Edmark

Edmark was founded in 1970 by Gordon B. Bleil by combining the assets of Educational Aids and Services Co. a small supplier of educational materials and programs and L-Tec Systems Inc. which had developed programs from its research. The Child Development and Mental Retardation Center of the University of Washington under the direction of Dr. Sidney Bijou had conducted research into the operant conditioning and reinforcement theories of B.F. Skinner as applicable to human learning. From this research, they developed academic programs which for the first time proved the viability of teaching reading to people with severe mental limitations. Bleil adapted this research into The Edmark Reading Program which for the next decade was the principal product of the company.

Bleil left the company to return to banking in 1980 and retained no interest in the company.

They began developing software in 1992. Edmark was listed on NASDAQ. Their audience was children between the ages of 2 and 16 years. Edmark had more than 65 industry design awards.

In 1989, their{{who|date=October 2023}} children, Richard, Lucy, Heather, and Chris became directors. Richard became the chairman, Heather became the CCO, Chris became the president and Lucy became the CEO in October 1989. Edmark hired former teacher Donna Stanger as vice president of product development in October 1991.

In 1992, Edmark released Millie's Math House and KidDesk. Sally Narodick resigned as CEO in September citing the stress, and Stanger became the CEO.{{cite news |first=Seanna |last=Browder |author2=Larry Armstrong |author3=Paul C. Judge |title=The Disappearing CD-ROM Players: Small makers of kids' software sell out--or get squeezed out |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1996/51/b3506151.htm |work=BusinessWeek |publisher=The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. |date=1996-12-16 |accessdate=2006-11-25 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212185719/http://www.businessweek.com/1996/51/b3506151.htm |archivedate=2007-12-12}}

Edmark was acquired by IBM in November 1996, for $102.3 million ($15.50 per share for two-thirds of Edmark's shares) to expand its presence in home software.{{cite news | first = Jim | last = Erickson | title = IBM to Buy Educational Software Maker Edmark | url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-64675823.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110516135822/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-64675823.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2011-05-16 | work = Seattle Post-Intelligencer | date = 1996-11-14 | accessdate = 2006-11-25}}

In September 2000, it was sold to Riverdeep Interactive Learning{{cite web | url = http://www.riverdeep.net/pls/portal/url/page/RVDP/AU/Company_Timeline | title = Company Timeline - Riverdeep, Destination Success, Reading Software, Math Software, Education Software | accessdate = 2006-11-25 | quote = Edmark Corporation [...] was acquired by Riverdeep in September 2000. It is now part of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.}} for about $85 million.{{cite web | url = http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~anhai/wisc-si-archive/data/company_profiles/standard/instances/company_index/Computer_Software_and_Services/Educational_Software/instances/http:%5E%5Ewww.thestandard.com%5Ecompanies%5Edossier%5E0,1922,263335,00.html | title = Edmark Corporation | accessdate = 2013-02-28 | quote = Riverdeep Group bought Edmark from IBM in 2000 for about $85 million.}}

As of 2017, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt offered the Edmark, Edmark House Series, Mighty Math, and Thinkin' Things brands as licensing opportunities on its website.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hmhco.com/at-home/featured-shops/the-learning-company/licensing-opportunities|title=Licensing Opportunities|website=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|access-date=2017-01-17}} HMH sold the rights to many of Edmark's products to Rise Global in 2021.[https://cocatalog.loc.gov/ US Copyright Office] Document No. V15002D430 / 2021-06-15

