Describes a portable language-oriented digital computer used to define and spell words. Future directions for design and development are discussed. (BK)

Discusses the role of hypertext as a communications medium and factors that must be considered in hypertext design and applicability. Implications of the division of labor in knowledge work and for our conception of literacy are addressed. (MES)

Issues and implications related to the use of microcomputers for providing practice activities are addressed, including which skills should be automatized, requirements for ensuring that a skill has attained automaticity, scheduling and amount of practice, and the type and use of data that should be collected on individual student practice…

The use and effectiveness of gaming techniques in educational computer software was investigated through an analysis of 170 in-depth evaluations of commercially-available educational computer programs. These evaluations, conducted by the Educational Products Information Exchange (EPIE) Institute, dealt with design attributes relevant to all…

Discusses the design and limited uses of the Pascal, MS-DOS, CP/M, and PC-DOS operating systems as standard operating systems for 16-bit microprocessors, especially with the more sophisticated microcomputers currently being developed. Advantages and disadvantages of Unix--a multitasking, multiuser operating system--as a standard operating system…

Describes the development of "Europe in the Round," a CD-ROM that was designed to test the hypothesis that a combination of hypertext with mass storage would make a powerful learning tool. Screen design is discussed, including universal icons and visual effects, and field testing is described. (five references) (LRW)

Describes the implementation of a computer projection system for medium to small classrooms at the University of Vermont. Requirements for the system are discussed, including ease of use, compatibility, software, and network capabilities; and selection decisions for the computer, the projection system, and the support equipment are explained.…

This guide to the discovery, analysis, production, communication, and use of statistical information through graphic forms produced by a computer is designed to enable researchers to conduct their analyses and report research results more effectively. It is designed both for individuals with little knowledge about the use of statistical graphs or…

Presents an approach to microcomputer courseware design that follows the engineering systems model and discusses areas of expertise needed by courseware designers, key courseware design questions, the accompanying teacher's guide and its components, and evaluation criteria teachers need to remember before purchasing instructional programs. (MBR)

Discussion of the rhetoric of disability, including physical, hearing, and visual impairments, highlights possible benefits that computer technology can provide. Designing for disabled individuals is discussed, and product development efforts by Apple Computer to increase microcomputer access to disabled children and adults are described. (LRW)

Recent improvements in the human factors elements incorporated in the design of personal computer interfaces are illustrated by detailed analyses of two microcomputers and their word processors (Osborne 1/WordStar and Apple's Macintosh/MacWrite). The vital steps in operation are described through analyses of the behavioral requirements involved in…

Representatives of six vendors of online library systems address key issues related to system performance: designing, configuring and sizing systems; establishing performance criteria; using benchmark and acceptance tests; the risks of miscalculations; vendor, consultant, and library roles; and related topics. (Author/EM)

Five library consultants address issues that affect online system performance: options in system design that relate to diverse library requirements; criteria that most affect performance; benchmark tests and sizing criteria; minimalizing the risks of miscalculation; and the roles and responsibilities of vendors, libraries, and consultants.…

Discusses microcomputer network benefits; points out their current shortcomings in the areas of software availability and legal use, required equipment, and vendor reliability; describes how to set up a worthwhile specialized network despite these shortcomings; and outlines reasons for expecting networks to play a larger future role in education.…

Describes process by which faculty member committee at Drexel University selected a microcomputer to be purchased by all freshmen beginning winter term, 1983-84. Considerations in decision (critical audience, computer power, degree of innovation, user interface, graphics, sound, growth capacity, cost to student and university, and source of…