Connection to Enable K20 Students Across the State to Participate in Leading-Edge Internet-Based Educational Opportunities: Children across the state of Tennessee will soon have access to one of the fastest networks in the world. Internet2 today announced that Tennessee's statewide education network has become an Internet2 Sponsored Education Group Participant (SEGP) which will enable it to connect directly to Internet2's nationwide high performance network. Leveraging this connection, Tennessee will participate in the Internet2 K20 Initiative which will provide its students access to cutting-edge, Internet-based educational opportunities not available today on the commercial Internet. "Through this program, made possible through generous sponsorships by the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee, teachers and students across Tennessee will be able to collaborate with their peers all over the world in virtual classrooms and laboratories that are revolutionizing the way young students learn - regardless of their physical location," said Dr. Louis Fox, director, Internet2 K20 Initiative and vice provost, University of Washington. "Today, using Internet2 and other advanced technology, teachers aren't just telling students about oceanography or astronomy or chemistry - they are actually able to provide live multimedia experiences with high-definition images of the ocean floor or distant planets and stars or provide access to highly advanced equipment like remote electron microscopes, among many other resources." The Tennessee SEGP, which will connect to Internet2's network through the University of Memphis, the University of Tennessee and Southern Crossroads (SoX), brings together Tennessee schools, libraries, community colleges, performing arts centers and museums. In particular, the network will be used promote inter-cultural exchanges through high quality video-conferencing with school districts in Korea, China and Russia. In addition, the connection has the potential to link The Tennessee School for the Deaf in Knoxville to other schools for the deaf in the region to experiment with high-quality/high-definition videoconferencing that enables them to better use sign language. "The Tennessee SEGP program is truly a watershed opportunity for Tennessee," noted Dr. Doug Hurley, vice president for information technology and CIO at the University of Memphis. "SEGP 'flattens' the teaching and research landscape across Tennessee by enabling sharing and collaboration regardless of location or institutional type, in ways we have only dreamed of before." The Tennessee K20 community will also be able to tap into already established programs under the Internet2 K20 initiative like master music classes taught by world-renowned musicians at the New World Symphony or the Manhattan School of Music using DVD-quality videoconferencing or events like Megaconference Jr, an annual project that uses videoconferencing technology to bring together thousands of students in elementary and secondary schools from around the world for an all-day learning conference. Tennessee students can also to take part in famed oceanographer Bob Ballard's immersion project to receive live interactive undersea exploration demonstrations from divers in remote locations around the world. Brice Bible, University of Tennessee CIO said "Internet2 represents one of the most advanced networks in the world. The Tennessee SEGP program allows all Tennessee students and faculty to collaborate and participate in innovative learning experiences wherever they may be." For more information, visit: its Web site.