National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference – Global Education Leader Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) announced today that its innovative iBooks textbooks, The Americans and World History: Patterns of Interaction, are now available and bringing an interactive dimension to high schools across the country. Currently on the iBookstore℠, both social studies texts are co-branded with HISTORY®, a division of global media content provider A&E Television Networks (AETN). These interactive materials will be highlighted at the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and HISTORY® shared exhibition booth (#601) at the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) annual conference in Seattle, Nov. 16-18.

The Americans and World History: Patterns of Interactions are the first complete social studies student editions on the market for the iPad®. Further distinguished by HMH’s groundbreaking partnership with HISTORY®, the iBooks textbooks allow students to engage directly with their subject matter via compelling multimedia on their devices. Embedded audio, timelines, interactive maps, photo galleries, quizzes and a robust collection of HISTORY® videos encourage tech-savvy students to experience historical content and primary source material as tangible and relevant to their own lives.

“The Americans and World History: Patterns of Interaction are the first of many iBooks textbooks from HMH, and we are thrilled with the enthusiastic feedback we have received thus far from early adopting educators and their students,” said Bethlam Forsa, Executive Vice President, Global Product and Content Development, HMH. “The iBooks textbooks promote hands-on, active learning and combine text and multimedia content seamlessly. The rich media features inspire students to dig deeper to satisfy their curiosity, nurturing a foundation for lifelong love of learning.”

In December 2012, HMH will release two more social studies iBooks textbooks, Geography and United States Government: Principles in Practice. Eleven additional iBooks textbooks will launch in January 2013 across the subject areas of literature, biology, environmental science, chemistry, algebra, physics and geometry.

HMH iBooks textbooks highlights include:

• Full screen, magazine-style reading experience with interactive 3-D graphics and dynamic media galleries
• Multi-touch navigation
• Built-in student assessment tools
• Highlighting and note-taking options with search functionality
• Digital flash cards
• Bookmarking for quick content referral
• Search option that allows students to easily find content throughout the entire iBook

In addition to The Americans and World History iBooks textbooks, HMH will demo an impressive array of educational technologies and digital resources designed to provide unique opportunities for student engagement at the HMH/HISTORY® exhibit booth (#601) at the NCSS annual conference.

HMH will also sponsor multiple events throughout the weekend, including the President’s Breakfast, an honorary dinner celebrating the nonprofit Citizenship Counts and their efforts with the Naturalization Ceremony & Citizenship Panel featuring Sandra Day O'Connor and Gerda Weissmann Klein. HISTORY® and HMH will co-host Bill Speidel's Underground Tour followed by a reception with Brian Unger, host of How the States Got Their Shapes on H2.

For more information on the NCSS annual conference and related events, please visit http://www.socialstudies.org/conference.

For more information on Apple® iBooks textbooks, please visit
http://www.apple.com/education/ibooks-textbooks/

About Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is a global learning company with the mission of changing lives by fostering passionate, curious learners. Among the world’s largest providers of pre-K–12 education solutions and one of its longest-established publishing houses, HMH combines cutting-edge research, editorial excellence and technological innovation to improve teaching and learning environments and solve complex literacy and education challenges. HMH’s interactive, results-driven education solutions are utilized by 60 million students in 120 countries, and its renowned and awarded novels, non-fiction, children's books and reference works are enjoyed by readers throughout the world. For more information, visit www.hmhco.com.

About AETN

A&E Television Networks, LLC (AETN) is an award-winning, global media content company offering consumers a diverse communications environment ranging from television networks to websites, to home videos/DVDs to gaming and educational software. AETN is comprised of A&E Network®, Lifetime, History™, Lifetime Movie Network, Bio™, History International™, History en español™, Crime & Investigation Network™, Military History™, Lifetime Real Women, A&E IndieFilms®, AETN International, AETN Digital, and AETN Consumer Products. AETN channels and branded programming reach more than 250 million households in over 150 countries. AETN is a joint venture of Disney-ABC Television Group, Hearst Corporation, and NBC Universal.

HISTORY® and related logos are the property of A&E Television Networks (AETN).