ATLANTA, Georgia, September 14, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — The
College of Direct Support (CDS) ( http://info.collegeofdirectsupport.com/),
an internet-based college for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) that is
managed in partnership by Elsevier I MC Strategies
(http://www.mcstrategies.com/) and the University of Minnesota’s Research and
Training Center, has introduced its newest course – “Supporting Jobs and
Careers in the Community.”

This is the 33rd course in the CDS lineup, which includes courses in the
main CDS curriculum, the College of Frontline Supervision and Management,
Disability Intensive Courses, and Film For Thought.

This latest course, written by Dr. Derek Nord at the University of
Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, which authors all of CDS’s
courses, will introduce DSPs and others to many of the different employment
opportunities available to people with developmental and other disabilities.
This new course will explore how to use volunteering as a way to expand
skills and paid employment opportunities. DSPs will learn the importance of
matching the individual’s current abilities and desires to a job they will
enjoy.

“This will help (DSPs) understand the important role they play in
successful job placements,” Nord explained. “Having a job and being
successful is an important part of adult life. This course will help DSPs and
others understand what goes into successful employment. DSPs will learn about
the skills and knowledge needed to support both the worker and the employer
and the role workplace relationships play in job success. They also will
learn how to encourage both independence and interdependence on the job.”

    The following lessons are included in this course:

    - Lesson 1: Successful Community Employment and Retention

    - Lesson 2: Employment Supports and Volunteering

    - Lesson 3: Introduction to Government Benefit Programs

    - Lesson 4: Government Benefit Programs and their Interactions
                with Work

About the College of Direct Support

The College of Direct Support is a learning gateway for contemporary best
practices for Direct Support Professionals. By incorporating web-based
learning, backed by nationally recognized curricula, the CDS is designed to
promote a profession of direct support. The CDS is being used in more than 30
states and also in Canada. It is a partnership between Elsevier I MC
Strategies and the University of Minnesota’s Research and Training Center’s
Institute on Community Integration, which authors the curriculum.

CDS offers a complete lineup of courses offered on the Elsevier I MC
Strategies Learning Management System.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and
medical information products and services. The company works in partnership
with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000
journals, including The Lancet (http://www.thelancet.com) and Cell
(http://www.cell.com), and close to 20,000 book titles, including major
reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier’s online solutions include
ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com), Scopus (http://www.scopus.com),
Reaxys (http://www.reaxys.com), MD Consult (http://www.mdconsult.com) and
Nursing Consult (http://www.nursingconsult.com), which enhance the
productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite
(http://www.scival.com) and MEDai’s Pinpoint Review (http://www.medai.com),
which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more
cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier
(http://www.elsevier.com) employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part
of Reed Elsevier Group PLC (http://www.reedelsevier.com), a world-leading
publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier
PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam),
REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

    Contact:
    Tom Reller,
    Vice President, Global Corporate Relations,
    +1-215-239-3508,
    T.Reller@Elsevier.com .

    Media Contact:

    Tom King
    +1-877-353-2767
    tking@collegeofdirectsupport.com

SOURCE Elsevier

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — You are invited to a Century Foundation Luncheon Forum:

What:  "Affirmative Action for the Rich? Legacy Preferences in College Admissions"

When:       Wednesday, September 22, 2010

12:00 pm – 2:00pm

Where:       The National Press Club

529 Fourteenth Street, NW at F

Washington D.C.

• Who:  John Brittain, Professor, University of the District of Columbia Law School and former Chief Counsel, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights.
• Chad Coffman, President, Winnemac Consulting.
• Michael Dannenberg, Senior Policy Advisor and Counselor to the Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Education.
• Steve Shadowen, Partner, Hangley Aronchick Segal & Pudlin.
• Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus and University Professor of Public Service, The George Washington University.
• Richard D. Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation (moderator).

RSVP:       events@tcf.org

A great deal of attention has been paid to racial affirmative action programs in higher education. The merits and legality of such programs have been debated in academic circles, political campaigns, media commentary and the Supreme Court. However, relatively little public or legal scrutiny has been devoted to college admissions preferences for the children of alumni.  How widespread are legacy preferences?  Do they help colleges fundraise, as institutions of higher education claim?  Do they hurt or help students of color?  Are legacy preferences legally and politically vulnerable?  Education policy experts from the academic, legal, civil rights, government and media arenas will discuss these and other questions raised in a forthcoming book from The Century Foundation, Affirmative Action for the Rich: Legacy Preferences in College Admissions, edited by Century Foundation senior fellow Richard D. Kahlenberg.  Copies of the book will be available.

