 This is the VOA Special English Education Report. Electronic books have changed the way many people read for pleasure. Now, online textbooks are changing the way some students learn and some teachers teach. More than 175,000 students attend the public schools in Fairfax County, Virginia, outside Washington. Last year, the school system used digital books in 15 schools. This school year, middle schools and high schools changed from printed to electronic textbooks in their social studies classes. Luke Rosa is a history teacher at Falls Church High School. His students work on school laptop computers. He explains the idea to them this way. It's just like a regular textbook, except it's got it all online. Peter Noonan, an assistant superintendent of schools, says with electronic textbooks, publishers can quickly update the content. The world's changing consistently and the online textbooks can change right along with the events that are happening. Online books also cost less than printed textbooks. Usually, it's in the neighborhood of between 50 and 70 dollars to buy a textbook for each student, which adds up to roughly $8 million for all of our students in Fairfax County. We actually have purchased all of the online textbooks for our students for just under $6 million. Many students like the idea because it means they do not have to carry a textbook around. Also, they can write notes on their work and save the notes in their account. But one student complained that the internet connection does not always work. Social studies teacher Michael Bambara says the e-book he uses in his government class is better than a printed textbook. He likes the way it has materials for students with different reading levels. So a person can individualize their learning and I can individualize their instruction. But the students also need internet access when they are not at school. About 10% of students in Fairfax County do not have a computer or online access at home. Public libraries in the county have free internet. There are also after-school computer labs as well as computer clubhouses supported by the county. Other school systems in the area are considering online textbooks. Officials in Prince George's County, Maryland plan a test project next year. A survey showed that 40% of students there do not have computer access at home. We have a video about online textbooks at voaspecialenglish.com. For VOA Special English, I'm Carolyn Presuti.