McGraw-Hill Higher Education and Link-Systems Join with Workforce Group to Promote Online Education for America's Workers

A pioneering alliance offering enhanced e-learning opportunities to American workers and their families was announced today by McGraw-Hill Higher Education, ALEKS Corporation, Link- Systems International, Inc., and Workforce Distance Learning Services, LLC.

Under the alliance, Workforce Distance Learning Services will market custom courses consisting of ALEKS program Mathematics products integrated with Link-Systems' NetTutor™ to companies and unions. ALEKS, which is distributed through McGraw-Hill Higher Education, provides web-based individualized assessment and precisely targeted instruction (including, exercises, explanations and feedback) for a variety of courses in Mathematics and Business. NetTutor enhances the ALEKS experience by providing integrated access to live, whiteboard-enabled one-on-one tutoring via the Internet.

Pilot courses facilitated by McGraw-Hill Higher Education, Link-Systems, Carriage House Center and the Association, with more than 500 employees using ALEKS with NetTutor, were conducted at Verizon and the Institute for Career Development (which represents participating steel companies and the United Steel Workers of America). The evaluative data at the operation level has been very positive with 3 out of 4 workers electing to continue in the program.

McGraw-Hill Higher Education is a leading provider of electronic and print learning solutions; ALEKS Corporation makes available an intelligent assessment and learning system on the world-wide-web; Link-Systems International is an education technology company providing live online tutorial assistance to learners; and Workforce Distance Learning Services (WDLS) is a limited liability company that is owned by two not-for-profit foundations: the Carriage House Center on Global Issues (Carriage House Center) and the Association of Joint Labor/Management Educational Programs (Association). It seeks to enable labor and management, jointly or separately, to provide employees and their families with the best in distance learning at the lowest possible cost.

"ALEKS/NetTutor is a powerful learning tool for workers and their families," said Morton Bahr, president of the Communications Workers of America, one of two unions representing Verizon technicians. "We will encourage our joint labor-management training programs and our employers to take full advantage of this program."

Harmon Lisnow, executive director of the Institute for Career Development, noted that "ICD has been relentless in our search for the best learning systems we can deliver to Steelworkers and the steel industry. As an e- learning tool, ALEKS combined with NetTutor is without a doubt the best math tutorial program on the market today. We were stunned by the success of the ALEKS/NetTutor pilot program we conducted at six of our sites."

Joe Medellin, Director of Training, Diversity, & Community Relations at Ispat Inland, Inc. said, "Math continues to be a core skill that is utilized in the steel industry. ALEKS and NetTutor offer steelworkers the ability to strengthen their skills in an individualized format without the typical barriers that swingshifts present. Ispat Inland's emphasis has always been on having an educated/skilled workforce. ALEKS/NetTutor is an opportunity to use today's technology to achieve that goal."

Tom Hargrove, USWA Local 1010 president representing union members at Ispat Inland, Inc., stated, "Thank goodness that the union had the foresight to see the potential of trying new approaches to learning. The world is constantly changing, and how we learn about that world has to change as well. ALEKS and NetTutor teach steelworkers skills that have been around for a long time, but does it using the technology of 2003."

"We are pleased to work with Workforce Distance Learning Services and Link-Systems to provide innovative learning tools such as ALEKS, for the continuing education of today's ever-changing workforce," said Ed Stanford, president of a member of the alliance, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

"Link-Systems," said Vincent Forese, the company's president, "is proud to be part of an alliance so well qualified to help America's workers. We are also proud to assist workers through tutoring in getting the maximum value out of ALEKS and the other creative online programs the alliance will be offering."

"As the former president of The Business Roundtable," said William L. Lurie, president of WDLS, "I know how important employee training and education is for industry. The alliance is a win-win for all concerned. More than 300 colleges and universities are already using ALEKS successfully. Now workers at all levels can improve their skills in math -- from basic mathematics to calculus -- on their own timetable."

"Workforce education and training," explained Theodore W. Kheel, chairman of WDLS, a member of the alliance, "are essential for both labor organizations and management. A well-educated and trained workforce increases productivity, helps workers advance on the job and provides worker protection against downsizing. The combined benefits make life long learning for workers critical to the success of our nation."

John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, complimented McGraw-Hill Higher Education, ALEKS, Link-Systems and Workforce Distance Learning Services on their joint undertaking. "Worker education and training," Mr. Sweeney said, "is a priority for the AFL-CIO and we are glad to lend full support to like minded organizations."

Dr. Susan Schurman, president of the George Meany Center for Labor Studies, National Labor College, said that distance-learning programs like ALEKS with NetTutor "will play a crucial role in the education of working adults."

"Our Association of Joint Labor/Management Educational Programs," said Marshall Goldberg," the Association's executive director, "seeks to find the best educational programs for the million-plus employees of the 400 companies and 12 unions of our 22 members. ALEKS/NetTutor is far and away the best Math program that has come to our attention. We are pleased to recommend ALEKS/NetTutor not only for the workers of our members but all workers as well."

About McGraw-Hill Higher Education

McGraw-Hill Higher Education is a leading global provider of educational materials for the post-secondary market. It is part of McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, a global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's and Business Week. The Corporation has more than 320 offices in 34 countries. Sales in 2002 were $4.8 billion. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

About ALEKS

ALEKS Corporation develops and makes available a proprietary educational technology on the Internet. Originally developed at the University of California with major funding from the National Science Foundation, ALEKS uses recent theoretical advances in mathematical cognitive science to power its unique artificial intelligence engine. Additional information is available at www.aleks.com.

About Link-Systems International

Link-Systems International's NetTutor is a revolutionary distance-learning environment for the dissemination of online content. NetTutor is especially adept at handling the more complicated areas of mathematical, scientific and medical types of content. NetTutor includes web-based graphical chat, threaded and platform independent, allowing users to use their own computers to access learning materials in a non-linear fashion or in real time with live corresponding tutors. Users are offered the opportunity to attend discussions distant from their homes and places of work while achieving results possible only with the benefit of live instruction. Additional information is available at www.link-systems.com.

About Workforce Distance Learning Services

Workforce Distance Learning Services offers companies and unions, jointly or separately, exclusive access to a portal with e-learning courses created on the WDLS Web site for their employees. Additional information is available at www.wdls.com.

SOURCE: McGraw-Hill Higher Education

CONTACT: McGraw-Hill Education
April Hattori
(212) 904-2078
april_hattori@mcgraw-hill.com
ALEKS Corporation
April Josephson
(714) 245-7191 Ext. 104
april@aleks.com
Workforce Distance Learning Services
Valerie Anderson
(212) 318-6207
vanderson@paulhastings.com
Link-Systems International, Inc.
Jennifer Gaglio
(813) 674-0660 x213
jgaglio@link-systems.com

Web site: http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/