The director of product development with a commercial publishing firm describes his company's approach to evaluating special education materials and cites examples of successful product characteristics. (CL)

Examines the potential for learning offered by computer technology and describes work of the German Institut fur Film und Bild in Wissenschaft und Unterricht (FWU), including database systems for audiovisual centers, electronic communication, digitization of media, and modularized media for interactive education and training. (LRW)

Production activities of the 1983 Educational Media Production Project for the Hearing Impaired included adaptations and developed media in the areas of concept development and decision-making skills. Activities further included field testing of 12 instructional packages and marketing and dissemination efforts for 18 materials. (CL)

Describes a breakthrough in the use of video technology in higher education that empowers teachers to produce resource-based learning materials. VESOL, Video autoEditing System for Open Learning, developed at the University of Derby (United Kingdom), is shown to have a wide range of applications that build on the presentation skills of lecturers.…

The Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services (OASIS) at the University of California, San Diego administers an Instructional Materials Development Program. An overview of the program is presented along with a description of the product development/evaluation cycle. Program evaluation is generic to this process, since several formative…

In 1977 the Evaluation and Action Research Unit (EARU) was established in Botswana as part of the Agricultural Information Services to assist in the production of relevant and comprehensible extension materials. One such materials development project in which EARU participated is described in detail. (LLS)

A federally funded consortium project, the American Foundation for the Blind's Deaf-Blind Project, has produced "Hand in Hand" products for students who are deaf-blind. Reasons for using a consortium model, consortium structure, roles, distinguishing features, and advantages/disadvantages are discussed. (DB)

New materials developed for young multihandicapped, visually impaired students by the Educational Research Department of the American Printing House for the Blind are reviewed. Includes a sensory stimulation art, prevocational materials, low-vision stimulation materials, and a home-based media program for developing critical skills in young blind…

The Media Development Project for the Hearing Impaired has adapted media products on decision making and concept development and has designed two new products, a multimedia package on causality and one on voting for high schoolers. Products are evaluated by a field test network of 800 teachers and 146 schools. (CL)

The final report reviews the first year of a project to adapt, for severely handicapped individuals, physical and leisure education materials developed by the I CAN Project for trainable retarded student populations; and to develop a training program in use of the materials for teacher consultants and teachers of the severely handicapped.…

Activities and accomplishments of the Institute for Research and Development in Occupational Education during 1978-1979 are discussed in this annual report, highlights of which include (1) production of a film dealing with sex equity; (2) development of a parallel Spanish version of the Career and Occupational Development test; (3) a second year…

This report is intended to provide publishers and product developers with a summary of background information about strategy instruction for disabled learners. It also offers suggestions for how media and materials could be produced and designed to facilitate the teaching and learning of strategies. The first section looks at cognitive and…

This overview of aesthetics and aesthetic education covers definitions and approaches to aesthetic education; discusses two notable ways educational technologists can influence aesthetics in learning situations with use of visuals and music; and lists strategies educational media producers can incorporate in productions to enhance aesthetic…

The Jefferson Notebook system, based on a model of integrated research and instruction, is a computer program to aid in creation of hypertext instructional materials. It is currently used in college writing and academic courses. Its authoring features allow teachers to build instructional resources and integrate research and writing. (MSE)

This column explains the National File Format, a proposed voluntary standard for accessible digital instructional materials for students with disabilities. It considers the role of digital materials, difficulties with the present system of disseminating accessible materials, how a consistent file format for digital materials will help, and ways to…