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            MULTIMEDIA ARCHIVES ILLLUMINATE 20TH CENTURY HISTORY

East Dorset, Vermont.  October 17, 2002 -  Students and history buffs no longer need to scroll through endless microfiche documents to research major events of the last century.  Four software titles in the 20th Century History Library Pack give users easy access to an impressive array of sources about the wars, events, people, and ideologies of the 1900’s.  The multimedia archives contain hundreds of original documents, audio clips, videos, photographs, cartoons, and much more.  Designed to facilitate researching for reports and presentations, these titles are ideal additions to library collections in homes, schools, and historical societies.  

World War I Archive

Students get a whole new perspective on World War I as they study material supplied by war veterans and their families.  The massive database in the program contains photographs, letters, audio interviews, cartoons, posters, and many other original source documents, all of which are searchable through two on-screen indexes—the alphabetical index and the document archive index.  Topics are divided into three main categories: Chronology of War, Aspects of War, and Personal Perspectives.  Each category contains many subheadings covering topics such as Gallipoli, Propaganda, Women at War, and America’s role.  You can play audio files and read transcripts from 19 interviews.  Hear the personal perspectives of soldiers, a tank officer, an ammunition factory worker, and a conscientious objector, for example.  The document archive houses a huge collection of resources, including advertisements, posters, cartoons, drawings, paintings, photographs, poetry, official documents, songs, letters, and diary entries. 

An electronic scrapbook feature, called the Odyssey Scrapbook, allows you to save selected text, audio, video, and graphic files for future viewing and presentation-building. Other useful features are a link to a website that complements the content of the CD-ROM, and on-screen help files with tutorials to help you find your way around the program. 

World War II Global Conflict

This comprehensive multimedia resource for World War II studies won the International EMMA award for Best Educational Title, and it’s easy to see why.  Concise, informative text combined with interactive videos, photographs, and maps help users research topics critical to the understanding of history.  In the Investigate section, five interactive videos introduce the following topics: Origins of the war in Europe, Blitzkrieg, Gotterdammerung, Japanese Expansion, and the Far Eastern Conflict.  Students can follow the chronology of the war, and dig deeper by linking to illuminating text and graphics covering themes, events, and biographies of major figures.  For example, as you research the North African campaign, click on “Biographies” to read about Rommel and Montgomery.  The Map section of the program is an incredible resource that allows you to explore 28 countries and 32 events as you click on and zoom into various sections of a world map.  Alphabetical and chronological indexes make it easy to search for the topic you would like to research, and the TrailSave feature allows you to bookmark and save any media you would like to include in a presentation or report.

World War II Sources and Analysis

Like the other World War titles, World War II Sources and Analysis offers an enormous collection of searchable media.  There are over 1,000 sources in this CD-ROM, including documents, photographs, audio clips, and posters.  Navigating the program is a cinch, as you can search for and filter topics by source type, case study, or theme.  Case studies include: Pearl Harbor, The war in North Africa, The Allied invasion of Italy, The internment of Japanese Americans, Iwo Jima, GI’s in Britain, The Blitz, Women at War, Resistance, and the end of the war.  Themes include: Propaganda, the Atom bomb, African Americans and the war, D Day, and the Holocaust.  The TrailSave feature also facilitates researching as students analyze the many sources on this CD-ROM. 

The Troubled Century

Investigate the people, events, and ideologies that have shaped our modern world.  The three multimedia sections of this CD-ROM highlight and illuminate the 20th century, from World War I to the fall of the Iron Curtain.  The Struggle for Peace focuses on the turmoil of the two world wars.  Societies in Change examines the three competing ideologies of capitalism, communism, and fascism.  In Superpower Relations, critical events and developments since 1945, such as the Cold War, the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the Space Race, come to life for students as they participate in role-playing activities where they must put themselves in the shoes of important European and American leaders, confronting the same difficult decisions.  The combination of interactive, thought-provoking activities and informative resources make The Troubled Century a vital addition to any classroom or library. 

Minimum System Requirements

World War I Archive: Win: Pentium, 16 Mb of RAM, SVGA Graphics, 8 Mb disk space, Win. 3.1x, 4x CD.

World War II Global Conflict: Win: 486+, 4 Mb RAM, SVGA Graphics, Win. 3.1x, 2x CD.

World War II Sources & Analysis: Win: 486+, 4 Mb RAM, SVGA Graphics, 8 Mb disk space, Win. 3.1x, 2x CD.

The Troubled Century: Win: 486+, 4 Mb RAM, SVGA, 8 Mb disk space, Win. 3.1x, 2x CD.

To Order:

Single unit price for each CD-Rom is $79.95

20th Century History Library Pack price (includes all 4 CD-Roms) is $279. 95

Bulk pricing is also available.

Order online using our secure ecommerce engine

To order toll free from the US or Canada call (800) 220-8386
Fax your order to (802) 375-6860
Email your order to orders@toolfactory.com
Printable order forms are available at www.toolfactory.com

About Tool Factory:

Tool Factory conducted an exhaustive search for unique educational software in various markets around the globe. Their flagship product line consists of 17 educational software tools, which were hand-picked for their innovative contribution to computer-based learning. To complement the tools and applications, Tool Factory is also distributing an extensive range of curriculum titles throughout North America. Their first catalog includes over 100 CD-ROM products, most of which are new releases in North America.


Tool Factory Media Contact:

For press inquiries, please call Kendra Ericson at (802) 375-6549 X-201 or email kendra@toolfactory.com, Tool Factory, Inc. 3336 Sunderland Hill Road, Sunderland, VT 05250