Discovery Education launches iPad-optimized Web app

If you were questioning how much influence the iPad has in our education system, Discovery Education may be part of the answer. The company announced today a new optimized version of its platform, specifically for the iPad.

Discovery Education provides curriculum-based digital content to more than half of U.S. schools. The company said the launch of its iPad platform supports "educators in their efforts to integrate cutting-edge hardware and dynamic digital content into curricula."

Discovery said the iPad version that's available today includes more than 33,000 videos from Discovery Education streaming, Discovery Education Science, and Discovery Education Health.

The videos are presented in an HTML5 video player, which makes sense since the iPad does not support Flash. The Web site itself is made with CSS3 and JavaScript, the technologies recommended by Apple for best viewing on its mobile devices.

Discovery said it would add images, audio clips, PDFs, encyclopedia articles, reading passages, videos, and clips over the next few months.