita," said Keith Krueger, CEO, Consortium for
School Networking. "It is uniquely targeted to help educators with
online education and to leverage offers of assistance. The project
demonstrates the power of information technologies in connecting folks
- especially those in need."

"This website creates an
opportunity to address real and immediate needs brought on by the
recent hurricanes - a centralized source that will work with the
affected states to insure that offers of help are aligned with real
needs. This is a terrific example of how technology can play a vital
role in education - reaching out across boundaries to fulfill the
educational needs of America’s students in the greatest need," said
Melinda George, executive director, State Educational Technology Directors Association.

While organizations such as VSKOOL.org
are working well to match displaced students with online education
resources, additional support is needed. Some deep pockets of need have
become apparent, including:

"Without access to online learning and virtual schools, many
students displaced by Katrina and Rita will fall further behind," said
Susan Patrick, president and CEO, NACOL. "VSKOOL is helping get them
back into learning in record time."

"After a disaster
strikes, nothing signals a return to normalcy quite like getting back
to school," said Douglas Levin, education policy director of Cable in
the Classroom. "VSKOOL is a common-sense, quick solution to offering
access to high-quality education resources for displaced students in a
time of great turmoil. We are genuinely lucky to be part of such a
generous community."

For more information, please visit www.vskool.org.