The command language features of 11 on-line information retrieval systems are presented in terms of the functional needs of a searcher sitting at a terminal. Functional areas considered are: becoming familiar with the system, receiving help when in trouble, regulating usage, selecting a data base, formulating simple queries, expressing single…

An illustration of modestly-interactive instruction of moderate length--to be administered to six students who start off together--is presented. Implications for IDCMS regarding number of audio programs and video files and extent of looping are preliminarily deduced on the basis of characteristics of the illustrative instructional program.…