Search

The Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources and the House Committee on Education and Labor (now the House Committee on Economic and Educational Opportunities) asked the Office of Technology Assessment to examine the potential opportunities and possible pitfalls of work-based learning that would be supported by the School to Work Opportunities Act (STWOA). Three main questions are addressed: (1) What are the alternative models of work-based learning and how effective are they? (2) What new learning technologies could support work-based learning? and (3) How can employers be persuaded to provide work-based learning experiences for students? This report assesses the potential of work-based learning as a component of the school-to-work transition systems that are currently being developed in many states and local school districts. Chapter 1 reports the findings about work-based learning and the STWOA. Chapter 2 discusses the history of work-based learning in the United States as well as problems with school-to-work transitions and provides an overview of STWOA. Chapter 3 describes and analyzes the apparent advantages and disadvantages of five learning processes that can be used in work settings: experiential learning, work-group learning, mentoring, workplace instruction, and technology-assisted learning. Chapter 4 discusses various ways that work-based learning can be structured with respect to the following: the types of students who are served; the program objectives; the coordination with schooling; the timing, intensity, duration, and progression of work-based experiences; the settings of work-based learning; and the issue of payment for students. Chapter 5 describes various models of school-to-work transition programs with work-based learning and summarizes the evidence on their effectiveness. These models are youth apprenticeships, clinical training, cooperative education, school-to-apprenticeship programs, school-based enterprises, and career academies. Chapter 6 considers the factors that influence whether or not employers will participate in work-based learning programs. (YLB)

Every day, school-aged children encounter a wide variety of hazards that occur both outside and inside schools. This document presents findings of a report that examined the scientific data on the risks for student injury and illness in the school environment. The information is designed to help administrators set priorities for reducing risks to students. The report focuses on the risks that students between 5 to 18 years old encounter while they are at school, on the school grounds, at school-related activities, and traveling to and from school. Key findings include: (1) The two leading causes of death in school-aged children are motor vehicles and firearms; however, relatively few of these deaths occur in schools or on school buses; (2) quite often, the relative safety of schools, on a national average basis, is unknown; and (3) schools contribute to the risks of injury or illness in school-aged children; however, little is known about schools' contribution to nonfatal illness and injury. Finally, national data, particularly for environmental hazards, were usually inadequate to assess the risks to students. Data are presented for incidence of unintentional injuries, including playground-related, school-athletics, transportation, school-bus-related, pedestrian injuries, along with data for intentional injuries, including school-associated violent deaths and weapons. Information is presented for illness caused by environmental hazards, such as asbestos and lead, and for those that arise from exposure to infectious agents. Suggestions for comparing and managing risks are offered. References accompany each chapter. Eight figures and 35 tables are included. (LMI)

This report seeks to answer a set of related questions in the context of the United Kingdom: where technology education comes from, what it contributes to the curriculum and what its unique qualities are, and how excellence in students should be assessed. Part 1 describes and analyzes the evolutionary steps in the emergence of technology in the curriculum with a focus on the last 30 years. It traces the historical evolution of design and technology in the United Kingdom as a school subject, pointing out how it complements and differs from science and craft. Part 2 describes a national assessment that the author developed to find out what students learn from technology taught as design and summarizes the results. These findings are reported: girls appear to be better at identifying tasks, investigating, and appraising ideas, whereas boys seem to be better at generating and developing ideas; and Craft Design and Technology course students consistently outperformed the control group. Part 3 describes why technology education has been so successful. It points out some compelling reasons that have led head teachers, administrators, parents, politicians, and employers to value the contribution that it makes to children's development: the closeness between the process of design and technology and the process of thought; the centrality of communication; cooperative learning; and the direct link between technology in schools and subsequent industrial employment. Contains 35 references. (YLB)

