Disney to release nine educational titles

Division develops DVDs for classroom, home schoolers

By Wendy Wilson -- Video Business, 11/14/2008

NOV. 14 | Disney Educational Productions, a studio division started by Walt Disney himself more than 60 years ago, is reinvigorating its curriculum with nine new DVDs designed to be used by both classroom teachers and home schoolers.

The DVDs, available this fall, cover a variety of topics, including social studies, current events, science and language arts. To develop engaging science content for its DVD series, the company created a joint venture with Walt Disney Imagineering, the group that designs the Disney theme park rides. Children learn about trajectory, levers, pulleys and gravity in The Science of Imagineering titles by seeing how those devices and forces work to fun effect on the theme park rides.

Among the other titles included are Environmental Awareness With WALL-E, the feature film with bonus content that examines the effects of gravity on humans as well as a look at robots today, and Schoolhouse Rock: Election Edition, a compilation of the classic animated shorts pertaining directly to issues such as the Electoral College and women’s right to vote.

A new Web site (www.disneyeducation.com), launched in conjunction with the releases, will provide families teaching at home with access to products, interactive teaching tools and community features. The site features a calendar that allows educators to coordinate the use of the DVDs with outside events.

DEP programming is designed to support U.S. National Curriculum Standards. The next slate of titles will be available in the spring. All releases can be purchased online (www.disneyeducationalproductions.com) for $29.95 to $59.95 each.