On October 3, 2022, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) released the "Interim Report (summary of the main points discussed) on the Ideal Textbooks, Teaching Materials, and Software Toward the Enrichment of Optimal Individualized Learning and Collaborative Learning in an Integrated Manner."

The report is a summary of the discussions conducted by the "Working Group on Textbooks, Teaching Materials, and Software" of the "Special Committee on School Education Towards the Enrichment of Optimal Individualized and Collaborative Learning in an Integrated Manner" for the full-scale introduction of digital textbooks from FY2024.

The following are summary of the main points of discussion:

• Under the GIGA School Program, schools are accelerating the introduction of "digital teaching materials" and "learning support software," etc. Nonetheless, textbooks will continue to play the role of "primary teaching materials with assured quality," while the digitalization of textbooks will lead to the enhancement of learning by connecting and strengthening cooperation through the use of digital teaching materials.

• Textbooks and teaching materials will need to be adapted to the progress of the digitalization of society while keeping an eye on changes in the future social lives of pupils and students.
• Digital textbooks should be simple and lightweight. Furthermore, with the advantage of the strengths of digital technology, digital textbooks should be effectively combined with a range of other teaching materials and software to enrich optimal individualized learning and collaborative learning in an integrated manner.
• From the perspective of universal design and convenience for students who use multiple digital textbooks, it is necessary to continue and enhance the accessibility functions implemented in current digital textbooks, such as ruby characters in Japanese, color inversion, and text-to-speech software. The standardization of viewers is necessary (e.g., support for single sign-on and unification of layout, hierarchy, and so on to the extent possible.)
• In addition to efforts to improve the communication environment, from the viewpoint of smooth class implementation, it is necessary to distribute audio and video data separately and to make the data lighter, considering the communication environment of various schools.

For more information, please visit the website below:
https://www.mext.go.jp/kaigisiryo/2019/11/1422470_00032.htm