Newsline

Deborah S. Sutton, Director  
Claranne Vogel, Supervisor 
Lisa Walters, Library Media and Technology Consultant
Rosalyn Wieberg, Supervisor
Shirley Brumley, Administrative Assistant

  Instructional Technology Update

Budgets / Grant Programs
Technology Network Program (No news)

Title IID “Ed Tech” Program
The Department is still waiting on word of the final allocation. As mentioned in earlier Newsline editions, we expect the FY05 grant award to be significantly less than what was received last year.

·         Formula Grants – Final allocations for Title II.D formula grants should be available soon. Estimated district allocations for Title II.D formula grants are posted on the federal program Financial Management’s section website at http://dese.mo.gov/divimprove/fedprog/financialmanagement/04-05Allocations.htm. Based on district Title I allocations, 515 districts are eligible to receive Title II.D grant funds in FY05. Districts apply for these formula funds via the consolidated Federal Grants Application. Payments follow the federal grants payment schedule.

·         Competitive Grants – A total of 76 applications have been approved: 26 New-Year 1 grants, 32 New-Year 2 grants, and 18 Established-Year 1 grants. The payment schedule is as follows: 40% in August and 35% in September of 2004, with the balance, based on the Final Expenditure Report, paid in May or June of 2005.

Safe Schools & Pilot Safe Schools Grant Program
For FY05, 67 Safe Schools and 18 Pilot Schools applications have been approved. The payment schedule for these grants is as follows: 10% in August and 40% in September of 2004, with the balance, based on the Final Expenditure Report, paid in May or June of 2005.

Census of Technology
2004 COT Data Collection – As of July 30, the district survey was completed by all districts, and the building survey completed by all but 25 districts, representing a good number of buildings. The goal is to have all data entered ASAP and the state report ready for distribution by the end of August. Below are some preliminary statistics.

     Networking
               511 (98%) districts have at least one district-supported administrative system

E-rate Program
Funding Year 2003 – Wave 33 for E-rate funding for funding year 2003 (July 1, 2003 – June 30, 2004) was issued Tuesday, July 13, 2004. In this wave, the SLD committed over $13.9 million in 77 letters to school and library applicants. Funding associated with this wave included support for Priority 1 services (telecommunications and Internet access) at all discount levels and for Priority 2 service (internal connections) at the 70% to 90% discount level. With the issuance of this wave of E-rate funding commitment decision letters, the SLD has committed over $2.6 billion in over 33,770 letters for Funding Year 2003. See: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/

Funding Year 2004 – Wave 9 for E-rate funding for funding year 2004 (July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2005) will be issued on Tuesday, August 3, 2004. In this wave, the SLD committed over $61.3 million in 875 letters to school and library applicants. Funding associated with this wave includes funding for Priority 1 services (telecommunications services and Internet access) AND FOR Priority 2 (internal connections) services at the 90% discount level. Funding for internal connections will be delayed until such time that it becomes clear how much will be available for internal connections. To date, the SLD has committed over $764.2 million in 22,109 letters for funding year 2004. Additional waves will be issued every other week until the process is complete. See: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/

Funding Year 2005 – Option Added for Online Filers of Form 470 (7/28/04)
The SLD has added an option for Funding Year 2005 for online filing of Forms 470 from the Apply Online area of the web site. Applicants can now file a Form 470 for FY2005 online or on paper using the current form without putting additional language in Item 13 identifying the funding year. Applicants beginning a Form 470 with the online or the interview format should choose the Funding Year 2005 option from the drop-down menu. Applicants filing on paper should use the May 2003 version of the Form 470 and enter the appropriate dates for Funding Year 2005 in Block 1, Item 2. There will be a revised Form 470 to use for FY2005, but that form is currently in development and may not be ready for several months. A notice will be posted to this web site when the new Form 470 is available, until the notice is posted, applicants may use the current form.

