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In 1960, in developing nations, less than half of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school. By the early 1990s, despite rapid population increases in much of the world, the proportion was more than 75%. In most developing countries, education has been largely synonymous with schooling but not entirely. Formal schools have been widely accepted as vehicles for the transmission of official curricula. At the same time, there has been recognition that conventional schools may not provide the means for expanding education beyond a certain point, addressing some educational needs, or serving some populations. As a result of the kaleidoscope of needs, demands, and costs, there have been numerous attempts to develop alternative models of formal education to extend education in developing countries. This paper seeks to contribute to the international discussion of the potential of alternative models as a policy option to provide secondary school education in developing countries. The paper looks in detail at the rationale for expanding access to secondary education, even in countries that have not achieved universal primary education. It examines some of the experience of developing countries and the issues faced in creating and implementing alternative models at the secondary level. The paper highlights the experience of Honduras in developing an alternative junior secondary model. It notes that, although the Honduras experience is still a work in progress, the results of this experience warrant watching. The paper concludes with lessons learned from the literature on use of alternative models for secondary education. (Contains 52 references.) (BT)

Research on the utilization of educational media, or electronic classroom instructional aids, in primary schools in developing countries is reviewed in this paper. Five kinds of hardware--radio, television, computers, videodiscs, and hand-held electronic devices--are compared according to cost and learning effectiveness. A model of learning production is used to define the educational system in terms of its interaction with family and society, and to illustrate the relationships among the components of educational management, which include content, instructional materials, classroom management, physical facilities, and learning technology. Radio was found to be the most cost effective means of improving both scope and quality of instruction. Effectiveness is enhanced if the technologies are used in combination with curriculum development, instructional resources, administrator support, and teacher training. A comparative table, describing seven educational interventions, a diagram of learning production, and an extensive bibliography are included. (LMI)

Examines multichannel learning, using learning channels such as teachers, to connect learners to knowledge, skills, and information found in the immediate learning environment and the community or delivered from a distance. Also discusses international use of multichannel learning as educational development in the Philippines and Haiti. (JMV)