This issue contains nine articles that provide an overview of trends and research in parallel information retrieval. Topics discussed include network design for text searching; the Connection Machine System; PThomas, an adaptive information retrieval system on the Connection Machine; algorithms for document clustering; and system architecture for…

Reviews the development of telecommunications networks and describes current technology being used for online information retrieval. Highlights include use for military and research needs; experiences in Europe versus those in the United States; value-added networks (VANs); local area networks (LANs) and personal computers; and the Integrated…

Discusses distributed information retrieval systems that take into account the weights of descriptors from thesauri. Topics addressed include a mathematical model for information retrieval subsystems; organization of inverted files; models for the distributed homogeneous information systems; a distributed information retrieval system based on…

Discusses the current status of 4 developments that will determine the emergence of generally available multimedia information services: high-bandwidth networks; inexpensive user appliances capable of handling multimedia; adoption of standards for representation, compression, packaging, and transmission; and development of a corpus of multimedia…

Noting that standards are needed to enable libraries using different processors and different operating systems to connect their computers and share services in meaningful ways, this article examines the content and status of ANSI Z39.50: Information Retrieval Service Definition and Protocol Specification for Library Applications and related work.…

Explains the technologies of electronic imaging as background for other articles in this section, focusing on technologies seen by the developer or user of electronic imaging applications. Topics discussed include image acquisition, storage, retrieval, compression, transmission, display, manipulation, and printing; standards and architectural…

Traces the development of database production and the online industry in Australia, focusing on recent trends, problems and prospects for future online and CD-ROM use. Argues that new pricing arrangements can provide growth in a market fragmented by increases in specialization and government information, and in numbers of vendors, databases, end…

Examines the history and present state of federal initiatives in electronic networking, particularly the National Information Infrastructure and National Research and Education Network; discusses electronic publishing; and considers implications for national policy. Topics addressed include commercialization; community networking; end-user…

Discusses three electronic information formats: CD-ROM, tape loads, and online hosts; reviews some of the hardware platforms used for accessing information in these formats; and discusses some of the issues involved in interconnecting computer systems to increase access to electronic collections. (Author)

Intended to suggest ways of implementing the potential of NovaNet beyond its current applications, this report begins with an overview of current educational applications of telecommunications systems. It is noted that NovaNET is not only a successful computer system for presenting instructional courseware, but that it also supports…

Predicting that a large component of the library of the not so distant future will be an electronic network of file servers where information is stored for access by personal computer workstations in remote locations as well as the library, this paper discusses innovative computer technologies--particularly CD-ROM (Compact Disk-Read Only Memory)…

Discusses instructional systems and information retrieval systems and highlights the growing role of retrieval systems in learning. Topics discussed include cognitive psychology; degree of learner control; interaction with the systems; technological trends, including storage capacity, integrated media, and interlinked systems; hypermedia; and…

An explosion of information has created a crisis for today's information age. How to use the best information resources, tools, and technology must be determined. To do this, leadership must exist at the interagency level to promote a coherent information policy. It is also important to find ways to educate users of information regarding the tools…

Second in a series of six monographs on the use of new technologies in the instruction of learning disabled students, the paper offers a descriptive overview of new technologies. Topics addressed include the following: (1) techniques for sharing computer resources (including aspects of networking, sharing information through databases, and the use…

Examines educational research conducted in various settings that has adopted network learning approaches. Two categories of network learning are described--collaborative network learning and information network access--and approaches and methods used in studying network learning are discussed, including the design of network learning, network…