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Rick Walters doesn't like being confined to one way of instructing his students. As the teacher of an American history course using distance learning, he knows he has many tools at his fingertips to enhance the learning experience of those in his classes, including textbooks, the Internet and other multimedia. For Walters, and others involved in education, the face of education is evolving. Gone are the days when teachers and students relied solely on textbooks from which to learn and instruct. Along with the texts, classrooms now feature lap-top computers, pod casts and smart boards. ''In many subjects, and for a variety of reasons, textbooks are no longer the sole or definitive source for information on every topic,'' Walters said. ''In my U.S. history courses, they serve as a source for assigned reading on designated subjects, a research resource guide for assignments and for projects. However, ever-changing current events, new historical data, depth of available sources and the aging out of textbooks that are still in the classroom requires the use of additional materials.'' With so much technology being infused into classrooms, Kathy Anderson, Frewsburg Junior-Senior High School principal, believes textbooks still have a place in schools. ''I don't believe they're going obsolete,'' she said. ''Although we have a lot of opportunities to use online books, there are still a number of students who don't have computers at home. It's just a real nice marriage, the fact they can get their books on CD or go online and access the information.'' Ms. Anderson said textbooks now come with other features which encourage using technology to learn, such as the CDs loaded with information. ''What I've seen is when we make the purchase of a textbook, now there are so many wonderful supplemental materials that go along with that that they just compliment each other very, very well,'' she said. ''I just think now teachers don't have to rely so heavily on the textbooks because they have so many other options - classroom response systems, being able to access video streaming ... It's just an exciting time because I know the teachers are using their textbooks, but they're able to supplement them and make a lot of textbooks come to life with so many other technological advances.'' Now, Ms. Anderson said, teachers can reach all different types of individuals, including visual, auditory and kinesthetic, or hands-on learners. ''I know from a number of parents I've spoken to the students are accessing their textbooks online and being able to use them in that manner,'' she said. According to the National Education Association, there are numerous ways of integrating technology into the classroom. The NEA said teachers should first assess their situation - including students and teacher skills and attitude and what resources are available - before zeroing in on which type of tech would work best for their classroom. Next, the NEA suggests teachers make sure their classrooms are able to support the type of technology selected, before finally following through with their selection. ''Today, additional sources must be utilized, including Power Media Plus Video, digital textbooks, topic-specific Web sites and other media,'' Walters said. Ms. Anderson said new technology in her district has allowed for more open lines of communication between the school and parents, and it has helped prepare students for college or careers after graduation. ''It's just so much more user-friendly. There's so much more open communication that way,'' she said. ''Our library is just a wealth of databases. That's a big difference because they're able to go to the document that way as opposed to going to an encyclopedia. We use those (databases) heavily in all of our research so that the students are aware of how to use them, because that's really excellent training for when they go on to do research in college.'' With so much now available to students and teachers, Walters doesn't believe textbooks will be disappearing anytime soon from classroom shelves and school curriculum. ''It doesn't mean a textbook isn't valid,'' he said. ''The point being, I do think it's now one tool.'' Quote: ''It's just an exciting time because I know the teachers are using their textbooks, but they're able to supplement them and make a lot of textbooks come to life with so many other technological advances.'' - Kathy Anderson, Frewsburg Junior-Senior High School principal Question: Should schools incorporate more technology into their classrooms?