EText for iPad 1 - Login
Pearson eText for Schools ™
iPad app
Frequently Asked Questions
DESCRIPTION
Q1: What is Pearson eText for Schools™?
Pearson eText for Schools is a mobile app for the Apple iPad that enables users to access their eText on an Apple iPad. This app provides similar functionality to the eText Viewer for Mac/Windows and displays the same eText content. Pearson eText for Schools leverages the iPad’s familiar touchscreen user interface (UI) gestures such as pinch and zoom, allows users to add their own personalizations such as notes, highlights, and bookmarks, and supports links to websites and media. The iPad app also provides users with the ability to download chapters so that they can work with them offline. When v1.1 is released, it will enable user to sync personalizations they created while offline with personalizations in their online version.
The Pearson eText for Schools app uses RUMBA authentication which is the same authentication model used by PSN+. This means that PSN+ users, who are accessing an eText associated with a PSN+ course, can seamlessly move between iPad and Mac/Windows versions of their eText. All user personalizations such as notes, bookmarks, and highlights are saved on the eText server and accessible from either iPad or Mac/Windows. PSN, however, uses different authentication system. As a result, for PSN users, the same title accessed on iPad and Mac/Windows will be treated as two separate copies.
AVAILABILITY
Q2: When will the Pearson eText for Schools iPad app be available?
The first release of the Pearson eText for Schools iPad app will be available in August 2011 following the release of the Pearson School Portal. The app will labeled as “v1.1”. It will provide the same features as the Higher Ed app but utilize RUMBA authentication instead of SMS authentication.
Prior to the v1.1 release in August 2011, School Business Units (BU) create iPad views of selected titles for demonstration purposes. These demo views use SMS for authentication. School Marketing team has set up SMS accounts for BUs and sales representatives who want to use the demos. Existing PSN or PSN+ usernames will not work. Contact Jennifer L. McDonald Jennifer.L.McDonald@ to obtain a demo username and password. These demo accounts will be closed down once the School iPad app is released in August.
FUNCTIONALITY
Q3: What are the major features of the Pearson eText for Schools app?
Major features of the Pearson eText for School app v1.1 are expected to include:
• Bookshelf of licensed titles (for online and offline access)
• Full fidelity to the original textbook page
• Online access via 3G and Wi-Fi
• Download Manager to provision chapters for offline access
• Single-page (portrait/landscape) and dual-page (landscape) orientation
• Go To Page navigation
• Zoom via pinch/spread
• Next/Prev Page via swipe
• Personalized notes, highlights, bookmarks for both online and offline titles New!
• Full Text Search within a title and Search History (disabled when offline)
• Table of Contents
• Glossary (online only)
• Custom baskets
• Notes Manager
• Web-based Help
• Hotspot links to rich online media (disabled when offline)
• Hotspot cross-reference links to eText pages New!
• Interoperability with the same title in PSN+ accessed via the browser in a Mac or Windows computer
• Stored user credentials
• Auto-return to last viewed page in a book
• Display of online / offline status in the bookshelf and the Download Manager
• Auto-disabling of linked Flash (“FLV”) assets when accessed via iPad
• H.264 video compression
• Four Audio production options: “Faceless,” modal, non-modal audio and synchronized highlighting New!