Do teachers use technology in their teaching? Why? What happens when they do? Why don't more teachers use technology? How do teachers learn about technology? Are prospective teachers being prepared to use technology before entering the classroom? Which factors influence implementation of technology across schools and districts? What roles do schools, districts, states, and the federal government play in helping teachers adjust to the challenges and opportunities presented by new technologies? This report describes the results of the Office of Technology Assessment's (OTA) research into all of these questions, and seeks to underscore the connection between teachers and effective implementation of technology in schools. Research methods used include: site visits to schools of all grade levels across the country; conversations with teachers, researchers, and administrators; two focus groups of teachers; in-depth interviews with average teachers regarding their experiences with technology; a survey of faculty and recent graduates of colleges of education regarding technology use in preservice teacher education; a research review of telecommunications networks; and a review of past and current federal programs and support for teacher development and technology. The six chapters include: "Summary and Policy Options"; "The Promise of Technology for Teachers"; "Technology Access and Instructional Use in Schools Today"; "Helping Teachers Learn About and Use Technology Resources"; "Technology and the Preparation of New Teachers"; and "Technology and Teacher Development: The Federal Role." Six appendices provide a list of boxes, figures and tables; sources of survey data; a glossary; a list of workshop participants, and reviewers and contributors; a list of contributing sites; and contractor reports prepared for this assessment. An index is included. (MAS)

The report suggests that, in the process of acquiring hardware and software for students to use, teachers often have been overlooked. To use new technologies well, teachers need more than just access to these resources. They need opportunities to discover what the technologies can do, learn how to operate them, and experiment with ways to best apply them in their classrooms. This report seeks to underscore the connection between teachers and the implementation of technology in schools. Several key findings are examined in this summary: national statistics on computer equipment levels in schools; teacher computer use data; teacher attitudes toward technology; curriculum integration; teacher technology education; federal teacher development programs; and the educational level of focus of governmental support of technology in schools. A discussion on policy options and governmental role includes: "Federal Leadership: Legitimizing, Funding, and Targeting Technology"; "Research, Development, and Dissemination"; "Educating New Teachers, Professional Development, and Teacher Support"; and "School Access to the Emerging Telecommunications Infrastructure." (MAS)

The use of information networks for business and government is expanding enormously. Government use of networks features prominently in plans to make government more efficient, effective, and responsive. But the transformation brought about by the networking also raises new concerns for the security and privacy of networked information. This Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) report was requested by the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs and the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance. The report begins with background information and an overview of the current situation, a statement of the problems involved in safeguarding unclassified networked information, and a summary of policy issues and options. The major part of the report is then devoted to detailed discussions of policy issues in three areas: (1) cryptography policy, including federal information processing standards and export controls; (2) guidance on safeguarding unclassified information in federal agencies; and (3) legal issues and information security, including electronic commerce, privacy, and intellectual property. Appendices include Congressional letters of request; the Computer Security Act and related documents; evolution of the digital signature standard; and lists of workshop participants, reviews, and other contributors. An index is provided. A separately published eight-page OTA Report Summary is included. (JLB)

This background paper provides a picture of general progress in vocational education assessment instruments and policies. Chapter 1 explains the paper's purposes and presents a summary of its contents. Chapter 2 traces the evolution of federal accountability requirements in vocational education law and explains the intent of the 1990 provisions. Chapter 3 profiles current state testing and assessment policies in vocational education. It analyzes how state assessment policies and practices are changing in response to Perkins Act requirements and considers how these changes could affect both other reforms in vocational education and the nature of learning and instruction in vocational education itself. Chapter 4 describes some testing and assessment resources available to measure various kinds of occupational skills, including tests developed by three main vendors. Chapter 5 explores alternative approaches for defining, teaching, and measuring broad technical skills and highlights issues that should be considered in moving toward assessments that meet needs identified by Congress. Chapter 6 describes how the U.S. Department of Education has implemented performance standards. One appendix lists legislative milestones related to accountability in federal vocational education programs. Another appendix explains acronyms. (YLB)

This report analyzes the implications of computerized medical information and the challenges it brings to individual privacy. The report examines the nature of the privacy interest in health care information and the current state of the law protecting that information; the nature of proposals to computerize health care information and the technologies available to both computerize and protect privacy in the information; and models for protection of health care information. The following chapters are included: (1) "Introduction, Summary, and Options"; (2) "The Right to Privacy in Health Care Information"; (3) "Systems for Computerized Health Care Information"; and (4) "Designing Protection for Computerized Health Care Information." Included in the appendices are selected topics in computer security and model codes for protection of health care information. (JLB)

