Considers ways to plan for Internet access based on experiences at Conestoga High School (Pennsylvania). Topics include dial up, mediated access versus direct connection; fees; Internet services, including e-mail accounts; support services; Internet use policy; and integrating Internet use into the curriculum. (LRW)

Includes "Perspective on Rural Education" (Miller); "You Want Them to Learn What?" (Jones); "Rural Education" (Baker, Burns); "Metnet" (Frick); "Rural Education and Training in Egypt" (Swan, Aly); "Mentors, Youth at Risk, and Rural Education Programs" (Wingenbach); "Designing…

Amplifies five principles set forth at the 1994 World Telecommunication Development Conference held in Buenos Aires (Argentina) to identify the U.S. government role in developing a global information infrastructure. Highlights include private sector investment, competition, open access, flexible regulatory environment, universal service, and a…

Describes SPINN (School Project in Northern Norway), a collaboration between the University of Trondheim and secondary schools that was designed to develop experiences on pedagogical, technological, and organizational matters using data communication. Highlights include Windows-based software, organization and training, individual school projects,…

A discussion of the "virtual library," use of a variety of cost-effective information technologies to provide high-quality library services to every sector of the community, considers implications for the nature and quality of public library services, especially those of branch libraries and libraries in rural areas. (MSE)

The unexpectedly rapid expansion of the Internet in Eastern and Central Europe is having a significant effect on institutions of higher education, still suffering from decades of isolation. The benefits include global access to information and cost-effective communications. A number of international efforts are under way to expand Internet access,…

Documents a graduate-level teacher-education program's initial effort to introduce telecommunications to inservice educators, to determine support and technological needs, and to inform policy for future practice. The major obstacles were lack of time, access to equipment, and resources for implementation. (AEF)

Explains the need for quality educational technology in elementary and secondary schools, describes the potential that telecommunications network technology holds for revitalizing American education, and outlines major federal programs that provide policy guidance and funding assistance relating to the National Information Infrastructure. A list…

An overview of the development of CD-ROMs is presented. Aspects covered include changes in coverage, the use of CD-ROMs in libraries and information units, changes in search interfaces and growth in end-user searching, changes in CD-ROM publishers, and hardware and networking developments. (Author)

The universities of the world bear profound moral responsibilities to increase understanding of nuclear-age risks and the need to reduce them. Global classrooms are needed. If universities design and set up an international information center and communications consortium, these facilities will support information exchange and provide…

Discussion of CD-ROM as an alternative to online searching for academic libraries focuses on a comparison between online and CD-ROM costs at the University of Natal (South Africa) library. Other factors examined include funding methods; user fees; staff involvement; user training; user access, including search intermediaries and networking; and…

The computer-mediated discussion list can be both a teaching tool and an evolving path of scholarly communication. A wide-ranging list of lists is provided that includes broad discussions of teaching effectiveness, news from a particular country, first drafts of scholarly articles, etc. Many stress target language use. (three references)…

Testimony to a congressional subcommittee stresses the importance of national broadband communications networks such as NREN and NSFNet to the educational community. Approval for a proposed private sector competition for a cooperative agreement with NSFNet is expressed, and the necessity for a common infrastructure for the NREN is discussed. (LAE)

This overview of MELVYL, the University of California's online union system, describes the databases included; network capabilities; software; distributed computing efforts; interfaces; new user needs, including integration with a user's environment, assistance in evaluating material, and assistance in evaluating resources; and the user community.…

Presents brief descriptions of 46 software programs designed to (1) help writers collaborate over a network; (2) help writers invent; (3) allow comment after critical reading; (4) help writers write research papers; (5) help writers analyze style/mechanics/usage; (6) offer on-line reference guides; (7) author multimedia courseware; and (8) assess…