The VText framework is designed to provide many of the desired features of an e-textbook in such a way that it provides pedagogical value rather than just convenience for students. Many so-called e-textbook solutions available today provide few features beyond those possible with hardcopy textbooks. The VText framework is built as an add-in to Microsoft’s note-taking program, OneNote. The add-in provides features which facilitate the use of OneNote as a reader and educational tool while leaving in place OneNote’s strengths in note-taking, collaboration, and search.

This paper discusses the necessary features of e-textbooks, the user experience of VText, and the planned evaluation of VText. The evaluation will consider factors such as usability, student learning performance, and satisfaction. The main areas of interest for the evaluation include effective note-taking in the e-text, rehearsal skills, facilitation of collaboration, ease of use for the student, improvements in integrating lectures and individual study, and the general utility of tools included in the plug-in such as the Bluetooth Scanner, which allows pictures to be inserted into OneNote from an Android device. The results will be used to generate suggestions for further improved work in this area.