More Information on new v1.1 Features:
|Feature |Function |Benefit |
|RUMBA authentication |Ability to use a RUMBA username/password to|Supports School Group’s designated |
| |access the app |registration system for authorized |
| | |access to the app and user |
| | |personalizations; enables School’s |
| | |new institutional standalone sales |
| | |model. |
|Support for non-modal audio player|BUs can add non-modal audio to titles; |Provides more flexible way to include|
| |users can listen to audio . |audio in eText. |
|Support for synchronization of |BUs can synchronize the highlighting of |Enables readers to follow along and |
|audio with highlighted text |words, phrases, and regions with audio |listen to eText as it is being read; |
| |being played. |better support needs of new readers |
| | |and language learners. |
|Create and edit personalizations |When working offline, users can add notes, |Eliminates the need for users to be |
|offline |bookmarks, and highlights to their eText. |online to take full advantage of |
| | |eText functionality. |
|UI updates to support Pearson |eText will incorporate new branding |Provides consistency with Pearson |
|branding |elements. |branding/identity. |
|Support for cross reference links |When working offline, cross-reference page |Promotes offline learning by enabling|
|in offline mode |links in eText will be enabled. |user to follow links to related |
| | |topics/content located on other pages|
| | |in eText |
|Ability to navigate to cover page |User can view image of printed book cover. |Ability to view cover image. |
| | |Enhances similarity with print book |
| | |experience. |
|Link to School Technical Support |While online, users will be able to click a|One-click user access to commonly |
|Services |URL link to the Pearson Community |asked questions and access to Pearson|
| |Connection website to access eText-specific|Tech Support services. |
| |information and services. | |
Q4: What languages will be supported?
The Pearson eText for Schools app v1.1 is English language only. The iPad app, however, can display page content in any language even though the eText app itself is in English.
Q5: Can an eText title on the iPad contain links to websites?
Yes, when a user clicks on a link, the iPad app will open the "web kit" and display the website. It will do this within the iPad app and will not launch the Safari browser. When a user is done reviewing the material at this link they can select “Done” to return to their eText.
If the iPad user is working offline, hotlinks will be grayed out. In this situation, if a user clicks on a link, they will be notified that they do not have an active network connection. Also note that if the URL points to a web page with an embedded Flash asset, that asset will not function because the iPad does not support Flash.
Q6: Can an eText title on the iPad contain links to videos, animations, and audio, etc.?
Yes, but with some important caveats:
Video Links: The Pearson eText for Schools app supports links to H.264-encoded video assets. If assets are encoded in H.264, then clicking on the link will launch the standard iPad video player. Flash-encoded video is not supported. The app will automatically hide any “FLV” link types whereas the Flash view will continue to display them. Business Units (BU) should consider re-encoding their videos as H.264 for use on both iPad and Mac/Windows.
Animation Links: Flash animations are not supported by the iPad and links to Flash-based SCOs will be disabled in the iPad view. There are currently no tools available that easily enable Flash animations to function on the iPad. School’s Mobile Development team has done some investigative work in this area and can be contacted for more information.
The eText Authoring environment provides alternative media links for existing Flash assets.
The iPad supports animations created in HTML5 and/or Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) although it should be noted that these are not yet widely used in Pearson.
Audio: Pearson eText v1.1 will support modal, “faceless” and non-modal audio and audio text sync. Non-modal audio with synchronized highlighting is a new feature of v1.1 and enables the synchronized playing/listening/reading and highlighting of words, phrases, and sentences.
Q7: What happens if an existing eText title has links to Flash assets?
Links to Flash video (FLV) and Shockwave Flash (SWF) are automatically hidden from the user in the iPad view. If the hotspot or Custom Basket link is a URL link type and the web page contains embedded Flash assets, the link remains active and a window opens pointing to the correct URL, but the Flash assets will not render on the iPad. Business Units (BU) can identify those URLs on the Custom Hotspot or Custom Basket spreadsheet so they can be tagged and turned off by our Production team when displayed on the iPad.
Q8: Are videos and audio streaming or progressive?
Pearson eText for Schools supports progressive playback of video files hosted on a web-based server. For audio hotspots, playback starts once audio file has been fully downloaded. If the user is working offline, links to video and audio are not displayed.
Q9: What iPad-specific functionality is used in Pearson eText for Schools?
The Pearson eText for Schools app takes full advantage of the features provided by the Apple iPad. For example, the user can “swipe” to move from one page to another. Users can “pinch” to reduce magnification and “spread” to increase magnification. The app uses the built-in accelerometer to auto-sense the orientation of the iPad so it can be rotated from portrait to landscape view automatically. The app uses the iPad’s capability to store the Username/Password so the user can instantly return to their eTexts without re-entering their RUMBA authorization information. Pearson eText for Schools requires iOS 4.2 or greater.
