by , 10:00 AM EDT, May 17th, 2005

Perason PLC's Pearson Higher Education announced Tuesday it has struck a deal with audiobook company Audible Inc. that will enable college students to download Pearson's study guides onto their Apple iPod or other digital media device.

The first of the new downloadable "Listen and Learn" study guides, which students use to hone up on rcourse knowledge, will be available this September for the 2005-06 academic year. The guides will be priced starting at US$19.95.

The audio version of the printed text books will include test questions may also include commentary from the textbook author. Pearson also intends to release it study guides in Spanish as well. Pearson Higher Education would not say how many titles its ultimately plans on offering in audio form.

Pearson Education and Audible will also create and co-market educational audio products for the general consumer, beginning in 2005.

Audible serves more than 500,000 customers who can choose from more than 8,000 audiobooks downloadable onto iPods, other MP3 players. The partnership with Pearson Higher Education is just the beginning for Audible. CEO Don Katz said it is launching an education division that will market its books to students, professional and corporate learners.