Herff Jones | Nystrom and SMART Technologies Announce Exclusive Integration for StrataLogica® at BETT Show

LONDON, January 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

This week at the BETT Show, the world's leading ICT and educational technology event with over 30,000 attendees, Herff Jones | Nystrom  and SMART Technologies will unveil cutting-edge integration between StrataLogica® and SMART Technologies products.

Using version 11 of SMART Notebook™ collaborative learning software being released in spring 2012, StrataLogica will become the first web application to integrate with the latest version of the software used by SMART customers. Notebook 11 users will be able to see StrataLogica saved custom views, presentations and projects in Notebook software. Users will be able to launch StrataLogica directly from Notebook. 

"Though StrataLogica can be used on a desktop or laptop computer, the experience really comes to life on an interactive whiteboard," said Don Rescigno, director of marketing at Herff Jones | Nystrom. "We are constantly looking for ways to improve the StrataLogica user experience for both educators and students and version 11 of Notebook gives us the opportunity to do it. Many of our customers already have SMART Board® interactive whiteboards in their classrooms, so this is a very natural relationship."

The integration between StrataLogica and 800 Series SMART board interactive whiteboards will allow users to pick up digital pens to mark routes and add labels and then save the markings directly in StrataLogica. Herff Jones | Nystrom intends to create integration allowing StrataLogica users to zoom in and out of the 3D Earth via gestures commonly used with touch screen devices. "The new integration between StrataLogica and SMART software will give our mutual customers a more natural and seamless experience," said Rescigno.

Herff Jones | Nystrom will demonstrate a prototype of StrataLogica and its integration with SMART's Notebook 11 and 800 Series boards at their stand and SMART Technologies' stand while at the BETT Show.

"SMART is eager to work with companies that share our passion for making learning more exciting and engaging," says Linda Thomas, Vice-President, Products, SMART Technologies. "The combination of Notebook 11, our 800 series interactive whiteboards and the powerful StrataLogica web application will help propel classroom interactivity to a new level."

StrataLogica, built on the Google Earth™ API, is a revolutionary, web-based product that delivers 2D and 3D layers of age-appropriate, curriculum-based content in a secure and collaborative 21st century learning environment. StrataLogica is a BETT Awards Finalist in the category for ICT Tools for Learning and Teaching.

"Herff Jones is honored by being named a shortlist finalist for a BETT Award.  We are very proud of StrataLogica and the impact it is having on educators and their students.  Its innovative and interactive experience truly allows for personal and collaborative learning -- all while changing the way students learn about our multi-layered world," says Rescigno.

About Herff Jones | Nystrom Herff Jones | Nystrom plays a key role in classrooms everywhere with social studies products and solutions that enhance the academic experience and help students get the most from their education. Herff Jones | Nystrom maps, globes and atlases are found in classrooms and lecture halls alike. Our hands-on activity-based programs cover a range of grade levels, making learning more accessible and thought provoking. Our new products demonstrate our commitment to keeping educators on the forefront of technology. Visit http://www.herffjonesnystrom.com.

About SMART Technologies SMART Technologies Inc. is a leading provider of collaboration solutions that transform the way the world works and learns. We believe that collaboration and interaction should be easy. As the global leader in interactive whiteboards, we bring more than two decades of collaboration research and development to a broad range of easy-to-use, integrated solutions that free people from their desks and computer screens, so collaborating and learning with digital resources are more natural.