Q10: Is there on-line Help?
Yes. There is a Web-based Help system that is accessible when user is connected to the Internet. In keeping with the practice of other apps on the iPad, Help is not extensive and covers just core eText functionality.
Q11: Does Pearson eText for Schools interoperate with Flash eTexts?
Yes. Business Units (BU) can create views of their eText that run on both Mac/Windows using web browser and on an iPad using Pearson eText for Schools app. For Mac/Windows, pages are displayed as SWF images. The Pearson eText for Schools app uses highly-optimized PDFs. Existing Flash-based eTexts will not automatically work on the iPad and require the creation of an iPad view.
For PSN+, any book personalizations that a user creates on iPad or Mac/Windows e.g. notes, highlights, bookmarks and search history will be viewable from both clients. PSN users will not be able to share/sync personalizations across iPad and Mac/Windows views because their eTexts will have different Usernames
PRODUCTION
Q12: How does Business Unit initiate production of a Pearson eText for Schools view?
A Business Unit can request Pearson eText for Schools view by using the School Conversion Request form available online at:
Any new request for an eText will include both a Flash view and an iPad view unless the BU specifies otherwise.
Q13: What is the iPad view production process?
Here are the high-level steps that a Business Unit (BU) needs to follow to create an eText for iPad. Note: the same process applies for BUs that want to create eText for Mac/Windows for “institutional standalone” sale.
1. The BU submits the eText Conversion Request form. (). The BU uploads all eText production materials to the eText Content Manager for ingestion (e.g. cover image, PDFs, spreadsheets, custom icons, etc.)
2. The BU requests a RUMBA resource ID(s): . The BU provides the URL to Marisa Urbano on School Platform team indicating where the completed eText will reside on PROD2 to complete the RUMBA set-up. The BU can use this utility to generate this URL:
3. Once the eText is complete, the BU submits the Promotion Request Form () with the RUMBA resource ID to the CMS Release Mgmt team.
4. The CMS Release Management team alerts the BU that the title is ready for customer access.
For details on this process, reference the eText wiki at
Q14: What does the BU need to produce/publish an eText for iPad?
Creation of an eText for iPad requires the following:
• Optimized, high-resolution printer PDFs
• High-resolution PDF of cover
• Custom icons in PNG format (if used)
• Updated spreadsheets with links to iPad-friendly assets, e.g. H.264
• Completed RUMBA set-up including:
o RUMBA Resource ID
o Production URL to launch eText
School iPad views will be published using “S15” integration.
For details on this process, see the eText wiki at
Q15: How long does it take to produce an eText for iPad?
The production of the iPad view happens simultaneously with the Flash view and does not generally lengthen the production process. Production, however, may be delayed if files that do not meet eText specifications and require rework by the BU, conversion vendor (HOV) or composition vendors such as Aptara. It may take slightly more time to QA both the iPad client and the Flash client if a 100% page-by-page inspection is requested.
Q16: How does the review process work?
The eText Authoring Tool includes “View as iPad User” in addition to the current “View as Student” and “View as Instructor.” This view enables an editorial team to use a Mac or Windows computer to ensure that the iPad links have been properly toggled. Content can be reviewed in the Authoring tool on a page-by-page basis for the iPad client, the Flash client, or both.
Q17: What is the QA plan for the iPad version, keeping in mind that there are few iPads available to the editorial and PM teams?
The eText Production vendors have iPads to test titles that they create. Most Higher Ed groups have found that they do not require additional QA beyond the initial “alpha” round, especially if their titles have no embedded rich media or Flash media. The Content Management Services Media QA team can perform additional content QA at their standard QA rates. Contact the QA team at mailto:CMGTesting@ for more information.
Q18: Does the BU need to create a new ISBN for the iPad view of eText or can they use the same ISBN as the Flash-based eText?
