Based in Seattle, Washington, Headsprout was founded in June 1999 by Greg Stikeleather, Drs. Joe Layng, Kent Johnson, and Edward L. Anderson - people who have spent the last 20 years improving education for young children. Their idea: to teach reading and other fundamental academic skills by deploying Headsprout’s proven, patented Sprout Learning™ technology via the Internet, for use in schools, homes, learning centers—wherever learning takes place. Headsprout offers Early Reading - a fun, animated, online reading program that takes a non-reader to mid-2nd grade level in 80 lessons. The patented adaptive software adjusts to each learner's needs ensuring success in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Lessons average 20 minutes and are available from any Internet-connected computer. 80 downloadable stories and automated performance reports accompany the program.