PerformTech Prepares Crucial Pandemic Flu Training for the Department of Defense

Alexandria, VA, June 5, 2009. PerformTech was commissioned by the Department of Defense Washington Headquarters Services (DoD-WHS) Learning and Development Division to create an e-learning program concerning pandemic influenza. The recent outbreak of the H1N1 virus popularly known as “Swine Flu” spurred the DoD-WHS to cite this imminent global health threat for a training course. The immediate relevance of the information demanded quick turnaround time: PerformTech produced final results within one month of receiving notification of this project.

The two-part course, dubbed WHS Pandemic Influenza WBT, was designed to instruct Director, Administration & Management (DAM) staff and their families. It covers two hours’ worth of content, pairing informative slides with eye-catching graphics and multiple interactive opportunities that allow participants to learn at their own pace. PerformTech modified two existing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) lessons—“Pandemic Influenza: Protecting Yourself” and “Pandemic Influenza: Protecting and Preparing Your Family”—to develop a general discussion of pandemic influenza without focusing on any particular strain.

This lack of specificity gives the course a degree of flexibility, allowing the universal application of strategies for staying healthy, caring for a family member who is ill, and preparing for the impact of a pandemic. Information was culled from the current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website to provide a description of how influenza spreads as well as the definitions of various influenza viruses. Formatted in Extola, PerformTech’s proprietary content management tool, and accessible via the DoD-WHS learning management system (LMS) as well as on CD-ROM, the WHS Pandemic Influenza training is easily available to its target audience.

PerformTech Inc., headquartered in Alexandria, VA, is a leading provider of high-impact technology enabled training solutions for a wide base of Federal government and commercial clients since 1994. PerformTech partners with clients to address their training needs and provides innovative solutions that fit within client budgets and schedules, while utilizing the latest technology to achieve and maximize audience impact. For information contact Martha Dunlap at mdunlap@performtech.com or visit www.performtech.com.                                                               

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