Achieve for Biology vs Virtual Genetics Lab II
Achieve for Biology
macmillanlearning.comVirtual Genetics Lab II
vgl.umb.eduSide by side
| Figure | Achieve for Biology | Virtual Genetics Lab II |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | £5.17/mo | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| Linux | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Biology Learning Software | 7.8 (#9) | 7.3 (#18) |
| Purpose | Achieve is an online learning system for biology courses, with materials and assessments aligned to instructors’ course goals. | VGLII simulates transmission genetics so students can investigate how traits are inherited by crossing hypothetical creatures and examining their offspring. |
| Support | The UK contact page directs customers to its Support Community and support team chatbot for online purchase queries. | The download page directs installation questions, troubleshooting requests, and bug reports to Brian White by email. |
Plans
Achieve for Biology
- Achieve for Life: The Science of Biology Digital Update (International Edition; £61.99 a year
In their own words
Achieve for Biology
Achieve for Biology has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.
Virtual Genetics Lab II
Virtual Genetics Lab II (VGLII) is a free simulation for students exploring how traits are inherited. Students cross hypothetical creatures and examine offspring, using problems that cover one to three genes. Traits can be autosomal or sex-linked, with simple dominance, co-dominance, or incomplete dominance; instructors can restrict which models are available. Model Builder lets students enter and save genetic models, and instructors can compare responses with correct answers for grading. Version 3 includes chi-squared calculations in the Summary Chart, epistasis and complementation models, and Super Crosses of up to 2,000 offspring. Desktop downloads are listed for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux/UNIX, and the download page says VGLII requires Java 7 or higher. The maker also describes jsVGL, a browser-based version that does not use Java and can load and save work. The maker says VGLII will no longer be supported, while support will continue for jsVGL. Some macOS versions may show an error about loading the Java Runtime Environment; a workaround uses the app's VGLII.jar file.