Enhancing Education Through Technology
Tarmac has been in the educational technology sales, marketing and training business since 1957. There have been constant and evermore rapid changes in educational technology. Our company has followed the paradigm shift of educational technology for that time period. Our history reads like a book on ed-tech. We have represented an uncountable number of publishers and manufacturers. We have manufactured, printed and published educational materials and manufactured computer and reading lab furniture. At this point in our business we represent software publishers as independent sales and marketing for specific areas.
For over 60 years Tarmac Educational Services has helped educators implement programs that benefit students by providing individualized assessments and prescriptive educational plans.
Founded by a Principal, Jack McCracken Tarmac (Tarheel McCracken) has been distributing educational technology and providing staff development to enhance student performance since 1957.
From a beginning with overhead projectors and filmstrip projectors, technology developed into Craig Readers, (TV like machines that provided reading instruction and practice) and (Language Masters (which read cards with a magnetic strip, prerecorded or teacher made).
Beginning in the mid-sixties, technology grew into the of projectors and audio tape programs to enhance reading skills. In the early seventies, to incorporate all the technology, Tarmac began building furniture for reading labs that allowed students access to the technology as needed.
Later, the visually impaired and blind were also served in schools and business. The visually impaired used closed circuit TV equipment that enhanced the size of print and the blind could use braille and produce a copy on a printer at the same time.
As technology changed, many of these programs grew into computer software.
We wish that Jack had lived long enough to see the most recent technology. In those days, the ability to meet each student’s individual needs in each lesson was not even in our dreams.