The Many Forms of Digital Text
The term “textbook” no longer necessarily means a sturdy bound volume
of sewn pages. Today’s textbook may be that, or it may be an entirely online
product with hyperlinks in place of pages, or perhaps a combination of CD-ROM,
Web site, and printed handouts. The five companies highlighted here publish
and/or distribute digital texts, each with a unique approach.
Rovia, based in Brookline, Mass., distributes copyrighted intellectual property
online. Rovia works with publishers to deliver online content to students while
protecting the publishers’ rights. Using the RovReader, a proprietary browser
plug-in, users can access and interact with their electronic textbooks from
any Internet-capable device.
MetaText offers completely online textbooks integrated with course management
systems (CMS). MetaText has partnered with several course management system
providers, including Blackboard, and also offers its own course management features
such as Course Editor and SyllabusEditor. www.metatext.com
Atomic Dog Publishers has merged the roles of traditional print publisher and
online content provider into what they call “hybred” (as opposed to
hybrid) media publishing. Their titles are a combination of online content,
interactive media, and print component. Atomic Dog’s holistic approach
starts with the content, building technology tools such as video and animation
around the subject matter. www.atomicdog.com
Thinkwell Publishers, based in Austin, Texas, offers textbook content in both
CD-ROM and online formats. Thinkwell’s titles (about 15 so far in the social
sciences and sciences) feature a complete set of video lectures (about 10 minutes
each in length), illustrated notes to accompany the lectures, and even transcripts
of the lectures for those who need them. www.thinkwell.com
OpenMind publishes customized, personalized learning materials. They work with
authors to publish original content or supplements to existing OpenMind content.
Using an open source model, OpenMind encourages authors and adopters to engage
in a collaborative process of continuously revising, improving, and customizing
content. www.ompg.com
