Check out ePals at http://www.epals.com/

The International Baccalaureate® (IB) has selected ePals, Inc., to implement and manage an online learning community for IB students, educators, alumni, and other stakeholders.

The innovative website will provide safe and collaborative communication tools to facilitate authentic learning experiences and interactions on a global scale.

The rollout will be multi-phased, ultimately enabling members of the worldwide IB community in over 2,600 schools and more than 130 countries to connect, share and collaborate.

Jeffrey Beard, Director General of the IB said,

“At the core of our mission, we aim to promote intercultural understanding and respect as an essential part of life in the 21st century. We feel that ePals can create the ideal community and technology platform for ensuring that students and educators at IB World Schools can safely communicate, collaborate and learn with their peers regardless of geographic, cultural or language differences.

Following pilot trials and beta deployments throughout the 2009 academic year, the co-branded ePals IB hosted learning community is expected to be available to all IB members by July 2010. ePals also is working with the IB to provide professional development opportunities for IB educators, administrators and staff focused on creating 21st century learning environments.