This report, published in its entirety (OTA-TCT-578) and in a summary form (OTA-TCT-579) containing only the first chapter of the complete report, focuses on key topics and issues that are central to the successful use of electronic delivery by government. The review conducted by the Office of Technology Assessment concludes that the movement toward electronic delivery of government services is accelerating, but that many factors must be considered. The greatest risks of electronic delivery are overlooking the human element and users' needs, which would further widen the gap between the technologically literate and the technologically illiterate, and failing to capitalize on all the opportunities that partnerships among government agencies and the private sector could provide. Changes that will be required in federal management are outlined, and options for successful implementation of electronic delivery are sketched. Many rely on the amplification of existing structures. Five appendixes complement the complete report, including a list of the 11 boxes, 5 figures, and 22 tables that illustrate the discussion; and lists of acronyms and terms, contributors, field study participants, and contractor reports. The summary volume contains four tables and two boxes. (SLD)

This background paper analyzes technologies for tomorrow's information superhighways. Advanced networks will first be used to support scientists in their work, but will soon be deployed more widely in business, entertainment, health care, and education. Significant progress has been made toward the development of gigabit network technology since the basic characteristics of the design of broadband networks began to emerge in the mid-1980s. No insurmountable technological barriers to the gigabit National Research and Education Network (NREN) appear to exist, as work in the testbeds (i.e., initial testing programs) is demonstrating. Testbed networks model the configuration in which the technology is expected to be deployed, in that test sites are separated by realistic distances and realistic technological applications will be used. Testbed applications research helps researchers understand how the NREN can be used to achieve science goals and as a testbed in itself, demonstrating technology that can be deployed more widely. The following topics are reviewed: (1) the Internet; (2) broadband network technology; (3) gigabit research; and (4) application of testbed research. One table and 17 figures illustrate the discussion. Highlighted points are summarized in 10 boxes. (SLD)

This report is aimed at helping Congress: (1) better understand the functions, history, capabilities, limitations, uses, and misuses of educational tests; (2) learn more about the promises and pitfalls of new assessment methods and technologies; and (3) identify and weigh policy options affecting educational policy. To prepare this report, the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) examined technological and institutional aspects of educational testing. This summary and policy chapter synthesizes the OTA's findings and outlines options for congressional action. The analysis and discussion are framed in terms of the functions of testing. The OTA concludes that examining the capability of various tests to meet specific objectives is the necessary first step in resolving the controversy over testing in American schools. Proposals now before Congress could fundamentally alter testing in American education. Three such issues are: (1) proposals for national testing; (2) changes to the National Assessment of Educational Progress; and (3) revisions to the Chapter 1 provisions for educationally disadvantaged children. Recommendations on these issues are summarized. The discussion is supplemented by eight sidebars (Boxes A through H) highlighting specific testing issues. Three figures and six photographs are included. (SLD)

This document, the second of three volumes in the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment's "Adolescent Health" series, provides background information on aspects of adolescents' lives and examines the effectiveness of prevention and treatment interventions. Chapter 1, an introduction to this two-part document, provides a summary of the contents of this volume as well as an outline of the series as a whole. Part 1 focuses on the background of adolescent health and provides a framework for viewing the lives and social environments of adolescents. The three individual chapters in this part examine respectively: adolescent development that may affect health, the delivery of health services, and public policy with respect to adolescents; the families of adolescents and models of parent-adolescent interaction; and school environments and discretionary time. Each of the 10 chapters in part 2 examines a specific health problem: accidental injuries; chronic physical illnesses; nutrition and fitness problems; dental and oral health problems; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and other sexually transmitted diseases; pregnancy and parenting; mental health problems; alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse; delinquency; and homelessness. For each chapter, sections are included on: (1) limitations of existing sources of data on the health problem, the prevalence of the problem among adolescents, and differences in prevalence by selected sociodemographic and nondemographic characteristics; (2) information on the prevention and treatment of the problem; (3) relevant federal policies and programs; and (4) conclusions and policy implications. A separate index is included for Volumes I, II, and III of this "Adolescent Health" series. (NB)

This report focuses on university/U.S. Agency for International Development (AID) interactions in activities directly related to agriculture, natural resources, and the environment in developing nations. It is noted that U.S. university participation in AID development assistance ventures has declined since passage of the Title XII program of the Foreign Assistance Act in 1975. New opportunities for U.S. university involvement in foreign development assistance, however, are arising from new initiatives in AID, and in other development assistance organizations. In addition, AID is focusing on its affiliations with development assistance organizations, including U.S. universities, to encourage multi-institutional collaborative relationships. The report covers the following topics: how AID has utilized university resources; recent trends in AID/university collaboration; trends in AID policies, programs, and funding; perceived conflicts in the AID/university relationship, both historical and recurrent; and opportunities for U.S. university participation in development assistance. Also discussed are new directions for university participation in development assistance. Appendices include a list of programs supporting research and technology generation, AID Regional Bureau strategies, and AID actions in developing countries. Contains 120 references. (GLR)

