Disney Publishing Worldwide, 'the world's largest publisher of children's comics,' has joined with the Maryland State Department of Education and Diamond Comic Distributors to develop an instructional toolkit to allow schools to supplement traditional school literature with comics and graphic novels, classified as other educational tools.

This pilot program has been rolled into three Maryland school systems this year, providing teachers options to encourage reading from third grade up through adult education programs.  The content was put together by teachers, reading specialists, educational administrators, library specialists, publishers and comic book authors.

The program was presented on a panel on Tuesday at the International Reading Association Convention in San Antonio, Texas.  Titled 'It's Not Your Grandpa's Comic Book Anymore:  A State Initiative Uses Burgeoning Graphic Literature to Motivate Students in Maryland and Beyond,' the panel included representatives of Diamond, Disney Publishing, and the Maryland State Department of Education.