Development of integrated curricula for AD and BS degree programs in IT area

In today's economy, one of the biggest competitive advantages is an information technology (IT) knowledge force. The National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education project # DUE-9950029 (NSF ATE project) is aimed to help increase the pool of highly skilled and well-trained IT technicians and technologists in the USA. It addresses the severe national shortage for such workers that is projected to persist well into the 21/sup st/ Century. The project serves both traditional and returning students. It aims to provide a 2+2+2 seamless transition for students from their junior year in high school, through an Associate Degree (AD) at the community college level or at university, to a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in IT. The NSF ATE project's team and faculty of more than 15 collaborating educational institutions created a draft of the IT integrated curricula and IT courseware-a model that can be readily adopted by other K=16 US educational institutions.