SOURCE The Century Foundation

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ — As the healthcare industry continues to experience tremendous growth, employers are facing a severe nursing shortage – and many nursing schools have long wait lists as the demand for enrollment exceeds their available openings. However, savvy U.S.-licensed RNs are able to bypass admission waiting lists and obtain an accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree online from a CCNE-accredited nursing school. Jacksonville University has emerged as a leader in online nursing education with one of the largest RN to BSN degree programs in the country.

Online RN to BSN programs are following the growing trend in distance learning for higher education. According to a 2009 report published by the Sloan Consortium, 4.6 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall of 2008. Online enrollments experienced a 17% increase from the previous year, exceeding the 1.2% growth of traditional on-campus enrollment.

Nursing students can greatly benefit from the ease of access that online education programs offer, since many of them work full-time while pursuing their degree. "Today's adult learners are increasingly interested in flexible programs from accredited, nationally recognized schools. They understand the significant impact a university degree can have on their income and appreciate the convenience online nursing school programs afford," explained Adrian Marrullier, Executive Vice President of Student Services for the University Alliance, which facilitates the promotion and delivery of Jacksonville University's online RN to BSN program.

In addition to the flexibility and convenience of online learning, nurses are drawn to Jacksonville University's online BSN degree program because of its excellent reputation and the fact that it offers six eight-week sessions per year. "RNs can apply to the program at any time and begin their studies within two months of their acceptance, rather than having to wait half a year or longer," noted Marrullier. "They can also be confident in the quality of their education, because Jacksonville University is regionally accredited – which is the highest form of university accreditation available – and its School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)."

Powered by the University Alliance, a worldwide leader in interactive professional education, Jacksonville University's online RN to BSN program features a proven, video-based e-learning platform. Students can view lectures anytime and anywhere via streaming video or CD-ROM, and enjoy regular interaction with faculty and their fellow classmates through monitored chat rooms, discussion boards and email.

Visit http://www.jacksonvilleu.com to learn more about the online BSN degree program offered to U.S.-licensed RNs worldwide through Jacksonville University's School of Nursing.

About Jacksonville University

Founded more than 75 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida, Jacksonville University (JU) has more than 18,000 alumni. Recognized as one of the nation's foremost teaching institutions, JU offers one of the largest online RN to BSN degree programs in the country. To meet the needs of those seeking the advanced opportunities of a postgraduate education, JU also offers two convenient online Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degrees. JU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's and master's degrees and was named one of "America's Best Colleges" for the seventh consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report. The School of Nursing holds accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) for both BSN and MSN programs.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Jacksonville University

NEW YORK, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ — Schoology (http://www.schoology.com), a cloud-based learning platform and configurable social network for academic institutions, has partnered with New Milford High School in New Milford, NJ to present the inaugural Tri-State Education Technology Conference (TSETC) on Saturday, October 2, 2010. The conference is dedicated to educators in the Tri-State area and will provide a day to explore the latest developments and best practices to prepare students for a technology-driven future. The conference is free and attendees can register by visiting the conference website (http://www.tsetc.org).

TSETC is intended to highlight advancements in education technology and to help illustrate how instructors can best adopt and utilize these technologies. "The goal of this conference is to provide educators with practical strategies and tools to engage all learners. We hope that all educators leave inspired and motivated to pursue innovative practices while becoming agents of change," states Eric Sheninger, Principal of New Milford High School. The conference will begin with a keynote speech by Lisa Nielsen, and will continue with professional development sessions, workshops, and virtual learning labs for attendees to explore new tools with experienced instructors. Nielsen, who has worked for more than a decade to support New York City schools, is also the author of The Innovative Educator (http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com).

"We noticed a growing need for regional conferences directed at classroom technologies, and we recognized an opportunity to give back to the community," says Jeremy Friedman, Founder and CEO of Schoology. The conference will create an opportunity for educators to meet, discuss, and demonstrate their experiences evaluating and choosing new technology for the classroom. "The response from the education community has been excellent, with more than 100 registrants in the first two days," says Crystal Grandison, Community Manager for Schoology and TSETC Event Organizer.

Space is limited and educators can reserve a spot by visiting the Tri-State Education Conference website (www.tsetc.org). Sponsorship opportunities are also available and are listed on the website.

About Schoology

Based in New York City, Schoology is a learning management system and configurable social network for education. The platform leverages the familiarity of popular social media tools to improve communication and collaboration inside and outside the classroom, while still supplying an enterprise level solution to academic institutions. Schoology was founded in May 2009 by Jeremy Friedman, Ryan Hwang, and Timothy Trinidad.