This document, the third of three volumes in the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment's "Adolescent Health" series, contains chapters 15 through 19, which address issues in the delivery of health and related services to adolescents. Chapter 15 reviews research on the shortcomings of the mainstream primary health care system with respect to adolescents, including the scarcity of specially trained providers. It discusses recent innovations to improve the service delivery to adolescents. Chapter 16 addresses issues in financial access to health services, noting that one out of seven adolescents are without any health insurance. Chapter 17 examines requirements for parental consent or notification. It summarizes the law on how the authority for adolescent health care decisionmaking is allocated, common law rule, exceptions to the common law rule, positions of health care provider organizations on adolescent health care decisionmaking, and the research literature on adolescents making health care decisions on their own. Chapter 18 addresses the health issues and barriers to effective and appropriate health services that are faced by selected groups of adolescents (those living in poverty, members of racial or ethnic minorities, and residents of rural areas) and reviews knowledge on interventions to increase access to health services among these adolescents. Chapter 19 provides an overview of the federal role in adolescent health. (NB)

This report analyzes what the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) identifies as four pressing challenges for the Federal Research System in resource allocation and funding for research in the 1990s: (1) setting priorities in funding; (2) understanding trends in research expenditures; (3) preparing human resources for the future research work force; and (4) supplying appropriate data for ongoing research decisionmaking. Additionally, the report examines the Federal Research System: the executive and legislative branches and the research agencies. Also discussed are the value of science and the changing research economy. The report contains several appendices which include the following: major legislation enacted since 1975 affecting U.S. research and development; the top 100 institutions ranked by amount of Federal research and development funding received for fiscal year 1989; the top 100 U.S. academic institutions ranked by Citation Impact, 1981-88; and academic and basic research decisionmaking in other countries. A list of OTA workshop participants, reviewers, and contributors is provided. Contains an index and 604 references. (GLR)

This report provides a summarized version of a larger study conducted by the Office of Technology Assessment concerning the choices that Congress and the executive branch must make in supporting U.S. science and engineering. The summary first discusses the report's origins; trends in federal research funding; and a look at federally funded research in the 1990s. The bulk of the summary then highlights and discusses four main issues and options confronting Congress in research funding. These are as follows: (1) setting priorities in the support of research; (2) understanding research expenditures; (3) adapting education and human resources to meet changing needs; and (4) refining data collection and analysis to improve research decisionmaking. Figures and tables contain breakdowns of various funding trends from the 1960s to the 1990's as well as a projection of cost scenarios for select projects to the year 2005. A final section of the summary reviews possible actions that Congress and the executive branch can take in converging on these issues. (GLR)

This report is part one of three volumes to be published by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) in response to the request of members of Congress to review the physical, emotional, and behavioral health status of contemporary U.S. adolescents, including adolescents in groups who might be more likely to be in special need of health-related interventions. These groups include adolescents living in poverty, those from racial and ethnic minority groups, and those living in rural areas. The report identifies risk and protective factors for adolescent health problems and integrates national data in order to understand the clustering of specific adolescent problems. It also evaluates options in the organization of health services and technologies available to adolescents, including accessibility and financing. Options in the conduct of national health surveys to improve collection of adolescent health statistics are assessed, and gaps in research on the health and behavior of adolescents are identified. This volume summarizes the findings of OTA's report and presents the policy options arising from OTA's analysis. First it presents the major findings and policy options. Then it summarizes specific findings and additional policy options from chapters in volumes two and three of the report. Finally, it presents a discussion of selected barriers to and opportunities for change. A table of contents listing the chapters and appendices in volumes two and three is included in the appendix. (LLL)

