Microsoft and MCI Team Up to Ensure Every U.S. School Has a Presence on the Web

MICROSOFT AND MCI TEAM UP TO ENSURE EVERY U.S. SCHOOL HAS A PRESENCE ON THE WEB
New Microsoft CD-ROM Gives Schools Free License to Essential Software and Tools — Including a Special Release of Windows NT — to Explore and Publish on the Internet Participating Schools Are Eligible for Technology Grants Totaling $100,000

To enable teachers and students to explore and publish on the Internet, Microsoft has assembled a set of fundamental products and tools on a CD available free of charge to schools, including two of its most powerful server products – Windows NT Server and the new Microsoft Internet Information Server. Microsoft will begin offering the Internet Jump Start CD-ROM for Educators to schools this week at the Florida Educational Technology Conference in Orlando.

Products and tools on the free CD include:

  • the new easy-to-use Microsoft Internet Information Server, Microsoft’s web server publishing solution that installs in minutes

  • a special release of Microsoft’s powerful Windows NT Server that supports unlimited connections to the school from the Internet through the Internet Information Server, as well as file and print services for two concurrent users

  • Microsoft Word Internet Assistant, an add-on Internet publishing tool to Microsoft Word, for both the Windows® operating system and Macintosh®
    , that schools can use to create new web pages and make changes to existing sites

  • Microsoft’s Internet Explorer web browser

  • ForeFront’s WebWhacker, innovative off-line browsing technology for Windows and Macintosh that enables educators to capture groups of pages from the World Wide Web for later use on a classroom computer that does not have Internet access

  • Microsoft’s K-12 web site with resources for educators, including the complete content of Microsoft’s Teacher’s Activity Guides for all of its multimedia educational titles, including Encarta® Multimedia Encyclopedia, Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus® series and Encarta®
    World Atlas

  • Global Schoolhouse web site, where educators can access exemplary teaching strategies, classroom-tested lesson plans and more, contributed by teachers and schools across the country

With these products and tools, any school with an Internet connection and the necessary hardware can quickly and easily set up its own school web server. Teachers and students immediately can begin to find and use the rich educational content and resources on the Internet and participate in the global learning environment.

Educators are enthusiastic about the potential of the Internet to expand and enhance learning. In a survey of major educational organizations, the Center for Telecommunications Management at the University of Southern California found that educators believe that connection to the Internet will increase

student motivation, provide greater opportunities for independent investigation and research, and increase access to information and experts for educators. Most also believe that access to the Internet can equalize educational opportunities for students and reduce economic or geographical barriers to learning.

To build a new web site or to register an existing site in the Microsoft/MCI Schools on the Web program, educators connect to the Global Schoolhouse web site at http://www.gsh.org and follow the easy step-by-step instructions. Participating schools will receive information on how to add pages or make changes to their new sites. To request the Microsoft Internet Jump Start CD, educators can call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at 800-426-9400 to receive a sign-up form. CDs are limited to one per school while quantities last.

Schools and classrooms that set up or register web pages with GSH through May 17, 1996, also can enter a contest for technology grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000. Entries will be evaluated on design, educational content, and effectiveness in involving parents and the community. The contest kicks off February 26 when complete guidelines will be available on the GSH web site or from the
“Focus on K-12”
area of the Microsoft World Wide Web home page, http://www.microsoft.com/k-12.

The Microsoft/MCI Schools on the Web program and the Microsoft Internet Jump Start CD for Educators are additional elements in Microsoft’s continuing initiative to help create a global
“Connected Learning Community”
in which all students and educators have access to technology and the tools and skills to use information effectively today and for a lifetime. Microsoft is committed to providing educators and students with the high-quality software and services needed to help them make the best use of technology.

MCI supports a spectrum of education technology initiatives, including the suite of campusMCI services geared toward college and university campuses and their communities. Along with California’s Telis Foundation, MCI is a key sponsor of NetDay ’96, a statewide program that will connect 12,000 K-12 schools to the Internet on March 9.

MCI, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing diversified communications companies. With annual revenues of more than $15 billion, MCI offers consumers and businesses a broad portfolio of services including long distance, wireless, local access, paging, Internet software and access, information services, outsourcing, business software, advanced global telecommunications services, and music distribution and merchandising.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (NASDAQ
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT and Encarta are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Scholastic and The Magic School Bus and logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.

Macintosh is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc.

WebWhacker is a trademark of The ForeFront Group, Inc.

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