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New
industry association calls on government
to support improvements in technical interoperability
for school software
7th
January 2008
A
new industry group, the Suppliers Association for Learning
Technology and Interoperability in Schools (SALTIS), is
calling on the UK government to support work on better
technical standards for interoperability.
SALTIS
is being launched at BETT 2008 with 32 industry members
and 9 non-commercial partners. It has been formed in response
to concern in the industry at the current lack of technical
interoperability for software in schools. The group has
already started work to improve standards allowing the
free movement of learning content, e-portfolios, and student
records between different devices, applications and institutions.
At
the launch of the new association, SALTIS' Chairman, Crispin
Weston, will call for this work to be given unequivocal
government support:
"Technical
standards need to be sanctioned by government and implemented
by industry - too many initiatives in the past have failed
through lack of support from one side or the other. There
is a strong industry consensus behind the SALTIS programme,
which we hope will now also be supported by Becta and
the DCSF. Working with other interested bodies, we can
together develop the technical infrastructure that is
urgently required to underpin flexible markets and the
delivery of more effective learning technology to UK schools."
SALTIS
will be launched at a press conference at 3 p.m. on Wednesday
9th January, on stand Q32 in the Grand Gallery of the
Olympia Exhibition Centre, during BETT 2008.
Notes
to editors
SALTIS
is a working group of the British Educational Suppliers
Association (BESA).
For
further information, see www.saltis.org or contact Crispin
Weston on 07780811806 or at crispin.weston@alphalearning.co.uk.
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