One Laptop Per Child and Common Sense Media Partner to Foster Worldwide Digital Literacy

MIAMI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--One Laptop per Child (OLPC), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide every child in the world access to new channels of learning, sharing and self-expression, announced today that it has signed an agreement with Common Sense Media to offer Digital Passport™, the interactive web-based platform on OLPC's XO laptops and tablets in the U.S. and internationally. The agreement with Common Sense Media follows a recent announcement between Sesame Street and OLPC and demonstrates OLPC's continuing use of third party content to supplement its Sugar educational software platform of 300 applications.

“Providing laptops to children opens up their worlds and prepares them for success in the 21st century”

Common Sense Media's Digital Passport™ is an interactive learning environment designed for students in grades 3-5 who are just beginning to use media and technology independently. Through a series of engaging videos and games that address topics such as online privacy, appropriate sharing, respectful cell phone use and content selection, children learn to safely navigate in a technology-enhanced world. This student-centric approach to learning fosters increased confidence in children to further explore technology, while teaching critical skills around being safe, respectful, and responsible digital citizens.

"As OLPC and others expand the use of connected laptops by children for learning, it becomes increasingly important for children to better understand the digital environment and Common Sense Media offers the most comprehensive and well accepted curriculum on this subject," said Rodrigo Arboleda, President and CEO of OLPC.

"Providing laptops to children opens up their worlds and prepares them for success in the 21st century,” said Amy Guggenheim Shenkan, President and Chief Operating Officer, Common Sense Media. "By making digital literacy and citizenship education a priority and outfitting OLPC XO laptops with Digital Passport™, OLPC is demonstrating an admirable commitment to helping kids to safely and constructively engage in their own education."

About OLPC:

One Laptop per Child (OLPC at http://www.laptop.org) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide every child in the world access to new channels of learning, sharing and self-expression. In partnership with the public and private sectors and non-governmental organizations and supported by comprehensive implementation and pedagogical services, OLPC seeks to provide each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power connected laptop that empowers individual learning and growth.