Reviewer Comments:

I reviewed Beyond Books using a 90 MHz PC with a Pentium processor, 12 MB RAM, 10 MB free hard disk space, running Windows 95, and using a T-1 line. I also used a Gateway 450 MHz computer with a Pentium III processor, 96 MB RAM, 9 GB hard drive, Windows 98, and a 56 K modem connection. A user name and password were all that was required to start working with the materials. Installation/Access Rating: A

Content/Features:

The Beyond Books Web site from New Forum Publishers offers a dynamic alternative to textbooks. Each Beyond Books program embraces a semester's worth of work based on national curriculum standards for middle and high school students.

Each program is organized into four areas: program outline, locus area, focus area, and Web links.

The Program Outline provides a table of contents in outline form, similar to the table of contents in a text. From here, students click on a topic to begin.

The Locus area presents an overview of the selected topic. A short introduction provides background information and sets a purpose for further study. Unit subtopics and Internet links are identified here.

The Focus area is the informational piece of the program. It contains the original content articles. The left side of the Focus page contains fun and interesting tidbits designed to pique student curiosity. One such teaser on ancient history links to an interactive outline of evolution using Shockwave multimedia.

The Links area directs students to carefully screen Web sites on related topics. I feel the links are excellent. I am familiar with many of the Web sites related to my field. However, Beyond Books also identifies some active, fun, and informative links that were unfamiliar to me.

New Forum Publishers has plans to produce programming for all subjects found in a typical middle and high school curriculum. At the time of this review, however, social studies titles dominated the site's offerings.

Five American history programs - ranging from the British settlement of America to the new Millennium - provide a complete coverage of our country's history. To access material on this entire sweep of American history, however, schools would need to purchase all five programs. This would be very expensive.

At the time of this review, European history was limited to two programs covering the Renaissance to modern world history. Additionally, a government and a world cultures program were available.

Each program offers engaging content and activities. One American history program presents information on the founding of America at Jamestown, Virginia, illustrated with color paintings. Links take the students to the Jamestown Society for information on Colonial society and to the original Virginia Charters to work with primary documents. Just for fun, a text box on the left of the screen links all of the taxes and fees required of colonists in Virginia.

The Language arts offerings consisted of English composition and English and American literature programs. I found the American literature programs closely paralleled the content in my son's 11^th grade English textbook. However, the curiosities on the left of the screen and the additional content make the subjects much more interesting and offer a more complete picture of American literature.

The Science materials contain programs on earth science and chemistry. Each of these involves typical textual material and interactive activities and experiments.

The art history program provides a visually rich area of the site.

One unique feature of the Beyond Books programs is the Guest Expert sessions. Offered several times each year, these live sessions feature experts on given topics. Classes can submit questions and get live answers or access archived session transcripts.

Beyond Books is an excellent resource for middle and high school. However, it does not provide adequate content for a class as a substitute for a textbook. In addition, while the content of the programs is based on national standards, this does not always reflect the needs of our schools. I found the correlation between the American history programs and the Virginia Standards of Learning to be very general. Content/Features Rating: B

The Beyond Books site is very easy to navigate. The pull-down Program Outline appears at the top of each page. A left-side navigation bar, the search feature, and the top links buttons make steering the Web site a snap. Ease of Use Rating: A

Product Support:

Beyond Books has excellent product support. An online site tour introduces the elements of the Web site. At the bottom of each page, a contact field encourages user feedback. E-mail support and a toll-free telephone number provide ample assistance. My call was answered immediately by a sales representative who had the information I needed.

One product support not in place at the time of this review will track individual student use of a program. Currently, a school must pay for program use for every potential user. According to a company representative, a means to gauge cost based on actual student use is a future possibility. Product Support Rating: B

Recommendation:

Beyond Books is one of the best resource sites I have seen to engage students, particularly in social studies. It is crisp, lively, and appeals to today's visually attuned students.

Unfortunately, the pricing structure puts the site beyond the reach of many school systems. To purchase the five programs needed to cover American history from Colonial times to the present, a high school with 300 students in the junior class would pay $1,200 per year.

If schools were ready to abandon written texts - and if students each had computers at home and laptops to use in class - this would be a bargain. That day is not here yet, however.

I noticed that most of the schools currently using Beyond Books seem to be part of the company's marketing study, exchanging their comments for free access to the materials. I am sure the feedback is excellent. I like everything about the program, except the price on the bottom link. As a result, my overall rating is a grade of B.