Educators will now have the opportunity to select The New York Times articles, archival content, graphics, and multimedia content and make them available to students online.

The new program is an expansion of The New York Times Knowledge Network, a program that had provided copies of the paper, along with curriculum guides, to faculty at colleges, providing the means to bring current events into the learning experience in the classroom. Now, students will be able to access the content if they are enrolled in an on-campus course or if they are enrolled in a distance learning program.

Users will also be able to share their work with colleagues, create professional ePortfolios, invite peer review, and have contact with others around the globe based on their shared academic pursuits and research interests.

This new feature of the Knowledge Network is available via the Epsilen Environment, a Web-based software package that provides a wide range of tools and services for faculty and students. Users receive a lifelong membership on the system, enabling them to maintain their academic and professional ePortfolios throughout their careers.

Felice Nudelman, director of education for The New York Times says her company is very excited about the initiative, which they believe will help students to deepen their understanding of any subject and bring a new dimension to classroom discussions.