The turbulent environment pushes public administration to its limits, resulting in revolutionary changes. When the pandemic hit the world in early 2020, public administration was faced not only with complex problems, but also tumultuous challenges marked by the emergence of unpredictable events. In the new hybrid world, public administration has…

The University of Wisconsin-Madison registrar's office was already well on its way to building a progressive office culture when it took yet another step toward modernity, and opened the door to telecommuting. In this article the authors discuss how it happened when one staff member and her supervisor made the most of an unanticipated opportunity.…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the vast opportunities of working and learning digitally. In these exceptional times, where a large part of the workforce has been obliged to work remotely due to home confinement and social distancing measures, gig or crowd-workers have enjoyed a kind of 'home field' advantage: working and…

This paper presents the current status of telepractice as a service delivery model for persons with hearing loss. Telepractice can be broadly viewed as the delivery of preventative, habilitation, or rehabilitation services through telecommunications technology. Telemedicine and telehealth are closely aligned to telepractice, often with overlapping…

Historically, waves of new technologies have brought Americans higher standards of living. Electrical service and hot and cold running water, for example, were once luxuries; now their absence makes a home substandard. Today, technologies for accessing the Internet are diffusing at an even faster rate than those earlier innovations once did,…

For well over a century, individuals have sought new and efficient ways to communicate health-related information and provide medical services over distances. Often, this desire has sparked considerable innovation in technology and ushered in improved models of service delivery. Today, modern videoconferencing technology allows practitioners to…

Telepractice is emerging as a viable alternative to traditional "face-to-face" service as practitioners seek to meet the diverse needs of children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. Telepractice provides the opportunity for many countries to expand their reach and viability within their own borders as well as the…

What does it mean to "work from home"? Despite the way the phrase rolls easily off the tongue, there is nothing simple or transparent about it. The essays in this issue stake out a different territory in which home is not only the location of work but also its subject and perhaps its methodology. While working from home may sound (and be)…

The 20th-century office is dead. According to "Telework Trendlines 2009," WorldatWork's new survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults, the number of Americans working remotely at least once a month jumped 39%, from 12.4 million in 2006 to 17.2 million in 2008. Last year Congress even introduced bills that would encourage and expand telework programs…

New communication and information technology is transforming the structure and law governing information markets and the economic, social, cultural, and political patterns of societies. This article discusses the effects of information technology (telecommuting, job growth in rural areas, distance education) and the role of the European Commission…

Discusses work done by information professionals and the increase in teleworking, using telecommunications technology; considers teleworkers' information needs; examines ways in which library and information science professionals can facilitate teleworkers' information access; and investigates information environments of 20 teleworkers and 20…

Discusses the importance of developing a national communications and information infrastructure to meet short-term needs. The Electronic Frontier Foundation's Open Platform Proposal, based on ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) is described, and recommendations for public policy criteria for evaluating infrastructure proposals are included.…

Discusses the rise of computer networks, telecommuting possibilities, the growing global economy, and possible resulting trends in the population of cities. Implications for higher education are suggested, including the centralization of certain core operations and the decentralization of other services to address the varied needs of students.…