Three main factors in textbook selection for distance education--readability, appropriateness, and availability--are examined in detail, and suggestions for adapting standardized texts to the needs of individual groups are provided. Twelve specific criteria are listed for determining the appropriateness of a text and textual factors influencing…

This paper focuses on item design considerations faced by instructional designers and evaluators when using computer videodisc delivery systems as a means of assessing learner comprehension and competencies. Media characteristics of various interactive computer/videodisc training systems are briefly discussed as well as reasons for using such…

Three principal conclusions were reached by a study of the potential for cable television at Stanford University in connection with its use in the surrounding community: (1) Stanford residents should have an opportunity to receive cable television services soon; (2) beyond residential cable service, a broadband cable system offers Stanford many…

This paper describes the structure and function of the SYS IV PLATO Curriculum Project's (PCP) computer-based management system and justifies the system design. A consideration of features most critical in the design of management systems provides the context for a discussion of specific SYS IV features, which include its ability to deliver any…

This is the final paper in a series of three on SYS IV, a computer-based management system developed by the PLATO Curriculum Project (PCP) which tests students, routes students to lessons, stores detailed records of online student activity, and keeps summary records of student activities. An introduction describes how the system simultaneously…

Based on the assumption that if occupants of buildings knew which places in these buildings were relatively safe in disasters such as tornadoes, and if they had sufficient warning, architects and engineers feel there is a significant opportunity to advance the art of school (or building) design to provide tornado-protected areas. (EB)

After a discussion of the required characteristics of an ideal aid for blind individuals traveling in adverse weather, four electronic mobility guidance devices- the Mowat Sonar Sensor, the Russell E Model Pathsounder, the Bionic C-5 Laser Cane, and the Mark II Binaural Sensory Aid-are described in detail. (Author/SB)

The goal of this study is to suggest the agent systems by intelligence and adaptability properties in distance learning environment. The suggested system has flexible, agile, intelligence and cooperation features. System components are teachers, students (learners), and resources. Inter component relations are modeled and reviewed by using the…

Teacher input is essential to facility planning. A feasibility study also determines needs by focusing on community characteristics and needs, instructional efficiency, safety, and future plans. (MW)

In an increasingly technological society, there is a social need for designing communication technology around the perceptual abilities and cognitive strategies of people. A growing demand for information has created additional pressure on emerging communication technologies to provide electronic alternatives to the printed page. Design depends…

This document reports on a seminar that included country presentations and selected materials on the training of distance educators by participants from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, and Sri Lanka, Part I provides an analysis of the current situation in the training of distance education…

This discussion of how technology can and should be incorporated into the design of instructional systems for the use of disabled learners emphasizes the importance of the instructional designer being aware of the characteristics of the target population, including the psychomotor, cognitive, and affective factors involved. A "user-oriented…

This report describes a field application of the Computer Automated Page Layout (PLA) system to the development of a procedure training aid for the SH-3D/H Helicopter, as part of the Training Analysis and Evaluation Group's (TAEG) ongoing development effort to provide tools for the design and publication of technical training aids in a format…

This paper describes the psychology laboratory at Nebraska Wesleyan University and the efforts of the small department which participated in the design and development process. The lab consists of 26 rooms, mostly small cubicles, and covers approximately 3,800 square feet. Each area of the lab is described in terms of its design and function.…

Instructional design considerations involved in using level four videodisc systems when designing simulations are explored. Discussion of the hardware and software system characteristics notes that computer based training offers the features of text, graphics, color, animation, and highlighting techniques, while a videodisc player offers all of…