ITELS is an intelligent system for foreign language terminology learning aimed at enhancing learners' conceptual knowledge as well as in understanding specific terminology. Three agents--each of them characterized by specific roles with respect to the system functioning--take part in the instructional process supported by ITELS: the human teacher,…

Presents tips for building a secure library system to guard against threats like hackers, viruses, and theft. Topics include: determining what is at risk; recovering from disasters; developing security policies; developing front-end security; securing menu systems; accessing control programs; protecting against damage from viruses; developing…

Discusses the appropriateness of the newspaper metaphor for electronic news and highlights different approaches to the electronic delivery of news. Presents the editorial and presentational functionality of the Electronic News Delivery system project and provides an overview of the system architecture. Describes some of the prototype systems…

Proposes a framework for commercial Web application development based on prior research in hypermedia and human-computer interfaces. First, its social acceptability is investigated. Next, economic, technical, operational, and organizational viability are examined. For Web-page design, the functionality and usability of Web pages are considered.…

Reports the feasibility and reliability of calculating impact factors for Web sites, called Web Impact Factors. Analyzes seven small/medium scale national Web sites, four large Web domains, and six institutional Web sites over a series of snapshots taken of the Web during a month. Describes data isolation and calculation methods and discusses…

Offers points to consider when deciding whether to begin a full-scale campus portal project. Discusses approaches for creating campus portals; implementation strategies; barriers to implementation; and the potential ability of portals to extend the academic experience beyond the classroom to create 21st century learning communities. (AEF)

Investigated undergraduate art history majors' image retrieval tasks and image query modes. Discusses gender differences; prior information retrieval experience; significant differences between the number of search terms users planned to use and the number they actually used; and implications for image indexing tools, image retrieval system…

Describes software solutions in the recent efforts of ALEPH, Israel's research library network, to create an online catalog system that could support the Roman, Hebrew, Arabic, and Cyrillic alphabets. The result is a multiscript, bidirectional system that uses soft fonts. (BEW)

Describes an approach to the design and implementation of an information retrieval system capable of providing an optimal search for each individual user based on the properties of information need. An algorithm is proposed for organizing optimal search in the systems realizing SDI (selective dissemination of information). (Author/LRW)

Reviews information retrieval (IR) studies since 1986 from the user's perspective. Identifies two main approaches that advocate user-centered design theory: (1) the cognitive approach; and (2) the holistic approach. Also explores other approaches--systems thinking/action research and usability techniques that may have potential for IR research and…

Evaluates Web sites representing businesses in 11 countries in East and Central Europe (ECE) by taking a stance of the Western business user. Findings indicate that the ECE business Web is showing a capability of survival usability, while lacking for the most part more competitive usability. (Author/AEF)

A survey of 15 developers of computerized real-time observation systems found many systems have incorporated laptop or handheld computers as well as bar-code scanners. Most systems used IBM-compatible software, and ranged from free to complete systems costing more than $1,500. Data analysis programs were included with most programs. (Author/CR)

Notetaking and note reviewing appear to increase learning from conventional instruction. An experiment on notetaking with interactive videodisk (IVD) did not mirror these findings. With the IVD lesson, no statistically significant effects were associated with notetaking or reviewing, either conventional or matrix notes. (AEF)

Describes a software system that allows teachers and students in practically any subject to make interactive expert systems of quizzes on the Internet. Discusses the design of the system, including building a database of questions and answers; integrating text files of questions and answers with JavaScript-HTML pages; and the JavaScript and HTML…

Explores Web page and Web site mortality rates, and considers two types of change: content and structural. Examines those constancy and permanence phenomena for different Web document classes. Suggests that, from the perspective of information maintenance and retrieval, the Web does not represent revolutionary change, that in some ways it is less…