(October 27, 2009, New Orleans, La.) - The University of New Orleans College of Education and Human Development will demonstrate state-of-the-art virtual classroom technology on October 29 at 11 a.m. at the Homer L. Hitt Alumni Center. Visiting ambassadors from several participating Caribbean nations will experience this interactive technology as they watch, and then interact with preschoolers at Medard Nelson-UNO Charter School on St. Bernard Avenue.

Ambassadors representing Barbados, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and a delegation from Haiti will view cutting-edge technology that will allow near natural communication between project participants who are thousands of miles apart. The demonstration is part of a cooperative endeavor between UNO and each of the participating nations to enhance the quality of early childhood education programs. Working with the World Cultural Economic Forum and Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu, the goal of this educational initiative is to create a community of learners and demonstration sites that model the best of research and practice of early childhood education.

"Preschool students in different Caribbean nations and in New Orleans will be able to meet, see, talk to one another, and participate in mutual and collaborative class projects through virtual face-to-face interactions with the technology UNO is providing," said UNO Chancellor Timothy P. Ryan.

"With the help of UNO's videoconferencing technical support team interactive video will be the vehicle used to bring our Caribbean partners training in early childhood education. UNO instructors will be able to provide real-time professional development, supervision, and coursework to administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals and parents using this technology," said James Meza Jr., dean of the UNO College of Education and Human Development.

UNO has been building its teleconferencing capacity since 2007 when the Louisiana Department of Education funded the Louisiana Low Incidence Disabilities Consortium (LA-LIDC) to increase the number of teachers of students with low-incidence disabilities, including deafness, vision impairement and significant disabilities.

The University of New Orleans (UNO), the urban research University of the State of Louisiana, provides essential support for the educational, economic, cultural and social well-being of the culturally rich and diverse New Orleans metropolitan area. It opened its doors in 1958 as part of the Louisiana State University System "to bring public-supported higher education to Louisiana's largest urban community." Today, UNO offers 43 undergraduate degree programs, 37 masters, and 11 doctoral programs. The 340-acre main campus sits on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, offering easy access to all parts of the metro area. For more information, visit www.uno.edu.

Johanna M. Schindler  

Director of Communications and Publications

(504) 280-6939

Fax (504) 280-7061

jschindl@uno.edu

Paul Dauphin

(504) 581-9940
paul@pierreprinciple.com