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Online Textbooks: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the benefit to online textbooks?

Online textbooks are interactive textbooks that can be accessed via a link in eCART.  They provide resources to differentiate and enrich student learning.  Online textbooks allow for personalized learning and can include built in features such as: read aloud, highlighting, note-taking, glossaries, videos, and flashcards.

FCPS students will have access to up to date content using these electronic resources.    

If we do not own a computer, how can my student do their homework?

Students will have access to school computers during the day and after school.  Some schools will have programs where students can check out computers for use at home.  Schools will also provide information about local libraries and community centers with computer access.  Students can also request a hardcopy textbook from their teacher.

Will hardcopy books still be available?

Yes, with the purchase of online textbooks schools received some print copies for classroom use.

How is the county paying for the online textbooks?

The online textbook licenses are a centralized purchase.   Funds allocated for instructional resources in the per pupil funding are being used to pay for the online textbooks.

Can students bring their own computer equipment from home?

Yes, with parent permission students have the ability to bring their own laptops from home.

Can the online textbooks be downloaded to an e-reader like a Kindle or Nook?

Currently, online textbooks cannot be downloaded.  Publishers are working on making this feature available.

Will the online textbooks work on my iPad?

Online textbooks have flash based content which is not compatible with some smart phones and some Apple products such as iPads.

There are third party iPad browsers available through the iTunes App Store which provide various levels of Flash compatibility with online textbooks.  One example is Puffin Browser which is an NC17 app purchase requiring parental permission because content viewed using third party browsers are not controlled via the iPad parental restriction settings.   Features and updates to such apps are controlled by the app developers.  Student use of Puffin or other third party browsers on their own iPads at home is a parental decision.  It is recommended that schools notify parents that third party browsers block internet filters.

Puffin is not an approved browser for FCPS owned devices because it prohibits our content internet filters from denying students access to inappropriate content.  FCPS must remain in compliance with ERate regulations that require us to use internet content filtering on all FCPS computers. 

Why doesn’t FCPS purchase tablet labs instead of laptops or netbooks?

VA SOL tests are not supported on tablets.  FCPS wants to maximize the use of the computer equipment that is purchased. Not all of the online textbooks are compatible with tablet technology.