Moving Online: K-12 Distance Learning Market Forecast 2010 is a new publication from Simba Information that applies Simba’s time-tested analytics to the K-12 online learning market to provide crucial business and market intelligence on this growing segment of the school market.

Specifically for this report, Simba Information partnered with leading education market research firm Market Data Retrieval to conduct a survey of public school- and district-level administrators on their current use of and their plans for implementing online courses through 2012.

Survey topics include:

• The percent of students taking online courses,
• The breakdown of online courses among grade levels,
• The most popular subjects of courses offered online,
• Funding and cost estimates
• Use of leading commercial vendors for online course offerings and platforms,
• Types of instructional materials most widely used in online courses.

The data and analysis in Moving Online: K-12 Distance Learning Market Forecast 2010 is designed to provide usable guidance on where implementation of online courses is growing the fastest, what factors are driving that growth and the current and future opportunity for marketers and developers of products and services for the school market.

Moving Online: K-12 Distance Learning Market Forecast 2010 also provides state and district case studies to personalize the trends and opportunities available through the implementation of online courses.

Among the topics covered in the report are:

• The size and structure of the online course segment in the K-12 market,
• What elements of online courses are making their way into traditional classrooms,
• The leading providers of online courses and services,
• How online models are widening access to more challenging courses, opening pathways for credit recovery, expanding instructional resources for struggling students and facilitating a bridge from high school to higher education.

Moving Online: K-12 Distance Learning Market Forecast 2010 is an essential tool for publishing, editorial, marketing, business development and investment professionals responsible for creating strategies to harness the potential for online learning.

Additional Information

Stamford, CT—March 30, 2010—Interest is growing in online learning courses in the kindergarten through grade 12 school segment, and more than half of the nation’s public elementary and secondary schools could be offering students online learning programs within the next two years, media industry forecast and analysis firm Simba Information projects in its most recent research report, Moving Online: K-12 Distance Learning Market Forecast 2010.

According to a survey conducted by Simba Information and Market Data Retrieval in February 2010, about one-third of schools have some kind of online program in 2009-2010, and another 20% expect a program will be started by 2011-2012.

“The anticipated expansion of the implementation of online learning is spurred not only by the economy and education budget constraints but by the increasing recognition of the need to engage students as individuals and the rapid proliferation of computer technologies,” said Kathy Mickey, senior analyst/managing editor of Simba’s Education Group.

The jointly conducted Simba Information/Market Data Retrieval survey of district- and school-level administrators featured in the new report provides greater understanding of who offers online courses and what purposes the courses serve.

Another key feature of the report is the detailed examination of current and developing programs through six case studies at the district, state and consortium levels.

Publishers, marketing, sales and business development professionals, as well as industry analysts and consultants, will gain insights into:

• The most widely deployed uses of online courses;
• Market segments with the most penetration and most anticipated growth;
• Types of instructional materials most in demand in online courses;
• How components of online courses are being integrated into mainstream classes.

For additional information please visit www.simbainformation.com or contact Kathy Mickey at 203-325-8193 x102.

About Simba Information:

Simba Information is widely recognized as the leading authority for market intelligence in the media and publishing industry. Simba's extensive information network delivers top quality, independent perspective on the people, events and alliances shaping the media and information industry. Simba provides consulting and reports that provide key decision-makers at more than 15,000 client companies around the globe with timely analysis, exclusive statistics and proprietary industry forecasts. For more information, please visit www.simbainformation.com.