Washington’s college students are to be the first to receive access to open source text books for a number of subject as part of a pilot scheme in the state.The scheme is possible thanks to a $1 million investment from the state itself, matched by a $1 million investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The plan is to make course material for some 42 different classes available on an open-source basis. The books will be available to students in online versions for free or in hard copy format, as a print-out, for less than $30.The scheme could help students save hundreds of dollars that would usually have to spend on expensive text books and follows a trend for buying second-hand books online. This practice has been increasingly popular as students found their spare cash was dwindling fast thanks to reduced federal aid and higher fees.Students using the service have so far reported good things, with some claiming it is much easier to look up a book on their computers than to lug the physical books around with them all day. The open-source material could be rolled out across other states in the future.
http://thecollegemark.com/post/161
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