Children's safety CD-ROMs released

This press release came to my inbox today--these could be helpful for MIssouri's Safe Routes to Schools effort:

Research-based Interactive Programs Teach Children Critical Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Skills.

Eugene, OR- HealthComm Interactive, Inc. announces release of two multimedia CD-ROM programs, Walk Smart and Bike Smart. Both programs are designed for children in grades K-3 and were produced, with support from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, by the Oregon Center for Applied Science. Using animations and video demonstrations, these self-paced programs are fun and engaging. They teach children the basic skills and knowledge they need to be safe as pedestrians and on their bicycles.

Concerned parents, educators and safety officials were directly involved in the design and evaluation of Walk Smart and Bike Smart. Pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of death from trauma for children 5-9 years old. These accidents most often occur while the child is walking along, playing in, or crossing the street. Non-fatal bicycle accidents represent one of the most common causes of serious brain injury in children--with more than 138,000 children under the age of 14 sustaining bicycle-related head injuries each year.

"What differentiates the Walk Smart and Bike Smart programs from traditional safety curricula are their emphasis on breaking down complex skills such as street crossing into component parts: responding to signals, discriminating dangerous vehicles, and understanding traffic distance", noted Ann Glang Ph.D., Principal Investigator. "The program then teaches each of these skills to mastery before integrating them into the more complex task of walking safely across a busy street. Pre-teaching the component skills involved in a complex response is a critical feature of effective instructional programs".

Both programs were thoroughly evaluated in studies involving several hundred children. The studies demonstrated that after children used the program, most did a significantly better job of identifying hazardous situations than they had prior to using the program. The studies also demonstrated that even children with no computer or reading skills were able to use the programs.

Detailed information, including research evaluation reports and program sample clips are available at http://childsafety.hcimarketplace.com. Each program costs $19.95. They are available directly from HealthComm Interactive through the website or by calling 866 846-4880 Toll-free.