Accounting Interactive™ Innovation Synopsis

Executive Summary

Program Description:
Accounting InteractiveTM is a 4-6 hour multimedia interactive educational program that provides students with a background in accounting. It is designed for individuals who have no background in accounting. After completing the program, the user will know how financial statements are prepared and what those statements can tell you about the business. It was released in January 1996.

Accounting Content and Design:

• Background on the six steps of the accounting process-identifying transactions, setting up accounts, recording, summarizing, preparing reports, and analyzing reports
• Application of the accounting process across three distinctly different companies-a consulting firm, a retailer, and a manufacturer.
• Based on sound published research in how adults learn best and fastest.
• Robust combination of interactions, graphics, audio and video components in a CD-ROM package. The user controls the pace and sequencing of topics, choosing a linear or nonlinear approach to the content, stopping and starting when and where desired.
• Exploits technology to leverage the time that faculty allocate to the scholarship of teaching - faculty no longer need to spend time on the rudiments-terminology and foundation concepts.
• Includes generous amounts of interaction for the user, including exercises and immediate audio feedback. The responses provided by the program on computer screen are determined by the input from the learner. Reworking and reviewing at a later date are always available on the CD-ROM format
• Use of a graphical process metaphor to depict the accounting process to enhance learning by provide an enticing visual cue and road map for learning the concepts and recognizing how the concepts are related.

A web site is currently under construction for Accounting Interactive™ and other programs. This site will provide program information, allow visitor to assess content knowledge and sample interactivities, as well as link to the sites of the program sponsors. The new site is expected to be available in late April, 1999.

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