FCC Seeks to Document E-rate Best Practices
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is planning an October 6 symposium to highlight success stories from school and library E-rate recipients nationwide including examples of how schools and libraries are using a variety of broadband technologies to enhance teaching and learning as a result of their E-rate discounts. The FCC is looking for school or library officials who would like to tell their story at the symposium. Best practices of particular interest to the agency would include ways that states have leveraged E-rate discounts to take advantage of other funding sources and how broadband infrastructure, paid for with E-rate discounts, has spurred regional broadband deployment. Anyone interested in presenting at the symposium can email Sarah Whitesell, the FCC's associate chief of strategic planning and policy analysis, at edsymposium@fcc.gov.
See: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5185

Funds for Learning introduces new online E-rate tool 
Funds for Learning has enhanced its online tool to help E-rate programs manage their accounts, track balances, and navigate their way through the paperwork involved in filing information. The E-rate Manager features a new, easier-to-use interface and has direct links to the needs of the Schools and Libraries Division requirements. Funds for Learning, LLC, an education technology consulting firm, has focused its consulting practice on the E-rate program since the program started in 1997, and provides services and products to meet the needs of E-rate applicants and vendors. It also tracks other sources of potential funding for educational technology. See: http://www.eratemanager.com/

Washington News
Federal Funding Action Alert – Source: Ed Tech Action Network, July 12, 2004
Don Knezek (ISTE) and Keith Krueger (CoSN ) emailed the following to Education Technology  Advocates: 
     “On July 8, the House Appropriations Subcommittee recently passed its FY05 Education Appropriations bill that contained a cut of $91 million for the Enhancing Education Through Technology program!  Before the full Committee and the Senate act on this bill, contact your Congressional Representative to voice opposition to this cut in funding for education technology. Without your support, this key education technology program will be cut by 13%. It is critical for education technology supporters to voice support for increasing funding for education technology.

     Please forward this email to your colleagues and visit the Ed Tech Action Network's Action Center, http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=EDTEC, to view the Appropriations Action Alert and send a letter to your members of Congress.  When writing or editing the letter, please remember to include - if possible - a personal experience highlighting the importance of funding for education technology.”

 

  Ed Tech Research, Publications, Resources

First CoSN/EDC research bulletin focuses on eMINTS Program
Recently published is the first issue of What Does the Research Say?, a quarterly, free publication of the Educational Development Center, Inc. (EDC) and the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN). The first in a planned series of research briefs, Does Technology Enhance Inquiry-Based Learning? focuses on research into the effectiveness of the enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies (eMINTS) program, a program that supports Missouri educators as they integrate multimedia technology into inquiry-based, student-centered, interdisciplinary, collaborative teaching practices that result in higher levels of student performance. Begun as a demonstration project in 1997, eMINTS now involves more than 16,000 students in 3rd and 4th grade classrooms across Missouri. This brief summarizes the research results on four key questions: 1) Does the eMINTS program increase student learning? 2) Does the impact of the eMINTS program on student learning differ for different groups of students? 3) Are the increases in student learning in the eMINTS program tied to specific changes in classroom practices? 4) Does the approach of the school principal influence the impact of the eMINTS program? It also considers the debate about what research methods can provide valid data for drawing conclusions about these questions.

To see the full text of Does Technology Enhance Inquiry-Based Learning? and subscribe to What Does the Research Say? in order to get future updates delivered directly to your inbox, please visit: www.cosn.org/resources/edc/vol_1.cfm

New guides help teach 21st century skills  
A coalition of high-tech companies and nonprofit organizations has issued a series of free tools to help teachers, administrators, and lawmakers incorporate specific "21st-century skills" into the core curriculum to better prepare students for today's technology-infused workplace. Introduced at NECC by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, the tools expand upon the "Milestones for Improving Learning and Education (MILE) Guide for 21st Century Skills," which the Partnership reportedly has distributed to more than 80,000 people since its release last year. See: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=5133

"Route 21: An Interactive Guide to 21st Century Learning" takes education stakeholders step by step through the process of creating "actionable plans" to integrate technology skills into subject areas such as geography, math, and language arts. "Route 21" also will help schools and districts meet the 2006 deadline for ensuring that every eighth-grade student has proficient technology skills as required by the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), said Susan Patrick, director of ED's Office of Educational Technology.

The Partnership for 21^st Century Skills is also developing a series of “ICT Literacy Maps” which give concrete examples of how information and communications technology literacy can be integrated into core subjects. The ICT Literacy Map for geography is available now, and maps for math, science, and English will be released through the summer.

