The humble USB provides learning support for offline families as the Endless OS Foundation launches the Endless Key
The Endless OS Foundation has partnered with Common Sense and Learning Equality to launch the not-for-profit Endless Key initiative.
Sep 30, 2020, 10:00 ET
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 30, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In this unprecedented 2020–21 school year dominated by COVID-19, millions of K–12 students and families are struggling to adapt to remote learning and improve their access to education when secure, stable internet access is not a given. Inequality of access to technology and connectivity is a long-standing issue that has been brought to the forefront due to the pandemic.
The Endless Key is a solution specially created for these students and families as an offline resource, while they await a broadband-for-all solution that could take up to a decade to arrive. The Key is a high-performance USB drive that is designed to provide a robust, universal and safe digital learning environment with high quality and engaging learning materials, resources and apps that can be accessed offline (without internet) by students using Mac or Windows computers.
"The Endless Key project provides an immediate and practical solution to challenges of falling behind with a balanced and complete education in the face of school closures caused by the pandemic," said Rob McQueen, CEO at Endless. "We are proud to bring our experience addressing these barriers together with these world-class organizations on this first-ever collaboration that will provide much-needed offline access to high-quality content for the 2020 school year."
The 64-gigabyte Endless Key features leading learning materials such as Blockly, Khan Academy, PhET, Sikana, and Ubongo through Learning Equality's Kolibri platform, and the Kiwix reader which provides a searchable offline Wikipedia. The Key also includes the parent and educator approved Endless OS, featuring the Hack playground for kids to learn digital skills in a safe and autonomous environment, fun games which teach you to code, and open source applications for productivity and creativity such as LibreOffice, audio, graphics and video editors, and much more.
This first-ever USB project will initially distribute 500 Endless Keys to students and families in under-resourced schools in the USA for free. Keys are also available on Amazon at cost, for those who can afford them. New partners are being sought to join the Endless Key initiative, and as new content becomes available it will be included on future updates of the Key.
About Endless OS Foundation
Founded in April 2020, the Endless OS Foundation is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit focused on improving digital literacy, expanding access to the digital economy, and providing world class learning resources to communities in need. By leveraging partnerships with leading educational and lifelong learning organizations, the Endless OS Foundation seeks to meet the technology needs of underserved and unconnected communities while making learning fun and safe for all with a growing world of content, games, skill-creating tools, and the Endless OS. Learn more at www.endlessos.org.
About Learning Equality
Learning Equality, a 501(c)(3) ed-tech nonprofit, is committed to enabling every person in the world to realize their right to a quality education, by supporting the creation, adaptation and distribution of open educational resources, and creating supportive free tools for innovative pedagogy. Learn more here: https://learningequality.org.
About Common Sense
Common Sense is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Learn more at commonsense.org and their new online learning site at www.wideopenschool.org
Related Links
https://www.endlessos.org/key
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08JZHVNK7
SOURCE Endless OS Foundation
