The trend in the 1980s to provide an increasingly larger amounts of government information in electronic formats has led to concerns regarding the inclusion of electronic items in the depository library program (DLP). Inclusion of electronic formats in the DLP provides increased public access but also poses technical problems for the depository…

Describes uses and applications for computer networks that link K-12 schools with universities, utilizing the prototypical network in Indiana named the Student and Teachers Electronic Productivity System (STEPS). The project called the Electronic School District has used STEPS since 1987 to investigate the benefits of a widespread and innovative…

Describes telecommunications and networking developments in Australia that provide increased communication and cooperation opportunities for libraries, as well as linkages to international information sources. Staff attitudes, document access and supply, the current situation of Australian academic libraries, and the concept of a distributed…

Considers electronic online access to newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Legal factors discussed include license agreements and copyright; financial factors include royalties, pricing, and publisher priorities; and technological factors include keyed versus electronic copy, electronic delivery, graphics, telecommunications, and image-based…

Discussion of access to the Internet focuses on access by public libraries. Topics addressed include the role of the public library; computer and information networks; the National Information Infrastructure; the NREN (National Research and Education Network); the telecommunications industry; federal legislation; costs; file transfer protocol; and…

Considers how to plan for online reference services. Highlights include local access to databases, including CD-ROM and database licensing; local gateways; online search services; and planning considerations, including cost, locating online information, telecommunications and computing infrastructures, and equal access. (Contains 15 references.)…

Discusses research on the process of introducing telecommunication technology in K-12 classrooms. To ensure parent and teacher involvement in Internet-based collaborative learning projects, a participatory design approach is examined that allows teachers to monitor and influence project design. This approach is selected because of its…

Describes a project designed to help high school language students learn about French-speaking countries that uses HyperCard and telecommunications capabilities and can be adapted to other related curriculum areas. Highlights include cooperative group work using the Internet and creating HyperCard stacks. (three references.) (LRW)

The study described in this article investigated original student research using student-to-student telecommunications. Sixth graders gathered original data through Internet to answer their own questions about education in other countries. Student surveys and teacher observation indicated students found telecommunications highly motivating. (SM)

Describes and explores the District Education Agent program, a community-based program proposed by the Subcommittee on Select Education of the U.S. House of Representatives, which is comparable to the agricultural extension service. Ways in which it might incorporate new technological capabilities are suggested. (12 references) (DB)

Discusses three configurations that were developed for the Integrated Information Center (IIC) at the University of Minnesota. These configurations--basic, intermediate, and advanced--represent increasing sophistication of support capabilities, increasing costs, and possible stages of implementation, depending on the requirements of the academic…

Describes Telecommunications Opportunities for Gifted Learners (TOGL), a state-funded project in Florida that links gifted programs in rural districts. The use of electronic mail and computer conferences is described; teacher education and training needs are discussed; and an example of a lesson plan that integrates online activities is given.…

Technologies that enhance the ability to create and understand information have led to changes in the traditional legal concepts of property, ownership, originality, privacy, and intellectual freedom. The importance of government addressing such issues and investing in development of a high-capacity computer network is discussed. (KR)

The development of electronic media over the last 10-15 years is briefly reviewed, and trends and developments in paper use in relation to electronic media and other technological developments are explained. Comparisons are drawn between electronic media and paper for information transmission and human use, and the environmental pressures on the…

Suggests that research on teacher telecommunication networks such as LabNetwork must examine how a network contributes to the teaching practice and professional development of rural teachers and must be embedded in an understanding of the conditions of rural teaching. Discusses network potential to provide space for a professional "community…