“The Road to 21^st Century Learning: A Policymakers’ Guide to 21^st Century Skills” is designed to help lawmakers and school administrators craft visionary education policies.

CoSN releases “A Guide to Handheld Computing in K-12 Education”
CoSN announced a new report out of the Emerging Technologies Committee: A Guide to Handheld Computing in K-12 Education. Based on extensive research and interviews with educators and industry experts, the guide discusses the opportunities provided by and the challenges involved in implementing handheld technology in schools from the perspective of students, teachers, and administrators. The guide also features 12 case studies that describe the innovative ways different schools are currently using handheld computing, an extensive resource directory, and an up-close look at the instructional uses of graphing calculators. See: http://www.cosn.org/resources/emerging_technologies/handheld.cfm.

“Self-Assessment Activities for School Administrators” available at ISTE Bookstore
A companion guide to Making Standards Work For You, this resource will help administrators strengthen their technology leadership skills and develop strategies that will move forward their school or district. Features include: Individual Survey of NETS•A Skills for site- or district-level leaders allows leaders to assess their technology leadership, Action plan format provides individualized plans for professional growth in technology leadership, and CD-ROM that includes all of the activities and worksheets in electronic format.

Catch up on NECC virtually
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) has partnered with Multimedia Instructional Network Delivery System (MINDS) to provide the opportunity to view on-demand Webcasts of the conference's keynote addresses and selected sessions.

Presentations available from Symposium on Technological Literacy
Presentations and audio from the National Academy of Engineering and National Research Council Center for Education State Educators' Symposium on Technological Literacy are now available online. State education leaders in mathematics, science, assessment, and curriculum were challenged to think more broadly about technology -- as more than just the use of computers in classrooms -- and to consider how the teaching of technology and engineering and design concepts in K-12 classrooms can inspire greater student interest and achievement. See http://www.nae.edu/nae/naetech.nsf/weblinks/MKEZ-5XNHRY?OpenDocument

Feedback wanted on NETS for Students Achievement Summary rubric
Learning Point Associates (founded as the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory in 1984) is requesting input on the first draft of a rubric that is being developed to define technology literacy based on the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students. This rubric is intended to inform the development of a range of state and local assessments in an effort to measure and monitor the development of student technology literacy throughout the elementary and secondary grades. To review the PDF version of the draft summary rubric and provide your feedback, visit http://www.ncrel.org/tech/nets/index.html.

What Works Clearinghouse launched
The U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences has launched the What Works Clearinghouse website. In addition to gathering studies of the effectiveness of educational interventions, the clearinghouse produces reports on the study, intervention, and topic level. It will begin releasing study reports on middle school math curricula and peer-assisted learning interventions monthly beginning this month. Study reports will also be released on other topics starting in the fall, including beginning reading skills for struggling readers (K-3), elementary school math, character education, English language acquisition, adolescent literacy, adult literacy, dropout prevention, and reducing delinquent, disorderly, and violent behavior. The clearinghouse is administered by the Department of Education through a contract to a joint venture of the American Institutes for Research and the Campbell Collaboration. See: http://www.whatworks.ed.gov/

NCES 2004 report on the condition of education
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released its annual compilation of statistics in its 2004 Condition of Education report. The 300-plus page report includes special analyses on subjects with some 38 indicators that cover all aspects of U.S. education, including trends in enrollments, student achievement, dropout rates, degree attainment, long-term outcomes of education, and education financing. The section on pre-K-12 education provides a picture of both progress and ongoing challenges in U.S. education. On the topic of participation in elementary and secondary education, enrollments are on the increase as a result of rising immigration and the baby boom echo. See: http://www.nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/,  

RSCT report on the status of rural school facilities
Even though states nationwide spend $30 billion annually on school facilities, rural schools are frequently ignored, neglected, or under-funded -- a condition that negatively impacts student learning, according to a major policy report released by the Rural School and Community Trust (RSCT). The new report chronicles the challenges faced by rural school districts to build and maintain quality schools and offers policy options for fair and effective state school facilities programs. While one-third of the nation’s children attend schools in rural areas and small towns, these communities cannot afford the school facilities they so desperately need due to their poverty and low tax base. The policy brief defines the essential components of a fair and effective state school facilities policy, suggests a series of policies in five key areas, and provides a series of school facility guiding principles for policymakers and a checklist to ensure that state school facilities policies are sound and operate to promote the education of all students.
See: http://www.ruraledu.org/docs/rural_school_facilities_policies.pdf