About New Milford High School

New Milford High School is located in New Milford, New Jersey in Bergen County. The mission at NMHS is to provide your child with the best education possible in a way that is engaging, authentic, student-centered and innovative. It integrates technology and promotes an appreciation for life-long learning. All students at NMHS are encouraged to enroll in a wide range of challenging courses in preparation for college.

SOURCE Schoology, Inc.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ –

The National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®) will host the first of three Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) National Pool and Spa Safety Events to help bring all public pools and spas into compliance with the P&SSAct on October 6 at the World Aquatic Health Conference™ (WAHC™).  The Safety Event is slated from 8am -11am at the Antlers Hilton Hotel, 4 South Cascade, Colorado Springs, Colorado.  People interested in attending should register at www.nspf.org or call 719-540-9119.  There is no charge to attend this event.

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100914/LA64045)

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100914/LA64045)

The National Pool and Spa Safety Events are essential to meeting the CPSC's mission to educate state and local health officials, as well as the public and media, on compliance procedures as outlined by guidance documents provided by the CPSC.  The P&SSAct required all 300,000 public pools and spas to come into compliance by December 19, 2008; up to 50% of public pools and spas may not yet be in compliance.

The first National CPSC Pool and Spa Safety Event will be a three hour event, and will consist of training, educational materials, demonstrations, and a subject matter expert from CPSC to answer questions.  Public health inspectors working in the field, state and local health officials, regulators, pool and spa operators, aquatic facility managers, interested individuals, and media are encouraged to attend and participate in this critical learning opportunity.  The Safety Event will be video taped and subsequently posted on the NSPF Web site, www.nspf.org and on the CPSC Web site, http://www.poolsafety.gov. Two additional National Pool and Spa Safety Events are planned for 2011.  Locations, dates, and schedule will be announced.

NSPF has a long history of working with environmental health officials and departments.  The Foundation has given over 1.1 million dollars in grants since 2003 to help prevent recreational water illness, drowning, injuries and chemical exposure.  For the last three years, NSPF has hosted the National Swimming Pool Environmental Health Leader Conference (NSPEHL) at no cost to attending environmental health officials.  The conference has become recognized as a key meeting to foster communication, best practices, and problem solving between state and county health departments.  The 2010 NSPEHL meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, October 6 from 1:00pm – 5:00 pm, immediately after the Safety Event, prior to the WAHC welcome reception at 7:00 pm.  The placement of this Event will allow leading environmental health officials to connect to the most current research and educational materials.  The 2009 NSPEHL meeting reported record attendance; twenty-two states and the District of Columbia were represented, which account for regions that represent about 80% of the nation's public pools. The four states with the most pools – California, Florida, Texas, and Arizona – were all represented.  At that meeting, attending health officials requested that the CPSC have greater collaboration with health departments and asked that NSPF play a more prominent role in disseminating information between Environmental Health officials and the CPSC.

About NSPF

The National Swimming Pool Foundation® (NSPF®) is a non-profit organization founded in 1965, giving back over $3.7 million in the past six years to fund grants to prevent illness, injury, and drowning, and to demonstrate the benefits of aquatic activity.  NSPF is the leading educator for professionals who service and operate public and private pools and spas and for public health officials who are responsible for pool safety.  NSPF instructors have trained over 282,000 professionals worldwide and their materials have been used in over 64 countries.  To learn more visit www.nspf.org.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

THOMAS LACHOCKI, Ph.D

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=77270

SOURCE National Swimming Pool Foundation

MELBOURNE, Fla., Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ — Harris Corporation (NYSE: HRS), an international communications and information technology company, is paying tribute to the nation's aerospace industry this week with special educational activities at local schools and with activities to increase awareness among Harris employees and their families.  The events are part of National Aerospace Week — September 12 -18 –, which recognizes the aerospace industry's contributions to the nation's history, economy, security and workforce.

U.S. aerospace sales are estimated – conservatively – to account for three to five percent of the country's gross domestic product, and the aerospace industry employed more than 644,000 workers in 2009.  Harris, with more than 16,000 employees, has developed communications and IT solutions for the aerospace industry for more than 50 years.

"It would be difficult to overstate the economic importance of the aerospace industry here in our community and across the nation," said Howard L. Lance, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Harris, and a member of the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association.  "This week's activities recognize the outstanding contributions of our aerospace workforce and show students just how exciting and rewarding an aerospace career can be."

