New non-voice services (sometimes also called information services) and the possibilities of telecommunication networks to support them are described in this state-of-the-art review. It begins with a summary of the various data transmission techniques, which include several types of data transmission over the telephone network: general, telegraph…

Pressures of politics and commercialism in Chile have altered the evolution of television from its original role as an instrument of education and cultural development. (RB)

The ATS-6 communications satellite is used to bring health education, vocational instruction, and medical assistance to remote areas of the Rocky Mountains, Alaska, and Appalachia. (DW)

Questionnaires were mailed to 138 students in 55 communities in British Columbia, Alberta, and the Yukon, who had enrolled from their homes in an introductory psychology distance education course; 92 responses were received. In addition to an integrated, open learning course package in print form, students could also watch a weekly one-hour live…

This paper examines the role that standard-setting plays in the adoption and growth of new technologies, particularly in the development of electronic media. Background on technological standardization is provided in the first section, including discussions of the costs and benefits of standardization and the timing of standards setting. The…

Great attention is being paid to the current high definition television (HDTV) system proposals that are being examined by the Federal Communications Commission Advisory Committee, and due to be tested over the next few years by the Advanced Television Test Center and by Cable Television Laboratories. Arguing that the focus of this activity has…

This guide is intended as a brief orientation to the Bulletin Board System (BBS) used by the California Educational Research Cooperative (CERC) in a continuing effort to expand support services to its member districts and ancillary providers through operation of an electronic networking system. This facility provides a means through which…

This manual is intended to provide guidance to those interested in establishing an electronic bulletin board system (BBS) that enables users to send and read messages both individually and by teleconferencing, and to transfer files to and from the system. The manual begins with a definition of a BBS and explains its uses and facilities. It then…

Our society is witnessing an ever-increasing sophistication in the development and use of computer and associated telecommunications technologies. Archivists are no longer faced with preserving relatively simply numeric files, but with maintaining a vast array of electronic information holdings ranging from complex databases to compound electronic…

The last three decades have shown a marked development in new technologies for storing and retrieving information: microform in the 1960s; online database in the 1970s, and CD-ROM in the 1980s. While microform lacks volatility and multiple access points, preservation programs find it to be ideal storage media: it has a longer life expectancy than…

This paper, the third in a series exploring future options for public policy in the communications and information arenas, argues that the communications spectrum--e.g., public mobile service, private radio, and domestic satellites--is a valuable but limited resource that should benefit all Americans. After a background discussion, it is…

This digest focuses on the teaching of foreign languages through distance learning, which refers to instruction via satellite or other long-distance telecommunication technology. The following questions are addressed: (1) What is distance learning? (2) Why is distance learning used? (3) How can distance learning provide the interaction necessary…

Detailed product information on peripherals for the blind computer user is provided and applications, availability, reliability, price, and selection considerations are described. Chapters address the following topics and product categories: (1) scanners (optical character readers, Kurzweil Reading Machine); (2) a buyer's guide to modems; (3)…

Results of an evaluation of the Washington Higher Education Telecommunication System (WHETS) are summarized. The system links Washington State University (WSU) in Pullman and the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle with the off-campus sites in Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver. The system also expands the microwave link between WSU and the…

The goals of this dissertation are to provide an empirical examination of the impact of competing technologies on cable television firms and to document existing pricing behavior in the cable and pay programming industry. The introduction provides a brief overview of the cable television industry, including the impact of cable on federal policy…