In 1983, a project at East Devon College of Further Education sought to identify learning needs in scattered rural communities, particularly among the unemployed, and to meet those needs with distance education technology. The project team identified the characteristics of several types of rural Devon communities and assessed curricular needs…

Both Mexico and the United States make use of communications technologies for distance education. In the United States, distance learning programs are plentiful. Most focus on a postsecondary level of learning and are planned and carried out by the individual sponsoring institution. A variety of technologies are used, including educational…

This discussion of the use of distance education for deaf students argues that distance education methodologies appear to be relatively attractive to the hearing impaired student because they rely to a substantial extent upon the written word and visual transmission of information. Several projects that use computer or interactive systems to teach…

The Intermountain Community Learning and Information Services (ICLIS) worked for 18 months to develop a model program to meet the educational and informational needs of rural adults by combining traditional methods and innovative technologies. The model consists of five concentric rings around a rural population circle with three additional…

This overview of changes in the field of telecommunications development produced by satellite communications over the last 15 years focuses on applications of satellite systems for educational and health purposes in developing countries. Satellite communications development from 1974 to 1986 is identified as the first stage of telecommunications…

Describes efforts underway at Pennsylvania State University to link branch campuses using compressed videoconferencing. Discusses the plans for using this technology for a variety of administrative and instructional purposes. Outlines the costs associated with developing such a system. (TW)

Describes the development of a network of 10 sites in Minnesota involving two-way interactive television systems. Discusses the instructional uses of the system, including its potential for use in community education. Outlines the efforts underway at three educational cooperatives which are using the system for instructional and administrative…

Explains the videotex technology and its current uses in business, banking, news, and entertainment. Describes a project underway at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in which the potential of using videotex in education is being explored. Provides examples of videotex use in indepentent study, courses, and home study. (TW)

Examines the role of counselors in distance education for adult learners by highlighting case studies of student service operations in Canada and England, focusing on programs at the Open Learning Institute and Brandon University. Technology used in counseling is described, including audiocassettes, telephones, video, television, and…

Describes various computer conferencing systems and discusses their effectiveness in terms of user acceptance and reactions to the technology. The methodology and findings of an experiment in which graduate students conducted a computer conference using a local area network and produced an electronic journal of the conference proceedings are…

Discussion of the role of telecommunications in distance education focuses on teleconference networks and international cooperation. Highlights include the TELECON VII Distance Learning Conference, the use of teleconferencing by corporations for continuing education and training, and questions to be addressed concerning the future potential of…

Presents case study on personal computer teleconferencing to compare its cost effectiveness with that of on-site training. A model is described that uses a checklist for decision making in three areas: (1) initial considerations, (2) planning considerations, i.e., design elements, and (3) technical considerations, i.e., review and selection…

Discusses the installation of a communication satellite dish at the Bloomington Public Library (Illinois). Highlights include rationale for the purchase, uses of teleconferencing, technical questions, interference and licensing, locating the dish, selecting a vendor, equipment and installation, publicity and use of the dish, and plans for the…

Telecommunication technologies (computers with Internet/e-mail capabilities, desktop videoconferencing units, and fiber-based video links) provided by the Learning Community Link did indeed expand typical school boundaries and did increase communication possibilities for teachers and students. Using the power of computers to communicate, analyze…

This study examined how collaborative processes of communication and knowledge construction over time and space are structured and organized utilizing two-way video conferencing strategies for distance education in undergraduate child development courses at two universities. Several qualitative research methodologies were employed to document…