Jordan Times
Sunday, December 12, 2004
EduWave platform to run on
Linux
By Rami Abdelrahman
AMMAN — A local educational software company, Integrated Technology Group (ITG),
has completed a project with IBM enabling its EduWave e-learning platform to run
on the Linux operating system.
As a result of this joint effort, IBM will support EduWave as part of its open
source e-learning solution platform for Middle East markets.
EduWave, a comprehensive K-12 e-learning platform, is deployed in over 3,000
schools in the Kingdom, and has also been deployed in several school districts
in the US state of New Jersey.
“EduWave is a great product that has the potential to revolutionise learning and
learning management in the Middle East and beyond, and we are delighted to be
able to work with ITG to bring this highly advanced product to our customers,”
IBM Software Group Middle East and North Africa Manager Bashar Kilani said.
The new version of EduWave will enable Middle East-based educational authorities
specify and deploy open standards-based national e-learning initiatives using
the Linux operating system, rather than being `locked in' to proprietary
software environments.
“We believe that the availability of EduWave on Linux is critical to government
education authorities in the Middle East and beyond as many are now evaluating,
and in many cases adopting, open source platforms as they build national
e-government and e-education initiatives. We're delighted to have worked
together with the IBM team to enable this important move,” ITG CEO Walid
Tahabsem.
Kilani said EduWave has an important role to play in the development of the
Middle East's e-learning markets.
“We will be supporting EduWave as part of IBM's e-learning offering in the
Middle East and together with ITG, we will be able to offer the system to the
regional governments who are now demanding a Linux-based alternative,” he added.
EduWave is a learning, instructional, school, and content management system that
provides a single, integrated resource for `e-learning.'
The system integrates financial and management information capabilities for
school management with curricular and classroom management.
The software allows teachers to access curricular material and monitor student
performance and attainment and gives online access to curricular content,
school-related information and student attainments to parents.
The system is available in two editions: EduWave (K-12) and EduWave (Higher-Ed),
and has been deployed to serve some 1.2 million students, 50,000 teachers and
5,000 administrators in Jordan. The government has adopted EduWave as its core
national e-learning platform.