Raleigh's WebAssign Launches Pilot Program to Lower Costs of Instructional Materials for N.C. Community College Students

RALEIGH, N.C., Feb. 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- WebAssign, the Raleigh-based leading provider of powerful online instructional tools for college professors and students, announced this week it has launched a special pilot program to help make the cost of learning materials more affordable for North Carolina's community college students.

Entering a partnership with the open text community and selected independent publishers, the new WebAssign program offers:

• All-inclusive customizable online courses, complete with fully downloadable eBooks
• A complete online homework solution for students and faculty
• The option to buy a printed textbook at a reduced cost

"Our roots are in North Carolina, and the state has helped us grow and succeed," said John Risley, CEO of Web Assign.  "As our way of saying thank you and giving back to our community, we're offering low-cost, high-quality open textbooks in concert with WebAssign to the local campuses where many of our employees have studied."

Offered for a full semester trial at no cost to students or institutions, the special courses available are:

• College Algebra
• Pre-Calculus
• College Physics, including the Lab
• Preparatory Chemistry
• Introductory Statistics

"We understand that faculty in general have a hesitation to consider open textbooks as an adoptable course solution, with concerns about the quality and available technology support," Risley said.  "Because we are confident in the integrity and quality of these particular projects we have invested significant resources to support them with the same high-quality technology solution that WebAssign offers for traditionally published textbooks."

If successful, adopting institutions can continue to use the program in future terms for $25-$40 (a printed textbook is also optionally available for students), which is less than one-third the cost of comparable systems with embedded eBooks.

Nearing its 15th anniversary, WebAssign was founded at in the Department of Physics at North Carolina State University, and continues to be based in Raleigh operating as an independent company.

For more about WebAssign, call (800) 955-8275 or visit www.webassign.net.

About WebAssign | http://www.webassign.net

WebAssign is the leading provider of powerful online instructional tools for faculty and students. In brief, instructors create assignments online within WebAssign and electronically transmit them to their class. Students enter their answers online, and WebAssign automatically grades the assignment and gives students instant feedback on their performance. Much more than just a homework grading system, WebAssign delivers secure online testing, customizable precoded questions from a wide range of math and science textbooks, and unparalleled customer service. Students and teachers can access WebAssign from any computer with a connection to the Internet, so learning can take place anywhere, anytime. WebAssign is located on the Centennial Campus of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C.

SOURCE WebAssign