Port Jefferson, NY, September, 2001--Babbage Net School is proud to announce that BOCES, the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, has included its online curriculum among the many BOCES services available to schools statewide.

Babbage Net School offers all the required and many elective courses through an innovative real-time, web-based program accessible from anywhere in the world. "We recommend that school districts look for the current available technology to solve basic time constraint problems and class offering needs," said Western Suffolk Boces Superintendent Dr. David Gee. "Babbage Net School is the perfect vehicle for teachers and students to use."

"About a year ago, we were approached by a guidance counselor in a nearby school district who inquired about some students that were requesting to take certain classes not offered everyday at their school," said Eastern Suffolk BOCES representative Hilna Zoob. "With no hesitation, we introduced them to the Babbage Net School. The students went on to take courses such as Latin and German and one student scored 100% on the New York State Regents."

Through a growing list of enrichment courses, the Babbage Net School makes it possible for students to take courses not generally offered in their school and take the class right online. The instructors are certified, experienced teachers. Classes meet the New York State standards and are conducted in a manner very similar to classes that meet in a school building. The class is fully interactive where the teacher talks to the class and students are 'given the floor' to participate. Class materials can be shown to the class as web pages using a synchronized web browser or, are displayed on a whiteboard which functions as a blackboard in a traditional classroom. {If a student has a question, they can raise their hand to get the teachers attention or, they can ask questions by using text chat.} Students can ask questions by raising their hands to get the teacher's attention or by using text chat. The teacher can have a student answer a question by talking to the class or writing on the whiteboard as well.

"We are extremely pleased to be working with such a well-known and prestigious cooperative educational agency like BOCES, " said Babbage Net School CEO Cliff Dittrich. "To be among the many programs BOCES offers is a great opportunity for Babbage."

The Babbage Net School functions as a complete virtual school and is dedicated to the delivery of quality courses through the use of the Internet. It has already successfully been used in classrooms and homes all over the country. For more information check out: www.BabbageNetSchool.com.

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