• KidDesk (1992)
• Strategy Challenges Collection 1 (formerly Strategy Games of the World) (November 1995)
• Strategy Challenges Collection 2: In the Wild (1997)
• ThemeWeavers: Animals{{Cite web |url=http://www.macworld.com/product/407032/themeweavers-nature-and-themeweavers-animals.html |title=ThemeWeavers: Nature and ThemeWeavers: Animals specs |work=MacWorld |access-date=October 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111183055/http://www.macworld.com/product/407032/themeweavers-nature-and-themeweavers-animals.html |archive-date=November 11, 2014 |url-status=dead}}
• ThemeWeavers: Nature
• Travel the World with Timmy! Deluxe{{cite news |title=Travel the World With Timmy |url=http://www.machome.com/reviews/MacReviewZone.lasso?grr8=33811 |work = macHOME magazine |access-date=November 25, 2006}}
• Let's Go Read! 1: An Island Adventure - ages 4–6{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Elstrom |title=Learn to Read -- And Say the Words Right |url=http://www.businessweek.com/1997/40/b3547135.htm |work=BusinessWeek |publisher=The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. |date=October 6, 1997 |access-date=November 25, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061207225524/http://businessweek.com/1997/40/b3547135.htm |archive-date=December 7, 2006}}
• Let's Go Read! 2: An Ocean Adventure - ages 7–12
• Stories & More: Animal Friends
• Stories & More: Time and Place
• MindTwister Math{{cite news |title=MindTwister Math |url=http://www.machome.com/reviews/MacReviewZone.lasso?grr8=34033 |work=macHOME magazine

|access-date=November 25, 2006}}

• Space Academy GX-1
• Virtual Labs: Light
• Virtual Labs: Electricity
• Talking Walls{{cite news|first=Bonnie |last=Huie |title=Talking Walls; Talking Walls: The Stories Continue: History Software Speaks For Itself |url=http://www.macworld.com/2000/08/bc/15reviewswalls/ |work=Macworld |publisher=Mac Publishing, LLC. |date=August 1, 2000 |access-date=November 25, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930220302/http://www.macworld.com/2000/08/bc/15reviewswalls/ |archive-date=September 30, 2007}} ― runner-up for the Macworld 16th Annual Editors' Choice Award for Education{{cite news |title=The 16th Annual Editors' Choice Awards |url=http://www.macworld.com/2001/03/features/editoral/ |work=Macworld |publisher=Mac Publishing, LLC. |date=March 1, 2001 |access-date=November 25, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061106022158/http://www.macworld.com/2001/03/features/editoral/ |archive-date=November 6, 2006}}
• Talking Walls: The Stories Continue

Source:

{{cite web|url=http://www.edresources.com/images/resources/Edmark_House/index.htm |title=Riverdeep - Edmark House Series |accessdate=2006-11-25 |url-status=unfit |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026175041/http://www.edresources.com/images/resources/Edmark_House/index.htm |archive-date=October 26, 2006}}

• Millie's Math House (October 1992) ― ages 2–6
• Bailey's Book House (June 1993) ― ages 2–6
• Sammy's Science House (July 1, 1994) ― ages 3–7
• Trudy's Time & Place House (September 1995) ― ages 3–7
• Stanley's Sticker Stories (July 1996){{cite web |url=http://support.riverdeep.net/faq_list.asp?id=1294820338 |title=Product Support - Stanley's Sticker Stories (School Edition) |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher=Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited}}

• Thinkin' Things Collection 1 (formerly Thinkin Things) (September 1993) ― ages 4–8
• Thinkin' Things Collection 2 (October 1994) ― ages 6–12
• Thinkin' Things Collection 3 (October 1995) ― ages 7–13{{cite news | first = Keelin |last=Devincenzi |title=Thinkin' Things Galactic Brain Benders |url=http://www.macaddict.com/issues/2000/4/reviews/ttgbb |work=MacAddict |page=60 |date=April 2000 |access-date=November 25, 2006}}
• Thinkin' Things: Toony the Loon's Lagoon (remastered version of Thinkin Things Collection 1)
• Thinkin' Things: All Around FrippleTown ― ages 4–8, won the 1999 Macworld Editors' Choice Award for Education{{cite news |title=1999 Editors' Choice Awards |url=http://www.macworld.com/2000/03/features/1999eddys/index.php |work=Macworld |publisher=Mac Publishing, LLC. |page=80 |date=March 1, 2000 |access-date=November 25, 2006}}
• Thinkin' Things Sky Island Mysteries ― ages 8–12{{cite news |title=Thinkin' Things Sky Island Mysteries |url=http://www.machome.com/reviews/MacReviewZone.lasso?grr8=33654 |work=macHOME magazine |access-date=November 25, 2006}}
• Thinkin' Science
• Thinkin' Science Series: ZAP! (1998)
• Thinkin' Space

