GTL Unveils Education Management Offering for Corrections Professionals and Inmates
GTL's Inspire tablets provide the most secure educational platforms available; new offering also aligns with U.S. Government Pell Grant initiative for inmates
RESTON, Va., July 27, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- GTL, the leading provider of correctional technology solutions and an innovator in payment services solutions for government, today announced an educational solution for correctional facilities to deliver a broad range of learning opportunities and courseware to inmates.
According to a 2013 study by the RAND Corporation, inmates who participate in education programs while incarcerated have a 43 percent lower chance of recidivating than those who did not have access to such programs. The same study indicated that inmates who participate in educational programs have 13 percent better odds of landing a job after their release. GTL's new education management offering helps corrections facilities reduce recidivism by giving them new ways to deliver a wide range of courseware to inmates.
Versatile and Secure Wireless Tablet Platform
The educational offering from GTL is based on Inspire™, a purpose-built corrections-grade inmate tablet with an advanced technology platform and versatile operational program. "Inspire is at the heart of our Corrections Education Management offering," said Tim Skaja, Senior Vice President of Product Management & Service Delivery at GTL.
Inspire features custom software which provides a range of services in addition to e-learning, including inmate phone calling, inmate messaging, inmate services such as commissary ordering and grievance filing, streaming music, a subscription game center, and access to a law library. Additionally, five layers of security are used to prevent misuse, including secure physical and wireless networks, a customized operating system, and customized hardware and applications. "We have added to the broad range of services available to inmates on the technologically advanced and completely secure Inspire platform by delivering recidivism-reducing educational programs," added Skaja.
Robust Learning Management System
The Learning Management System (LMS) for GTL's Inspire tablet is similar to LMS platforms used in K-12 education. Providing role-specific access portals for inmates, educators, and correctional facility officers and administrators, the system allows inmates to log into the select coursework in areas of their liking while giving administrators the ability to manage registration and monitor progress.
Expansive Educational Content Library
With courseware delivered on Inspire tablets, inmates can study for a high school equivalency exam or learn life skills such as time management, problem solving, decision-making, anger management, and many others. The system also gives inmates access to more than 7,000 videos and 20,000 interactive exercises on subjects such as English, mathematics, history, and science, including many that align with Common Core State Standards. Third-party educational programs can be incorporated quite easily since the LMS supports content packaged according to popular e-learning specifications such as SCORM, allowing correctional facilities to work with local educational institutions and other third-party providers to add content as needed.
GTL Solution Aligns with Federal Government Program
In 2015, the U.S. Department of Education launched the Second Chance Pell Pilot Program for incarcerated individuals, a bold experiment to test whether participation in high quality education programs increases after expanding access to financial aid for incarcerated individuals. On June 24 of this year, the DoED announced that nearly 70 colleges and universities were selected to participate in the 2016-2017 award year.
Combining this government-sponsored program with GTL's Corrections Education Management solution can give inmates the opportunity to earn a certificate, an Associate degree, or a Bachelor's degree (where offered and as eligible). "GTL has been providing innovative technology to the corrections market for a quarter of a century, and is eager to partner with those educational institutions and correctional facilities chosen to participate in the program," concluded Skaja.
Visit us at www.gtl.net/education to learn more and to connect directly with a GTL education program specialist. GTL will be showcasing its Corrections Education Management offering at the Correctional Education Association's 71st Annual International Conference in Long Beach, California, July 31 – August 3, 2016.
About Global Tel*Link
GTL is the leading provider of integrated correctional technology solutions, delivering financial value, security, and ease of operation to our customers through visionary products and solutions at the forefront of corrections innovation. As a trusted correctional industry leader, GTL provides service to approximately fifty percent of inmates nationwide, including service to 33 state departments of corrections, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 32 of the largest city/county facilities. GTL is headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with more than 10 regional offices across the country. To find out more about GTL, please visit our website www.gtl.net. You can also view us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.
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