Gateway lands Illinois education work

Sixth-graders and teachers in several Illinois school districts will get Gateway notebook PC's as part of a pilot project using technology to improve education.

Terms of the $2.2 million contract call for Gateway, Irvine, Calif., to supply Gateway M285 convertible notebook PCs, training and support services to teachers and sixth-graders at five Illinois school districts.

The convertible PCs, which can be changed from notebook to tablet-mode by swiveling and folding down the display, will be used as a teaching tool to support daily instruction and student testing. Tablet mode allows students to use a digital pen for solving mathematical equations, drawing diagrams, editing documents and taking notes directly on a widescreen display.

The laptops, which will be distributed as part of a technology immersion pilot project for students, are equipped with science and math tutorials, word processing, note taking and spreadsheet software.

Teachers will get professional development training, and schools will receive assistance to aid in developing a school-based laptop network.

Gateway has about 1,800 employees and had annual revenue of $3.9 billion in fiscal 2005. The company ranks No. 88 on Washington Technology's 2006 2006 Top 100 list of the largest federal IT contractors.