Discusses the growing trend of federal agencies permitting online public access to their computers. Highlights include examples of public access programs, differences in agencies' stands on dissemination of information, agency computer networks and databases that are the basis for the National Research and Education Network, and security…

Defines portability of educational software; examines research regarding the portability of educational materials; considers barriers to portability; describes a research project conducted at the University of Twente (Netherlands) concerning the portability of computer-related educational resources, including networked learning environments; and…

Describes fiber optic technology, explains its use in education and commercial settings, and recommends regulations and legislation that will speed its use to create broadband information networks. Topics discussed include distance learning; interactive video; costs; and the roles of policy makers, lawmakers, public advocacy groups, and consumers.…

Discusses the need for library cooperation with other libraries and with outside organizations, to cope with technological change. Highlights include national bibliographic utilities and regional library networks; relationships among librarians, scholars, and computing professionals; alliances with the commercial sector; the Coalition for…

An eclectic group of 71 nonprofit organizations are urging policymakers to guarantee that the proposed national "data highway" serves the public interest by reaching poor and minority communities and including services that educators, librarians, people with disabilities, and others want. Higher education is represented by institutions and…

Describes a study commissioned by the Office of Technology Assessment that was conducted to identify innovative information technology applications, management practices, and policies to help integrate the electronic delivery of federal government services. Highlights include the information infrastructure, existing federal information policy,…

Copyright issues are discussed in the context of expanding use of digital media for publication and dissemination of information. Issues reviewed include conflict of academic values and copyright, the challenge of copyright protection for digital works, and the applicable law. Several scenarios illustrate specific legal problems. (MSE)

Identifies critical success factors that federal information resources management (IRM) must address, offers recommendations for how best to meet these challenges, and describes opportunities based on discussions with senior IRM leaders. A brief history of federal IRM, beginning with the Commission on Federal Paperwork in 1974, is provided.…

Reports on a comparative investigation of WAIS, a networking and finding aid used on the Internet, and a Boolean-based retrieval system. The terms and limitations of the study are described, and the comparative recall and precision rates are given. The problems and potential of WAIS and other highly interactive search systems are presented.…

Describes a pilot study to help develop instruments appropriate for a full-scale assessment of the Blacksburg, Virginia, community network. A brief overview of the methods employed in the pilot evaluation is given. The results of focus group interviews, lessons learned, and future plans are presented. The 17-item focus group questionnaire is…

Surveys the politics and economics of networking and presents four general leadership strategies for making progress in the climate of change surrounding the developing National Information Infrastructure: (1) building the organizational information infrastructure; (2) emphasizing exploration and discovery; (3) cultivating relationships and…

Discusses the use of microcomputers in creating national information systems in less developed countries; considers the structure and constraints of national systems; discusses bibliographic formats; and describes BABINAT, a reference format for national bibliographic databases that was developed in France for use in less developed countries. (20…

Introduces the uses for computer-mediated (also called Discussion) lists. An address and, in most cases, a short description is provided for each of 49 lists. (three references) (CNP)

Use of computer technology for specialized communication networks at University of California (Oakland), Lafayette College (Pennsylvania), Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania), the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook is described. The systems feature different forms of internal and…

A physics and chemistry teacher from rural Elmira High School (Oregon) describes his own and his students' experiences with the LabNet teacher telecommunications network and related project-based science instruction; the reactions of teacher colleagues and administrators to LabNet; and technological, psychological, and resource-related barriers to…