Reviews developments in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in the education of children with visual impairments. Highlights include the population of children with visual impairments in the United Kingdom; and World Health Organization classification of disability as a criteria by which the relevance of ICT can be measured.…

Outlines the advantages and disadvantages of Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) and advises potential users to consider: (1) service availability; (2) service levels offered; (3) service level needed; (4) installation fees; (5) tariff structure; (6) equipment needed; and (7) installation and configuration requirements. A sidebar relates…

Attempts to clarify the status of e-mail privacy under the Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986 (ECPA). Examines current law and the paucity of definitive case law. A review of cases and literature suggests there is a gap in the existing ECPA that allows for potentially abusive electronic monitoring and interception of e-mail,…

Ideally, California education agencies should negotiate their best telecommunications deal, further reduced by discounting their (federal) E-rate and their California Teleconnect fund rate. In reality, many districts are not realizing these discounts, due to application, management, and accountability complexities. A new training program may…

Interviews with administrators, faculty, and support staff (n=42) in a university agriculture department revealed that they recognized distance technology as a means of reaching new audiences; policies and procedures must expand to address technology issues; competition, external dependence, and Internet misinformation were threats.…

Describes the distance education efforts of the World Bank, which has spent $20 million since 1997 to get its distance education program started, and which plans to spend an additional $10 million in the next 2 years. The World Bank has the experience and resources to set up and deliver distance education in countries without a telecommunications…

Discusses wireless local area networks (LANs) which typically consist of laptop computers that connect to fixed access points via infrared or radio signals. Topics include wide area networks; personal area networks; problems, including limitations of available bandwidth, interference, and security concerns; use in education; interoperability;…

Open and distance education in Taiwan has evolved into cyberlearning. Over half (56 percent) of the conventional universities and colleges have been upgraded to dual-mode institutions offering real-time multicast instructional systems using videoconferencing, cable television, virtual classrooms, and curriculum-on-demand systems. The Ministry of…

A case study of Canada's telecommunications industry found the union engaged in education and research that helped build the potential for workplace democracy. However, scarce resources for these activities and management concerns about worker empowerment constrained progressive change. (SK)

Radio frequency identification, or RFID, is a generic term for technologies that use radio waves to automatically identify people or objects. There are several methods of identification, but the most common is to store a serial number that identifies a person or object, and perhaps other information, on a microchip that is attached to an antenna…

Each month "American School & University" provides a mix of thought-provoking features, how-to-articles, industry reports, exclusive surveys, new sections, insightful columns, new product introductions and case histories to assist education officials in better performing their jobs. This August 2004 issue includes the following: "Wireless World"…

In a previous column, standards for professional growth in educational technology for developmental educators were discussed. These standards focus on competence with technology applications for improving instruction. How these standards might be implemented through four stages of technology integration: adopting, adapting, appropriating, and…

Internet Protocol (IP) Telephony, or voice-over IP (VoIP), has proved to be a wise decision for many organizations. This technology crosses the boundaries of public and private networks, enterprise and residential markets, voice and data technologies, as well as local and long-distance services. The convergence of voice and data into a single,…

The benefits of deploying a communications system that runs over the Internet Protocol are well documented. Sending voice over the Internet, a process commonly known as VoIP, has been shown to save money on long distance calls, make voice mail more accessible, and enable users to answer their phones from anywhere. The technology also makes adding…

A random sample of 967 early intervention providers in 33 different states completed a telephone survey that was conducted with computer-assisted telephone interview technology. The survey solicited information about the service providers' views of assistive technology (AT) for infants and toddlers with disabilities. In particular, questions…