As computer databases become more publicly accessible through public networks, there is a growing need to provide effective protection for proprietary information. Without adequate assurances that their works will be protected, authors and other copyright owners may be reluctant to allow the full text of their works to be accessed through computer…

This document consists of the full congressional report with minority views on amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (H.R. 2273) proposed by the House Committee on Education and Labor. The law would establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability. General topics covered include…

These proceedings of a world conference of the International Council for Distance Education (ICDE) contain the full text of the following conference presentations: (1) Official Opening (Senator Susan Ryan, Australia); (2) President's Address (John Daniel, Canada); (3) "The Broady Lecture: Opportunities of Distance" (Geoffrey Bolton,…

Although technology is affecting the way organizations conduct business, there still remains a need to pay attention to good business meeting practices. Based on observations of the meeting practices of a business firm, a consultant found several areas in which meetings can be made more productive. The purpose of the meeting should be defined.…

In sorting through predictions about future communications, it should be kept in mind that if one can think of a communication technology in the future, then that communication technology will stand a very good chance of becoming a reality. In other words, the forecasting of invention is not separate from invention itself. Secondly, the inventions…

Developments in direct broadcasting satellite (DBS) regulation--which have evolved in the United Nations (UN), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), and Unesco--have had an impact on the current international regulatory environment for DBS, especially those regulations evolving in the ITU, which has established a foundation of…

The first of two papers presented in this section, "Price-Caps: Theory and Implementation" (Peter B. Linhart and Roy Radner) describes a proposed method of regulation involving price caps on core services and no price regulation of other services. This method is designed to replace rate-of-return regulation during a transition period to…

Three papers consider various aspects of the labor market in the telecommunications field in the United States. The first, "Employment and Worker Dislocation in Telecommunications Equipment" (Julie Gorte, Office of Technology Assessment), notes that the increasing importance of international trade in the American economy has meant both a…

This examination of the use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) systems by individuals for the purpose of broadcasting messages to large numbers of recipients begins by contrasting CMC broadcasting with traditional conceptions of interpersonal and mass communications. Several alternative theoretical perspectives are then examined, and a set…

This paper summarizes the results of a recent study of the past performance and future prospects of the International Telecommunications Satellite (INTELSAT) Organization. First, an overview of INTELSAT's history is provided and major policy issues are detailed. Five alternative paradigms are then presented through which to evaluate INTELSAT's…

This paper examines the need for telecommunications and international trade policies in the Information Age and presents a model for developing such policies. The first of seven sections discusses the need for an Information Age Model, and the technological changes that are giving rise to increasingly integrated Information Age networks are…

This paper investigates how recent changes in the telecommunications industry are likely to affect government research and development policies by analyzing how changes in the market structure--in particular, increased competition in the industry due to domestic deregulation and international competition--change the political economy of government…

This newsletter discusses development projects in developing nations, including the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Peru. The following major articles are included: (1) "Radio Santa Maria: A Case Study of Participatory Evaluation" (John K. Mayo, Charles B. Green, and Miguel E. Vargas); (2) "Instruction by Audio Conference: An…

This report on telephone networks and computer networks in a global context focuses on the processes and organizations through which the standards that make this possible are set. The first of five major sections presents descriptions of the standardization process, including discussions of the various kinds of standards, advantages and…