Atari Sponsors Research Efforts In Education

Sunnyvale, CA — The founding of the Atari Institute for Educational Action Research, an organization that will foster the innovative, yet practical, use of personal computers in education, was announced today by Raymond E. Kassar, chairman and chief executive officer of Atari^®, Inc.

The Institute will provide grants of Atari computer products and/or cash stipends to selected institutions, individuals or organizations able to develop and promulgate new uses for computers in education, whether that usage will take place in established institutions, in community programs or in the home.

Dr. Ted M. Kahn, 32, formerly an education consultant to the computer division of Atari, has been named executive director of the institute, which will be located in the company's head-quarters here. Kahn has been active in research and development in the use of computers in education for more than ten years.

Grants totaling more than $250,000 in cash and equipment will be given during the Institute's first year of operation. Initially, all support will be for domestic U.S. programs, and not for those from overseas.

"The use of personal computers is fast becoming an integral part of the mainstream of American culture," Kassar said. "We feel we should take an active role in supporting those who are working to push the computer to its full potential as a learning tool. We are looking for applications which will appeal to and serve broad sectors of society."

"Atari has, within the past year, already given major cash and equipment grants to projects at the Lawrence Hall of Science Computer Education Project (University of California at Berkeley); the future center at the Capital Children's Museum (Washington, D.C.); and the I.E.C. Mobile Computer Van (Santa Clara County, co-sponsored by the Industry Education Council and the Computer-Using Educators of California)," Kassar added. "The Institute will give us a formal channel through which to focus our efforts in this area."

One key program is the support of a small number of model schools or alternative learning centers to act as "centers of excellence: to illustrate various uses of computers in education."

For further information contact
J. Peter Nelson at Atari, Inc.,
1265 Borregas Ave.,
P.O. Box 427,
Sunnyvale,
CA 94086.