Elsevier Introduces DirectCourse, an Expanded Suite of Online Curricula to Train Professionals Who Support People with Intellectual, Developmental and Physical Disabilities

ATLANTA, November 30, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

DirectCourse is anchored by the renowned College of Direct Support (CDS), plus the addition of the College of Employment Services

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today introduced DirectCourse, an expanded suite of online curricula to train professionals who support people with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities, as well as older adults.  DirectCourse is anchored by the College of Direct Support (CDS), an online curriculum for Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and managed in collaboration with Elsevier/MC Strategies and the University of Minnesota's Research and Training Center on Community Living. In addition, DirectCourse contains the College of Employment Services (CES), a new online training curriculum developed by the Institute for Community Inclusion (ICI) at University of Massachusetts Boston.

Both the new College of Employment Services and College of Direct Support curricula are powered by the Core Development configuration of Elsevier Performance Manager, a learning management platform that is used and trusted by more than 1,500 organizations worldwide and used by more than 1.5 million employees. The Elsevier Performance Manager is a powerful tracking and assessment tool that facilitates collaboration and communication throughout an organization.

"Building on the continued success of the College of Direct Support curriculum, we are committed to meeting the educational needs of a growing number of community-based workers in a cost-effective and efficient way," said John Schrefer, President of Elsevier/MC Strategies. "DirectCourse brings together the robust functionality of our Elsevier Performance Manager learning and performance solution with best in class curricula developed by the recognized thought leaders in the field."

For more than 10 years, the College of Direct Support online curriculum has been built on the idea that everyone deserves the chance to lead a rich, rewarding life. While it's not a traditional, degree-issuing institution, CDS has had a tremendous impact on the DSPs who have taken the coursework - and has enabled them to make a difference in the lives of the people they support.

The College of Employment Services (CES) was unveiled during the Alliance for Full Participation (AFP) Summit 2.0. The CES curriculum gives employment services professionals the skills and confidence they need to build more rewarding careers in working with job seekers to find fulfilling jobs.

"The CES curriculum is written for a cross disability audience and its usefulness extends to those who provide services and supports to other individuals with employment challenges such as ex-offenders, TANF recipients, and staff of One-Stop Centers; and our unique partnership with the University of Minnesota and Elsevier immediately gives us a brand, a history, and a reputation for quality," said Karen Flippo of ICI at University of Massachusetts Boston, who is leading the university's curriculum development efforts.

About Elsevier

Elsevier is a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. The company works in partnership with the global science and health communities to publish more than 2,000 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and close to 20,000 book titles, including major reference works from Mosby and Saunders. Elsevier's online solutions include SciVerse ScienceDirect, SciVerse Scopus, Reaxys, MD Consult and Nursing Consult, which enhance the productivity of science and health professionals, and the SciVal suite and MEDai's Pinpoint Review, which help research and health care institutions deliver better outcomes more cost-effectively.

A global business headquartered in Amsterdam, Elsevier employs 7,000 people worldwide. The company is part of Reed Elsevier Group PLC, a world-leading publisher and information provider, which is jointly owned by Reed Elsevier PLC and Reed Elsevier NV. The ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (New York Stock Exchange).

Media contact
Tom Reller
Vice President Global Corporate Relations, Elsevier
+1-215 239 3508
t.reller@elsevier.com