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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 1, 1998

NEW ORLEANS – The Information Superhighway will pass right through this city's convention center this week, as the more than 10,000 delegates to the National Education Association's Representative Assembly visit the NEA "Cybercafe" and log on to its 24 personal computers.

They'll be only a mouse-click away from NEA's newly engineered website, with more than 3,000 pages of information (www.nea.org). Delegates will sample 20 different offerings, including NEA professional programs, services, and even an interactive CD-ROM for new teachers.

All delegates will be invited to tour NEA's Online Legislative Action Center, from which they can send E-mail messages urging Members of Congress to support the modernization of America's public schools.

The Cybercafe will be in operation from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., July 1-5, and from 8:00 a.m. to noon July 6 in Hall E, on the lower level of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

"The Digital Age is redefining America every day," said NEA President Bob Chase. "NEA intends to give its members an array of options for using it to meet their professional needs. The Cybercafe will enable thousands of delegates to see how they can use cyberspace to help them do their jobs, and to be even more effective advocates for public education."

Among the sites and activities delegates will explore are:

"Works4Me" – NEA's highly popular new free library of classroom tips, which offers member subscribers an E-mailed "Classroom Tip of the Week."

Legislative Action Center – Entire state delegations are booking visits to the Cybercafe to enlist as cyber-lobbyists for children and education. They will also be able to send E-mail messages to Members of Congress, urging support for federal legislation to help rebuild and repair America's public schools – including making them more technology-ready.

"Destination: Student Success" – This new NEA professional development package offers school-based study groups a self-directed learning experience that explores the possibilities of using technology to improve student learning.

New Unionism Initiatives – This forum allows NEA affiliates to contribute to the growing list of NEA efforts across America involving collaboration with school administration around teacher quality, student achievement, and peer assistance and review.

"NEA Focus" – This new E-mail service brings members a weekly summing up of the latest on what NEA is doing and saying to make a difference for America's schools and children.

New Member CD-ROM – NEA's first venture into the CD-ROM world, "It's All About Kids," has been wildly successful. More than 300,000 new teachers nationwide will receive copies this summer, aimed at helping them succeed in the classroom, work more effectively with parents and the community, and become more involved with colleagues to help ensure student achievement.

ESP Information System Web Site – This site assists NEA's educational support personnel members, is part of NEA's larger Web presence. It provides numerous resources to help ESP members help students learn; keep students safe, healthy, and well-nourished; and keep schools running effectively throughout the year.

7 "NEA members are becoming more technologically proficient by the day," Chase said, "and we intend to utilize that technology in every way possible to help them do the best job possible for America's students."

8 The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization representing more than 2.4 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.

9 The NEA's Annual Meeting runs through July 6 in the Ernest Morial Convention Center.