 

  State Vendor Offers [Reminder – Programs still in Progress]

State vendor “bulk purchase program”
World Wide Technology (WWT) is offering an opportunity for schools to participate in a Bulk Purchasing Program for the procurement of computers, printers, software, and networking equipment. The program will be administered through August 31, 2004. Periodically during the program period, WWT will combine the purchasing needs of multiple schools and state agencies through bulk purchase orders to WWT’s suppliers, thus driving down each school’s individual price. For more information about the program, contact Molly Jones with WWT at 573-636-3731.  

State vendor and Software Plus offer special pricing on Adobe and Microsoft products
WWT and Software Plus announced statewide programs that significantly reduce the costs for various Adobe and Microsoft software products: the Adobe CLP and Microsoft Select programs. Available to all Missouri K-12 schools, even the smallest school can receive the best academic pricing available while also not having to worry about minimum purchases. For more information about the program, contact Linda Rice with WWT at 888-234-8898 or Marcy Rodriguez with Software Plus at 888-251-7638, extension 110.


  2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference
--Submitted by Eric Nicklas, Program Manager, K-12 Technology Network Program, MOREnet 

The 2004 Missouri Educational Technology Conference: Technology Exploration: Improving Teaching and Learning is scheduled for October 3-5, 2004 at Tan-Tar-A in Osage Beach, Missouri. This year's conference attendees will see enhancements to the conference that align with high quality professional development standards which should result in a more meaningful experience for all participants. Practitioners will notice a new format that includes a new, standardized strand matrix, a variety of session lengths and sessions that encourage more in-depth, hands-on and on-going study, practice and discussion. 

The conference offers a variety of program sessions organized into 15 themes. Practitioners may attend a specific theme, that range from seven to twelve hours, for a rich experience that promotes more in-depth discussion and participant networking that likely will extend beyond the conference or the practitioner may select individual sessions from a variety of themes for a broader conference experience. 

The conference will offer over 120 sessions covering the following 15 major themes: 

•          Using SMARTBoards 

•          Technology Integration  (2 strands – Elementary and Secondary)

•          Internet Safety  

•          Ed Tech Professionals

•          Preparing Tomorrow’s Leaders-Professional Development

•          Assessment  

•          Distance Learning

•          Technology Leadership - Professional Development  

•          Technical Capacity  

•          Using Web Resources  

•          Multimedia (2 Strands – PC and Macintosh)

•          Web Design    

Complete session descriptions will be available on the conference website in early August. http://www.more.net/conferences/fall2004/  

The Exhibitor Fair will be expanded to occur during the first two days of the conference (October 3 and 4). The Exhibitor Fair allows attendees to view and discuss the most current educational technologies available. 

The conference also offers an opportunity to experience student technology projects first hand. These projects are written and/or produced by students. The projects selected to exhibit will cover a wide-range of technologies and grade levels. Each attendee is encouraged to visit the Student Technology Showcase on Monday, October 4, in Windgate Hall. 

The conference registration fees include meals, admission to breakout sessions and the exhibitor fair. Pre-conference fees for Sunday are $75. Monday and Tuesday only fees are $225. Three-day registration costs $300. After online registration closes on September 24, a $10 late fee will be assessed. Payment must be received within five working days of the submission date of your online registration or the registration will be cancelled. 

The conference website is available at http://www.more.net/conferences/fall2004/ . Please contact Sandra Monnig, Conference Coordinator, if you have any questions regarding the conference, registration procedures, scheduling, or if you have needs that require specific assistance.  

We look forward to seeing you at the conference! 


