Activity theory (AT) is a powerful tool for investigating "artefacts in use", ie, the ways technologies interrelate with their local context. AT reveals the interfaces between e-learning at the macro- (strategy, policy, "campus-wide" solutions) and the micro-organisational levels (everyday working practice, iterative change, individual…

Describes Philips Interactive Laser Vision Authoring System (PHILVAS), a special-purpose authoring system designed to prepare programs for controlling interactive video systems. Ease of authoring with PHILVAS is illustrated by a case study and comparisons with two other dialog programing tools. Advantages of PHILVAS are listed. (MBR)

Describes the evolution of courseware development and compares existing development methods, including traditional programing languages, authoring languages, and authoring systems. The use of a product which includes a customized courseware generator or authoring system is proposed, and an example is described that used HyperCard to teach the…