• Imagination Express: Neighborhood (October 1994){{cite web |url=http://support.riverdeep.net/faq_list.asp?id=1294819743 |title= Product Support - Imagination Express, Destination: Neighborhood (School Edition) |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher=Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited}}
• Imagination Express: Castle (November 1994){{cite web |url=http://support.riverdeep.net/faq_list.asp?id=1294819648 |title= Product Support - Imagination Express, Destination: Castle (School Edition) |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher=Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited}}
• Imagination Express: Rain Forest (May 1995){{cite web |url=http://support.riverdeep.net/faq_list.asp?id=1294819654 |title=Product Support - Imagination Express, Destination: Rainforest (School Edition) |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher=Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited}}
• Imagination Express: Ocean (October 1995){{cite web |url=http://support.riverdeep.net/faq_list.asp?id=1294819651 |title=Product Support - Imagination Express, Destination: Ocean (School Edition) |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher=Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited}}
• Imagination Express: Pyramids{{cite web |url=http://support.riverdeep.net/faq_list.asp?id=1294819652 |title=Product Support - Imagination Express, Destination: Pyramids (School Edition) |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher= Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited}}
• Imagination Express: Time Trip, USA{{cite web |url=http://support.riverdeep.net/faq_list.asp?id=1294819655 |title=Product Support - Imagination Express, Destination: Time Trip, USA (School Edition) |access-date=November 25, 2006 |publisher= Riverdeep Interactive Learning Limited}}

• Mighty Math Carnival Countdown (July 1996) ― ages 4–8
• Mighty Math Number Heroes (July 1996) ― ages 7–12
• Mighty Math Zoo Zillions
• Mighty Math Calculating Crew
• Mighty Math Astro Algebra
• Mighty Math Cosmic Geometry

Computer Gaming World in 1993 stated that "Bailey's Book House combines the best of educational theory with a loving attention to detail and an engaging presentation ... a real winner".{{cite news | url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1993&pub=2&id=113 | title=Bailey's Book House | work=Computer Gaming World | date=December 1993 | accessdate=29 March 2016 | author=Eiser, Leslie | pages=160–164}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.macworld.com/article/1014614/31stanger.html Educated Ideas]
• [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/24/business/company-news-edmark-stock-is-hurt-by-outlook-on-earnings.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%222%22%3A%22RI%3A17%22%7D COMPANY NEWS; EDMARK STOCK IS HURT BY OUTLOOK ON EARNINGS]
• [https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/23/business/edmark-corp-reports-earnings-for-qtr-to-dec-31.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%222%22%3A%22RI%3A17%22%7D Edmark Corp. reports earnings for Qtr to Dec 31]
• [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/09/16/business/behind-the-fading-of-a-onetime-software-star.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%222%22%3A%22RI%3A17%22%7D Behind the Fading of a Onetime Software Star]
• [https://www.nytimes.com/1996/11/14/business/ibm-in-110-million-deal-for-ailing-software-seller.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%222%22%3A%22RI%3A17%22%7D I.B.M. In $110 Million Deal For Ailing Software Seller]
• [https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/11/technology/library-thinking-skills-thinkin-things-collection-3.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw%2C%7B%222%22%3A%22RI%3A17%22%7D&gwh=63096A11E6C709DE5BC04C55035A8AEF&gwt=pay LIBRARY/THINKING SKILLS; Thinkin' Things Collection 3]
• [https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/04/education/software-home-lessons-for-children-ready-to-read.html SOFTWARE; Home Lessons For Children Ready to Read]

{{Edmark Games}}

{{Houghton Mifflin Harcourt}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Category: Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq

Category:Software companies established in 1970

Category:Software companies disestablished in 2017

Category:Riverdeep subsidiaries

Category:Companies based in Redmond, Washington

Category:Educational software companies

Category:Publishing companies established in 1970

Category:Publishing companies disestablished in 2017

Category:Mattel

Category:1970 establishments in Washington (state)

Category:2017 disestablishments in Washington (state)

Category:2000 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Defunct software companies of the United States