Project Seeks Free E-Books for Colleges in Developing Nations (2/2)

The Global Text Project is similar in technology to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia" class="hjdict" word="encyclopedia" target=_blank>encyclopedia that anyone can edit on the Internet. But only one or two people will be able to make the final edits in texts. The project includes a committee of scholars, mostly from developing countries, to advise on required textbooks and their content.

Globaltext.org has a link to the Prototype Global Text Library, with two books on information systems and economic analysis. Other free texts on subjects including linear algebra and oceanography are also available at globaltext.org.

The group's first book on information systems is being tested in Ethiopia and Indonesia. Professor Watson says the plan is to offer about ten free books within the next year, including an English grammar text.

Project organizers also want to offer textbooks in Arabic, Chinese and Spanish. They are working with a translation company in the United States. And Professor Watson says students could also get involved. For example, a student learning English in an Arab country could translate part of a book into Arabic. Then another student and the class professor could check the translation.

参考译文：

教科书计划是类似维基百科技术，这种免费的百科全书，任何人都可以在互联网上进行编辑。但是，只有一个或两个人将对文本作出最后的编辑。该计划包括一个学者委员会，这其中多数人都来自发展中国家，他们在所需教科书和其内容方面给出建议。

Global Text.org和全球教科书图书馆的原型间有一个链接，在那个图书馆中有两部关于信息系统和经济分析的书。在global text.org可以获得的其他免费教科书还包括线性代数和海洋地理。

该组织的第一本关于信息系统的书正在埃塞俄比亚和印度尼西亚进行测试。沃森教授说，在未来的一年内，这个计划将要提供约10本免费图书，包括英语语法书。

计划组织者也希望提供阿拉伯语、汉语和西班牙语的教科书。他们与一家在美国翻译公司合作。教授沃森说，学生也可以参与进来。举例来说，一名学生在阿拉伯国家学习英语，他可以把部分内容译成阿拉伯文。然后另一些学生和教科的教授可以检查他的翻译。