Internet2, the blazing new network backbone that's supposed to revolutionize technology-based instruction, will be available to K-12 much sooner than previously expected. IBM announced on Aug. 11 that a new grant to support the development of Internet2 was awarded to a K-12 consortium in Virginia. It's the first grant of its kind that will bring the new superfast network to the K-12 field.

The IBM grant, $3.5 million distributed among four U.S. university consortia, will help the Virginia Tech University develop an expanded ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) backbone throughout the region. The backbone is intended