 Pattonville Science Teacher Recognized at National Conference
--Submitted by Jo Ellen Leeke, Science Department Leader, Pattonville High School
jleeke@psdr3.org 

On July 12-13, 2004 the Secretary of Education's Conference on e-Learning was held in Orlando, Florida.  Barbara Weekley, a Pattonville High School teacher, was selected to present her teacher-designed web sites for Forensic Science and Human Anatomy.  The Secretary spoke about the connection of e-learning to the No Child Left Behind Act.  He then toured the "Virtual SchoolHouse" which contained 22 selected examples of e-learning from across the country.  A co-worker and two students also attended to demonstrate practice models, additional programs and tutorials that have provided success for the Pattonville students.  Stan Johnson, Assistant Commissioner, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), visited with the Pattonville teachers and students, and watched the student presentations.  

It should be noted that Barbara's involvement in web designing began with a Missouri Technology Grant awarded in 2000. 

  Missouri Schools and Programs in the News   

Chillicothe School District
The Chillicothe School District is one of 122 school districts across the country to receive the Teaching American History Grant in 2004. This program is a discretionary federal grant program funded over a three-year period totaling $892,875.  Its goal is to support programs that raise student achievement by improving teachers’ knowledge, understanding and appreciation of American history.

Chillicothe’s intent is twofold—establish a network of master teachers, and ensure that Northwest Missouri teachers and administrators have the skills, knowledge and ability to teach United States history. The district will partner with local colleges, libraries, and 150 teachers from 23 area schools.  Congratulations! 

Republic R-III School District
The Republic R-III School District in Southwest Missouri was one of two Missouri districts to receive the Teaching American History Grant 2004 totaling $983,014 in grant funding.  Partnering with the four public school systems in Greene and Christian Counties are Southwest Missouri State University, Greene County History Museum, and Greene County Archives. 

The project offers middle and high school social studies teachers the means to earn a master’s degree that strengthens their knowledge and appreciation of United States history through graduate courses. The professional development program includes summer institutes, Internet-delivered coursework  on content and research, and face-to-face pod meetings at individual schools in which participants work with a master teacher to transfer course material to the classroom. Congratulations!

Lindberg R-VIII School District
Congratulations to Mrs. Powell’s Kindergarten class at Long Elementary recently selected as EduHound Spotlight Classroom of the Week! 

eMINTS
Congratulations to several eMINTS districts recently awarded Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) grants. 

• The Bunker R-II School District was awarded a grant to implement the eMINTS program in grades 7-12.  They will be one of the first districts in the state to fully implement the program throughout the entire 3-12 grade span in the district.
• Three elementary schools in the St. Louis District were also awarded CSR grants:  Ashland Elementary, Woodland Elementary, and Clay Elementary Schools. The CSR program is another way for districts to expand the eMINTS program.
   

  eMINTS Questions of the Month 

Q.  I really want to do group work, but my students just don’t seem ready. They get off task or argue and get little done. How do I get them to really work?  

A.  There are many skills involved in group work. Cooperative learning has a set of structures or activities that help students develop the skills they need for productive cooperative work. Visit http://www.clcrc.com/pages/cl.html#interdependence to learn more about cooperative learning. 

Q.  How can I make sure all of the students contribute to a project, not just the kids that usually have the answers?   

A.  A lot of parents and students are concerned with the fairness involved in group projects. When we look at the five principles of Cooperative Learning, positive interdependence is given highest honors. Positive interdependence means that each student in the group is assigned a role that is truly essential to the task at hand. Often in WebQuests or other group projects it is possible to break the tasks into workable pieces where each child is responsible for their section of research or production. Another way might be through each child journaling what they learned each day in the group project work time. I would let the class know that when I came to a group, I would select who I wanted to answer questions and that everyone in the group should be able to answer every question about the topic at hand. There are several Cooperative Learning structures that do this in a fun yet productive way. Take a look at this website to get some ideas. http://www.jigsaw.org/  (Jennifer Kuehnle)


  Copyright Question of the Month 

Q.  May an educator (e.g., administrator, classroom teacher, substitute teacher, or student teacher) other district employee, volunteer, or others present, with the student’s permission, a multimedia project which contains only original material created by that student, at a state, national, or local workshop and/or conference? 

Yes   This is allowed if permission is obtained from the student who is the copyright holder.  

CAUTION:   Please refer to district policy concerning identification of students by name, photograph, etc., and parent permission policy. 