During National Aerospace Week Harris is hosting activities at elementary and middle schools in Brevard County, Florida; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and the metropolitan Washington, DC area – company locations that support Harris aerospace customers.  Activities will include aerospace career days, aerospace lesson plans, as well as a student essay competition for the children of Harris employees.  

In Colorado Springs, for example, eighth-grade students at the Jack Swigert Aerospace Academy will be introduced to the basic principles underlying space science, including Newton's laws of motion.  Harris IT Services employees will provide classroom instruction and students then will have hands-on use of the Space Mission Simulator computer lab at the Discovery Institute's Space Education Lab in Colorado Springs.

Harris IT Services employees at the Colorado Springs location support one of the company's largest aerospace programs, the $410 million U.S. Air Force Network and Space Operations and Maintenance (NSOM) program.  Harris provides operations and maintenance support to the 50th Space Wing's Air Force Satellite Control Network.  This global, continuously operational network of ground stations, operational control nodes, and communications links supports launch, and command and control of various space programs managed by the Department of Defense and other national security space organizations.

In the greater Washington, DC area, Harris employees are spending the week at the Benjamin Stoddert Middle School in Waldorf, Maryland, teaching lessons in aerodynamics.

On Florida's Space Coast, Harris will host "The World of Aerospace Day" at Diamond Community School in Palm Bay on Wednesday, September 15.  A Harris engineering manager will discuss the world of aerospace with students and then conduct an interactive project.

Harris has supported major National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) programs since the 1960s, including the Apollo, Space Shuttle, and International Space Station programs.  In June, the company was awarded a $140 million contract from General Dynamics to modernize the ground segment of the NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System — which Harris was the primary developer of in the early 1980s.  Harris also is part of the Oceaneering team selected this summer to provide a wide range of tasks in support of all human spaceflight programs.

In addition, Harris is a world leader in the architecture, design and development of highly specialized satellite antennas, structures, phased arrays, and on-board processors for space applications.

For more on National Aerospace Week, visit www.NationalAerospaceWeek.org.

About Harris Corporation

Harris is an international communications and information technology company serving government and commercial markets in more than 150 countries.  Headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, the company has approximately $5 billion of annual revenue and more than 16,000 employees — including nearly 7,000 engineers and scientists.  Harris is dedicated to developing best-in-class assured communications® products, systems, and services.  Additional information about Harris Corporation is available at www.harris.com.

SOURCE Harris Corporation

Tomorrow's business leaders identify 400,000 metric tons of annual greenhouse gas reductions in top companies

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — This summer, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) placed specially-trained MBA students at 47 leading companies — including Bloomberg, eBay, McDonald's, Pepsi, Target, Verizon and Xerox — to search out big energy savings. These EDF Climate Corps fellows uncovered energy efficiency opportunities that represent net operating savings of more than $350 million and over 400,000 metric tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Since the program's inception just three years ago, EDF Climate Corps has grown exponentially, from 7 MBA fellows in 2008 to 26 fellows in 2009 and 51 fellows this past summer. Over this three year period, the fellows have uncovered efficiencies in lighting, computer equipment and heating and cooling systems that can avoid 557,000 metric tons in annual carbon emissions – equivalent to taking 86,000 SUVs off the road – and cut the equivalent of 958 million kilowatt hours of energy use per year – enough to power 85,000 homes.  These energy initiatives could save participating companies a total of $439 million over the project lifetimes. To date, projects accounting for 84 percent of the energy savings identified by 2008 and 2009 fellows are either complete or underway.  

"Our EDF Climate Corps fellows bring a laser-like focus to finding energy savings, and the financial and environmental results speak for themselves," said Victoria Mills, Managing Director at EDF. "We call on companies across America to join us in harvesting the power and potential of energy efficiency."

In 2010, the EDF Climate Corps host companies welcomed MBA students from top-ranked business schools including the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, Duke University, University of California at Berkeley, New York University and the University of Virginia, among many others. With support and training from EDF, the fellows developed detailed energy-efficiency investment and implementation plans for each company to cut carbon pollution from facilities and equipment while boosting the bottom line.

Energy use from commercial buildings accounts for 18 percent of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. EDF Climate Corps fellows ferret out savings that companies can benefit from and build upon year after year, such as improving lighting, computer equipment and heating and cooling systems, among other strategies.

"Our EDF Climate Corps fellow had the skills and training to dive deeply into projects. Her pilot project identified the potential for up to an 80% reduction in electricity costs for AT&T across more than 100 million square feet of space," said John Schinter, AT&T's Executive Director of Energy.

