Gemini Systems, an IBM business partner, together with ISSL (IBM Software Services for Lotus) have been working with the Teach For America organization. Specifically, ISSL and Gemini have been helping Teach for America deploy an extranet portal with the Connections and Quickr capabilities very nicely integrated with each other.
One of the things that I really like about this particular demo is that you can't really tell what's Portal, what's Quickr, and what's Connections. As you know, I'm a big advocate for integration. I truly believe that the best route to success with social software is by embedding social software directly into existing applications and processes.
The demo site is divided into various categories:
- Teaching and Learning Center: How to avoid re-inventing the wheel by learning from your peers
- Career and Leadership Center: How to find professional development advice
- Regions and Communities: Get connected with staff, alumni, and corp members
- Giving and Volunteering: Easily find giving and volunteering activities
To view the demo, check out Teach For America's tour.
Note: updated on 10/Jun/09 to include reference to ISSL.