  Grant Writing Tips
http://techlearning.com/resources/grants.jhtml
Source:  Technology & Learning 

1. TIP:  Tracking financial data is important to determine whether or not your grant program is cost effective.  Plan to establish separate budget accounts for grant funds.  Separate accounting facilitates monitoring of expenditures and future spending decisions.
    

2. NCLB TIP: Title II, Part D of No Child Left Behind specifically addresses technology in education.  However, it is permissible to write in the cost of appropriate technology use for all types of NCLB funding.  When writing a proposal, ask yourself, “How can technology be used to support our goals and objectives in this area?”
    

3. TIP:  Budget for the cost of data collection in your initial proposal.  Most grants require regular reports on budgets and program implementation.  Although you may think to budget for an outside evaluator, the work district employees do to gather needed data can become a large hidden cost.  Set aside adequate funds for this purpose in your budget proposal.
    

4. NCLB TIP:  Just a very small percentage of students may be exempted from testing under NCLB regulations.  Explore ways technology can be used to support testing accommodations for students and include these strategies in your proposal and budget requests.
    

5. TIP: Avoid using ‘educationese,’ particularly when discussing the types of data used in needs assessments or for evaluation.  Do not assume that grant readers have a background in statistics.  Use clear, jargon-free language in your narrative, making certain you define terms as needed.
    

6. NCLB TIP:   No Child Left Behind funds may be used to purchase and support Computer Assisted Instruction packages.  Include appropriate use of instructional managements systems as a strategy for providing additional support to students who are struggling academically.

 
  Grant Funding Opportunities

Source:  Technology & Learning
For descriptions of the individual grants, go to the www.techlearning.com/grants.html 

 
  Mark Your Calendar

   Upcoming 2004-2005 Conferences 

    From the Mailbag  

Professional Grantwriting Workshop (University of Missouri, St. Louis)
http://www.thegrantinstitute.com.

The Grant Institute's Grants 101: Professional Grant Proposal Writing Workshop will be held at the University of Missouri, St. Louis, September 22 - 24, 2004. Interested development professionals, researchers, faculty, and graduate students should register as soon as possible, as demand means that seats will fill up quickly.

The FFFBI's audience, its Field Agents, hone their critical-thinking, problem-solving, reading, and research skills. Their international crime-fighting efforts on behalf of the FFFBI also expose them to a wide range of subjects, including math, science, music, and history. The project has won a number of awards, including:

• 2004 Parents' Choice Gold Award winner
• 2004 Webby Award nominee
• Time.com #1 on list of Top Ten Learning Sites
• Bologna New Media Award nominee
• MIMC Award nominee

Photography Contest
http://www.techlearning.com/content/contest/photos
Technology & Learning invites K-12 students to participate in the fourth annual digital photography contest. This year's theme, "My Personal Universe," encourages you to capture and share your own unique vision with our editors and readers. The subject of your photo is entirely up to you.  

Adobe Education Web Page
http://www.adobe.com/education/curriculum.html
Free resources and lesson plans, digital photography activities and showcases of student work.

Online Resources

New Workbooks in the ADOBE Education Curriculum Exchange         
Visit the Adobe Education Curriculum Exchange, an online community where educators can share free, classroom-tested lessons that incorporate Adobe products. Boost your teaching power with new workbooks, including:

•      Computer transformations — accessing cultural motifs
•      Creative yearbook design
•      Language arts with computer graphics 

ADOBE Acrobat All-Access Program
Learn about a new program that makes it easy and cost-effective to give all university students, faculty, and staff access to the latest version of Acrobat for use in teaching, learning, and administrative activities. By including Acrobat 6.0 within technology-intensive computing programs, colleges and universities can simplify the exchange and review of electronic documents — and improve the level of academic discourse among students and faculty.

New Tips, Tricks, and Goodies at Acrobat for Educators
Visit a one-stop center to discover ideas and resources for integrating the use of Adobe Acrobat 6.0 software. With a free, one-time registration, educators can access all of the following:

• Free Acrobat Stamps for marking up PDF files — download and install today.
• Tips on how to create a PDF file from Adobe applications, a Microsoft Word® doc, a Web page, and a scanned document.
• A PDF “Announcement” form, which you can download, modify, and use with Acrobat.
• Online product training — learn the basics of Acrobat. </