As a testimony to the value of the program, several of the 2010 host companies are repeat participants in the EDF Climate Corps — among them Cisco, eBay, Genzyme, Savvis, SunGard and Yahoo! "The tremendous value of the EDF Climate Corps program is clear to us," said Christina Page, Director of Climate and Energy Strategy at Yahoo! "We are saving tens of millions of kilowatt hours per year of energy from previous projects identified by our first Climate Corps fellow, so we jumped at the chance to sign up again. Our 2010 fellow uncovered even more opportunities for saving energy in our data centers and building systems."

Along with building the business case for energy efficiency, EDF Climate Corps fellows also developed tools and strategies to help companies institutionalize energy efficiency. Cummins, a global manufacturer of commercial engines and power generation systems, joined the program this summer by sponsoring two EDF Climate Corps fellows working in energy efficiency and new building standards.  "We had high expectations for our EDF Climate Corps fellows as MBA students with special skills in energy and lifecycle analysis.  This unique external viewpoint proved hugely beneficial in our development of new sustainable building standards – enabling tremendous progress in a few short months" said Mike Molnar, director of environmental policy and sustainable development at Cummins.

EDF partners with Net Impact to recruit fellows for the EDF Climate Corps program. Net Impact is a preeminent network of students and professionals using the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world. This year, 25 percent of the 200-plus MBA applicants were chosen to participate in the program.

For more information on EDF Climate Corps, visit http://edfclimatecorps.org.  

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a leading national nonprofit organization, which creates transformational solutions to the most serious environmental problems. EDF links science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships.

For more information, visit EDF.org. Read our blog at blogs.edf.org/innovation. Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/EDFCC. Find us on Facebook.

The following companies participated in EDF Climate Corps 2010. All trademarks, including company names, are the property of their respective owners.    

Adidas, Akamai, Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Autodesk, Bank of America, Bloomberg, CA Technologies, Carnival, Cisco Systems, Compass Group, CSX, Cummins, Diversey, Eaton, eBay, FedEx, Franklin Templeton Investments, Gaylord Entertainment, Genzyme, HCA Healthcare, Ingersoll-Rand, JBG Companies, JCPenney, McDonald's, Mosaic, New Jersey Natural Gas, News Corp – Dow Jones, PepsiCo, PHH Arval, Procter and Gamble, PSC Environmental Services, RBS Citizens Bank, REI, SAP, Savvis, ServiceMaster, Shorenstein, Staples, SunGard, Sunrise Preschools, Target, Verizon, VivaKi, Wells Fargo, Xerox, Yahoo!.

MBA students participated in EDF Climate Corps 2010 from the following schools:

Bainbridge Graduate Institute, Booth School of Business – University of Chicago, Carlson School of Management – University of Minnesota, Darden School of Business Administration – University of Virginia, Erb Institute – University of Michigan, Freeman School of Business -Tulane University, Fuqua School of Business – Duke University, Graziadio School of Business and Management – Pepperdine University, GW School of Business – George Washington University, Haas School of Business – University of California, Berkeley, Jones Graduate School of Business – Rice University, Kelley School of Business – Indiana University, Kenan-Flagler Business School – University of North Carolina, Marshall School of Business – University of Southern California, Mason School of Business – William & Mary, McDonough School of Business – Georgetown University, Melbourne Business School – University of Melbourne, Michael G. Foster School of Business – University of Washington, Moore School of Business – University of South Carolina, NYU Steinhardt School – New York University, Olin School of Business – Babson College, Owen Graduate School of Management – Vanderbilt University, Presidio School of Management, Ross School of Business – University of Michigan, Smeal College of Business – Pennsylvania State University, Stern School of Business – New York University, Tepper School of Business – Carnegie Mellon University, Terry College of Business – University of Georgia, Thunderbird School of Global Management, Weatherhead School of Management – Case Western Reserve University, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies – Yale University, Yale School of Management – Yale University.

SOURCE Environmental Defense Fund

NEW YORK, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ — The You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube program, back for its second full school year, has students across the country determined to unlock this iconic puzzle's secret.  Designed to foster life lessons such as problem-solving, negotiation, and teamwork, the program provides teachers fun, hands-on educational activities that are aligned with national and state curriculum frameworks, major math text books, and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, and support STEM disciplines.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100914/NE63834 )

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100914/NE63834 )

Thirty years after its introduction to America, the Rubik's Cube today continues to remain true to inventor Dr. Erno Rubik's original vision of the Cube being used as a powerful teaching tool.  Currently, over 1,600 schools and hundreds of afterschool programs nationwide are enrolled in the You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube program – and in all 50 states.  Free lesson plans on YouCanDoTheCube.com and classroom kits show educators and youth leaders how to use the Rubik's Cube as a fun yet challenging tool to teach fundamental math disciplines like area, perimeter, volume, angles, and algorithms.