The eText platform doesn't require ISBNs and instead uses automatically-generated BookIDs to identify each eText. The eText system does not have any restrictions on whether or not the iPad view and the corresponding Flash-based view of a particular eText are assigned the same ISBN by the BU. As a note, ISBNs are generally used by School to identify specific deliverables that a District receives as part of their purchase. For example, when a District licenses a program, a unique ISBN is typically associated with each component, e.g. PSN+ access, Teacher Edition (print), Student Edition (print), Teacher Edition (eText), Student Edition (eText), Student Resource Guide, etc.
School Business Units may choose to associate multiple ISBNs with a specific eText BookID. For example, the Miller Levine Biology eText, included as a component of a PSN offering, may have a different ISBN than the same eText offered as part of a standalone institutional sale. Both ISBNs, however, would be associated with the same eText BookID. The same is true for the iPad and Flash views -- BUs may choose to assign different ISBNs for each. Whether an iPad view is created simultaneously with the creation of the Flash view or later, however, both views are always identified by the same eText BookID.
Q19: Will the production costs to create the iPad version be lower if the BU creates it at the same time as the eText?
Yes. We can generally produce the iPad view at no additional cost when it is created at the same time as the Flash view. Publishing an iPad view of an existing Flash-based title is considered requires a new ingestion and publication and priced accordingly.
ACCESS
Q20: Can a user access eText titles offline with the iPad?
By default, the iPad allows users to download chapters for offline use. The Business Unit however, can decide whether or not to allow downloading of chapters on a title-by-title basis. If they choose to remove that option, the user will not be presented with the option to download individual chapters within that title.
Q21: How does app control user access to content?
The eText for iPad platform allows a Pearson editorial team, on an individual book basis, to allow a given title to be viewed only online (i.e. accessing the title from a Pearson-hosted server when connected via the Internet) and to enable an additional option which allows each subscribed user to download the title.
If the title is enabled for download, a menu option is displayed to the user to select which chapters he or she wants to have copied down to the iPad (and later this year, Android tablet). Chapters are downloaded one at a time for performance reasons but the user can download the entire title. If this option is not enabled by editorial, the download capability for that title is not available and the only reading experience will be online.
It’s worth noting that the iPad is quite secure. The Apple iOS file system is not exposed to the user so eText files can’t be copied onto exterior disk drives or emailed etc. The individual book pages are stored in a manner that isn’t really functional outside of the eText app itself.
Finally, eText titles are only available to subscribed users. Even if a customer has downloaded content, it will become unavailable after the subscription period ends unless renewed with Pearson.
Q22: What are the ramifications of accessing an eText from PSN versus PSN+?
eText is a database-driven application and stores user information in the eText database to display the correct title along with any book personalizations and instructor notes to the user. The Pearson eText for Schools iPad app will use RUMBA authentication for user login. Because of an error found in v1.1 testing, although PSN+ users will be able to use the same RUMBA username/password to login and view their eTexts on Mac/Windows and iPad, personalizations created in these eTexts will not be synchronized. This will be fixed in a future release.
PSN has its own authentication system. As a result, instructor notes or book personalizations that are available in the Mac/Windows view of an eText title using PSN access code are associated only with the user’s PSN identity. If the same user signs in to the eText iPad app using a RUMBA username and password, any personalizations will only be associated with that identity. They will not be visible in the same title accessed via a Mac/Windows browser using the PSN user identity.
Here is a summary of the differences between eText capabilities for PSN and PSN users.
|Product Type |Note sharing and eText personalizations |
| | |
|“Live” eText accessed via |Teachers can share notes with students who are accessing eText via a Mac/Windows browser. |
|a PSN-hosted course |iPad users can create book personalizations (notes, bookmarks, and highlights) but |
| |personalizations will not appear in the Mac/Windows version of their eText. |
| |iPad users will not see instructor notes. |
|eText accessed via an PSN+|Teachers and students can use same RUMBA username and password to sign in to both Mac/Windows and |
|course |iPad views of their eTexts. |
| |Teachers can not share notes and highlights with students in the class (Mac/Windows or iPad). |
| |Personalizations created using Mac/Windows will not be synced with personalizations created in |
| |iPad view. |
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