The emergence of postsecondary educational institutions in the Canadian North reflects a growing multidisciplinary and international cooperation and a change in attitudes toward the North. The ability to study in their home regions has increased Northern students' postsecondary attendance; substantial courses in Northern themes are available; and…

This article examines some of the social, technical, and economic issues encountered in the implementation of an educational technology at an Australian regional university. Reference is made to the implementation of the videoconferencing network at Central Queensland University (CQU). In late 1996 when the implementation process was completed the…

This appendix to the 14th annual report on implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act contains reports on progress in addressing the needs of two special populations: migrant students with disabilities and Native Pacific Basin and Native Hawaiian students with disabilities. Migrant students with disabilities tend to have…

This special report's feature article, "The Global Classroom," focuses on the ways the Internet makes the global classroom possible by allowing children to communicate with others around the world. To facilitate use of the Internet, the Northwest Regional Laboratory (NWREL) has plugged into the network and will be offering guidance for…

This paper describes computer and distance-education technologies in the South Western Educational Region of Queensland (Australia). The South Western Region is characterized by isolation, small schools, high teacher and principal turnover, teacher and principal inexperience, student mobility, pockets of social and economic deprivation, and many…

In 1994 Ethiopia committed to expanding its education system, particularly at the primary level, to reach previously marginalized communities. The unprecedented expansion of the education system resulted in large classes with few resources. The reforms aimed to implement student-centered, active learning, but the new approach was not reflected in…

Generations of rural people have relied on resource industries for their livelihoods. This digest examines how modern technologies allow career counselors to serve this population. In distance career counseling, four factors must be considered: (1) community characteristics, such as the informal hiring practices seen in many rural communities; (2)…

The goal of Section 254 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 is the "equality of affordable, comparably priced access to telecommunication services by schools, libraries, and hospitals regardless of geographic location." The purposes of this study were to provide decision support information to the Joint Board and Federal Communications…

In the spring of 2001, the University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Education included a web-based instructional component in all distance education classes. This component aims to mediate access and equity issues in providing postsecondary education to rural Alaska residents. The number of courses offered through distance education had been…

The New South Wales (Australia) Department of Education and Training has been employing distance education for remote students since the 1950s, using high-frequency radio supplemented by printed materials and audiotapes. In these settings, a four-way learning partnership evolved involving the teacher, student, learning materials, and home…

Research aimed to enhance rural women's access to communication and information technologies and to assess the impact of their technology use on their participation in small business development and community development. Over 200 women throughout Queensland (Australia) were involved. A trial electronic mailing list linking rural women to urban…

Provides a brief overview of the educational conditions in Canada's Yukon Territory and discusses their effect on curriculum development. Describes three social studies curriculum projects from inception to completion. The projects are "Our Land Too: Women of Canada and the Northwest 1860-1914"; "Klondike Gold"; and…

Australian rural communities often suffer from psychological isolation in addition to geographic isolation. Human and social capital are powerful antidotes to psychological isolation and are closely dependent on learning. Rural schools can reverse the negative effects of isolation on educational outcomes if they first work on building human and…

A culturally appropriate oral health training course tailored to the needs of rural Aboriginal health workers was developed in Western Australia. The course is taught in three modules ranging from introductory material to comprehensive practical and theoretical knowledge of basic dental health care. The program encourages Aboriginal health workers…

A survey examined the continuing education needs of 706 rural general practitioners (GPs) across Australia. An inability to generalize findings across location indicates that regional identification by local service providers would be more effective. However, a set of topics broader than the traditional continuing medical education topics for…