"This looks to be a very exciting school year for the You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube Program as more and more students are proving that they can solve the Rubik's Cube with dedicated time, effort, and perseverance," said Holly Riehl, Senior Vice President of You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube.  "With the launch of the program's new Competition Guide, dozens of schools are hosting regional competitions as well, highlighting their students' talents throughout the year."

In a recent survey of 251 teachers currently using the You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube program in the classroom, an overwhelming majority (99 percent) relayed they are highly satisfied with the program and are planning to repeat the program again this academic year.  The program has also demonstrated its benefits to a wide range of students, including those in elementary school, high school, special education classrooms and colleges.  Teacher feedback has indicated that the program is "a gold mine of thinking strategies" for students, fostering better attention in the classroom and a greater interest in schoolwork.

"Learning to solve the Rubik's Cube has expanded throughout our school as a common goal among many grade levels and students. It's been incredible to watch the students help each other work towards that common goal while improving their math skills," said Amber Baur, fifth-grade teacher at Harbor View Elementary school in Corona del Mar, Calif.  "The team skills and camaraderie they've learned is invaluable to their life-long education."  

For more information on the You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube program and how to organize a regional tournament, visit www.YouCanDoTheCube.com.

About You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube

Since its release in 1980, the Rubik's Cube has since found its way into over 350 million homes worldwide and has continued to fascinate, bewilder and challenge millions of people. The new You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube initiative is a U.S. campaign aimed at teaching youth how to solve the Rubik's Cube and experience the many benefits of this accomplishment.  Math lessons have been designed to use the Rubik's Cube to help teachers engage students with an interactive and tangible way to learn the many math disciplines.

Rubik's Cube® is a registered trademark of Seven Towns Ltd.

SOURCE You CAN Do The Rubik's Cube

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 14 /PRNewswire/ — PCI Education, the number one provider of resources for students with special needs, announces the expansion of its reading and math intervention offerings through the acquisition of five products from Kaplan K12 Learning Services, a division of Kaplan, Inc. Each product represents a complete curriculum for intensive intervention and remediation for middle and high school students in reading and math.

"To make progress in reading and math, struggling learners need intensive intervention materials designed specifically for their needs," said Lee Wilson, CEO and President of PCI Education. "Our company is focused solely on meeting the needs of the most academically challenged students, therefore these research-based products from Kaplan K12 Learning Services have a natural home in the PCI Education product line."  

Four of the products purchased are known in the marketplace as SpellRead, TextConnections, Summer Ventures, and Momentum Math. A fifth product, an Algebra remediation curriculum, will be released in the coming year. The comprehensive approach to reading and math intervention in these products aligns with PCI Education's mission to deliver effective, standards-based academic instruction for all learners.

Students who are more than two or three grade levels behind in middle and high school need developmentally appropriate materials specifically designed to reach them at their individual level. Although adaptations and modifications of mainstream material are often utilized with struggling students, comprehensive intervention programs such as those offered by PCI Education are proven to be a more effective solution.

PCI Education is the largest independent provider of materials for students with learning disabilities and special needs. The company is devoted to meeting the needs of all students, by providing educators with effective tools to teach basic academic and life skills through all major discipline areas. PCI Education has been serving these students and teachers with high-quality learning resources for nearly 20 years.  

Kaplan K12 Learning Services partners with schools and districts to provide college readiness and test preparation programs. For more information on Kaplan K12 Learning Services, visit http://www.kaplank12.com.

About PCI Education

PCI Education offers more than 7,500 instructional materials for a wide range of students with special needs, including significant or developmental disabilities such as autism.  In addition, the company's products are used in English language learner and adult literacy classes, and to help students performing below grade level. Based in San Antonio, PCI Education has been helping educators lead students to success in school, at home and in the community since 1991. For more information, visit http://www.pcieducation.com or phone 800-594-4263.

For more information:

– Carolyn Perkins, PCI Education, 800-594-4263, ext. 126, cperkins@pcieducation.com

– Emily Embury, C. Blohm & Associates, Inc., 608-839-9800, emily@cblohm.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R).  For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE PCI Education