About Us

OpenBook History

OpenBook English is a research-based reading, writing, speaking and listening program whose philosophy and execution grew from a synthesis of research in developmental reading and the field of rich-media, human-computer interfaces. This early and ongoing integration of advanced rich-media technology and metacognitive reading theory places OpenBook in a unique and non-reproducible position.

In the early 1980’s, Columbia University developmental reading researcher Dr. John Henry Martin teamed with James Dezell, an IBM senior executive who was positioning IBM to be a leader in educational information technology. Their goal was to create computer-assisted learning systems that delivered instruction in the ways users think and acquire skills most effectively during the process of learning to read. The result, IBM’s Writing to Read system, was recognized as the leading literacy solution of its time. IBM’s education division, Eduquest, became a leading provider of educational technology, with Writing to Read establishing an installed base in over 17,000 schools.

When IBM left the educational software market in the mid-90’s, James Dezell and Doug Winter, a key member of IBM’s Eduquest team, founded what is now OpenBook Learning, Inc., with the philosophy of continuing the development of programs that combined rich-media instruction with the most current research in how people learn the intricate and complex skill of reading. This philosophy means OpenBook English is the natural migration path of this research and of the Writing to Read system.

We have been an IT developer for over 14 years and our IT products run on both the Windows and Apple platforms.

Current

OpenBook Learning is a privately-held educational software company specializing in English language and knowledge acquisition solutions. Our primary focus is U.S. schools and business with a small international presence.

OpenBook is educator led and educator focused.

Version 8

OpenBook Learning's new release -- version 8 of our award winning OpenBook English software -- is fully compatible with the latest Mac and PC client and server platforms. OpenBook English is a complete solution for teaching and learning the English language. Our rich- and multi-media IT product is the result of nore than 14 years of continued development working closely with our thousands of customers. New features included in the upcoming release are shown below.

New and Improved Chapter Sequences Targeted for Specific Age Groups, Fluency Levels and ELL/ESOL Students

Ability for Students to Save Recorded Audio for Later Review

Ability for Teachers to Review and Manage Recordings Saved by Their Students

Ability to Select from One of Six Different Text Fonts that will be Used Throughout the Program

New Simpler Interface for Enrolling New Students and Updating Existing Students

Improved Preview Chapters Screen Allowing Teacher to Filter List of Chapters to Their Particular Student Population Needs

Ability for Longer Words in the Word Builder Activity with Support for Words Up to 10 Sounds / Characters

Improved Support for Windows 7, Mac OS X Lion, and Full Compatibility with Windows Server 2011.

OpenBook Learning, Inc.
P.O. Box 8062
Brattleboro, VT 05304-8062

1-770-325-0300

Francis Sopper
President

www.openboooklearning.com