Discusses the advantages and disadvantages, the cost and benefits of teleconferencing as an alternative to travel for trainers and trainees. Gives examples of companies which are making use of this technology. (JOW)

The University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St. Paul, produces 250,000 transcripts a year with five microfiche reader printers. (Author/MLF)

The article reviews four operative braille production systems for use by the visually impaired that will cut costs. The four are manual, semiautomated, automated, and electromagnetic cassette. (PHR)

Extends Goffman's Indirect Method of Information Retrieval by suggesting a more flexible search strategy which, in its simplified version, appears more effective than the Boolean strategy used in existing information retrieval systems and can be implemented at comparable costs. (Author)

Educational marketing is now becoming legitimized. Marketing techniques such as cost benefit analysis and the selection of a mix of promotional methods are tools that educational administrators should understand and use. (SK)

Contracting for school maintenance in Vancouver (Washington) has improved custodial care and provided more than 20 CETA jobs while saving money. (Author/WD)

Reports on a study that sought to determine the point of diminishing returns in newspaper per-copy price increases. Concludes that, at a time when 15 cents was the most common price, an increase to 20 cents would have produced more revenue, but an increase to 25 cents would not. (FL)

Describes various forms of budgets and discusses concepts in budgeting useful to supervisors of school media centers: line item budgets, capital budgets, creating budgets, the budget calendar, innovations, PPBS (Planning, Programing, Budgeting System), zero-based budgeting, cost-benefit analysis, benefits, benefit guidelines, and budgeting for the…

Arguing that problems associated with the inter-relationships between money spent and educational effectiveness are not in surmountable, this paper addresses: setting goals and identifying measures of effectiveness; determining program effectiveness in relation to the goals of education; and determining cost effectiveness. Pennsylvania Department…

The differences between decision making in public and private organizations are examined with particular attention to questions of educational costs. (MM)

The general nature of cost-effectiveness analysis is discussed, analytical frameworks for conducting cost-effectiveness studies are described, and some of the problems inherent in measuring educational costs and in assessing program effectiveness are addressed. (Author/IRT)

Results of this comparative study indicate Tennessee librarians/media specialists devote a great deal of their time to tasks unrelated to the library (housekeeping, 5 percent; study hall, 10 percent; bus duty, 1 percent; security related tasks, 1 percent; and equipment repair, 3 percent). (JC)

Assessment of the cost effectiveness of information technologies should pay attention to such benefits as learner motivation, individualization, efficiency, self-assessment, retention, consistent quality, and distributive power. (SK)

Discusses research on the cost and benefits of government-funded universal preschool education. (Contains 12 references.) (PKP)

Describes a study of small, medium, and large enterprises in Shanghai, China that investigated which size companies benefit the most from the Internet. Highlights include leveling the ground for small and medium enterprises (SMEs); increased sales and cost savings for large companies; and competitive advantages. (LRW)