This is the second publication from the Office of Technology Assessment's assessment on information technology and research, which was requested by the House Committee on Science and Technology and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. The first background paper, "High Performance Computing & Networking for Science," published in 1989, framed the outstanding issues; this background paper focuses on the federal role in supporting a national high-performance computing initiative. Chapter 1, "High-Performance Computing and Information Infrastructure for Science and Engineering," discusses the goals of the initiative, the government's role, the structure of federal policy, major strategic concerns, and long-range planning needs. Chapter 2, "Policy Considerations for High-Performance Computing," describes the difficulties and barriers to advancing computer technology, providing access to resources, and expanding and improving usage. The purposes of these centers are also discussed in this section. Chapter 3, "High-Performance Computers: Technology and Challenges," discusses the research and development process and the evolution of computer technology. Brief descriptions of national and other high-performance computer facilities are appended. (KR)

This background paper examines evidence for the effectiveness of treatment for drug abuse and evaluates the role of drug abuse treatment as a strategy to prevent Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) spread. Because most intravenous (IV) drug users are not in treatment, the study also examines other approaches to HIV prevention. The remainder of the first chapter summarizes the main findings. Chapter 2 reviews the current situation regarding drug use and HIV infection in the United States. Chapter 3 provides background information about the drugs of abuse and various treatment modalities. Chapters 4 and 5, respectively, review the existing literature on the effectiveness of drug abuse treatment and examine the role of drug abuse treatment in preventing HIV infection. The appendices describe the method of study and the drugs of abuse other than narcotics and stimulants; summarize a cost-benefit analysis of drug abuse treatment; and review highlights from the most recent National Drug and Alcoholism Treatment Unit Survey. (LLL)

Workers' skills are critical to U.S. industrial productivity and competitiveness and to maintaining living standards. Training is the key. Good training pays--for workers whose skills are upgraded, for companies seeking a competitive edge, and for the nation in overall productivity. However, workers in other countries are better trained than most U.S. workers. Too often, U.S. businesses seek to improve productivity by investing in hardware rather than in training people. Firms that do provide training have found it to be harder than anticipated. Traditional approaches are too narrow and many workers lack basic skills. The quality of training must improve. Greater federal involvement may be required to develop the highly skilled, flexible workers needed today. New institutional structures will also be needed to make affordable training available to small businesses. Policy options can be grouped in four broad issue areas: reducing barriers to firm-based training; retraining for individual career advancement; linking training and technology assistance to firms; and improving the quality and effectiveness of training. (An appendix examines training in the military.) (KC)

This report analyzes the problem families and others face in locating and arranging appropriate services for people with dementia and discusses federal policy options for the development of a system to resolve the problem. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the problem and discusses the factors that determine what kind of system is needed to link people with dementia to services. Chapter 2 focuses on the informational aspects of the process by which people with dementia and their caregivers are linked to services. Chapter 3 discusses the need for outreach and case management for those who need assistance that goes beyond public education and information and referral. Chapter 4 discusses certain concepts and distinctions that are important in thinking about how to determine people's decisionmaking capacity and how to make decisions on behalf of people who are not capable of making decisions themselves. Chapter 5 focuses on the potential role a federally mandated linking system might play with respect to the quality and appropriateness of services to which it connects people with dementia. Chapters 6 through 8 describe the Veterans Affairs health care and health-related services and various state linking programs and community service systems, and analyze 11 categories of agencies that Congress could designate as a basis of a national linking system for people with dementia. (LLL)

Prepared in response to a request from the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, this report assesses how scientific and technical information (STI) developed by or for the Federal Government can contribute to a more competitive United States and what actions are needed to realize this potential. It is argued that STI is important because of its potential significant impact on global issues, as well as its critical role in the innovation process in education, basic research, applied research and development, product development and manufacturing, and the application of science and technology to meet the needs of the commercial, not-for-profit, and governmental markets. Topics of discussion include: (1) Federal Scientific and Technical Information and the U.S. Competitive Edge, which includes science and technology policy, science education, and international competitiveness; (2) Reaching Consensus on Principles of Federal Scientific and Technical Information Dissemination; (3) Reaching Consensus on the Open Flow and Government-wide Dissemination of federal STI, which focuses on the role of government wide dissemination and archival agencies in STI; and (4) Framework for a Presidential Initiative on Scientific and Technical Information, which highlights the role of the Executive Office of the President, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), as well as other Federal Government agencies. A review of technological opportunities for managing and disseminating federal STI and a list of acronyms are appended, and an index by major topics is provided. (DB)

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is undertaking a comprehensive assessment of literacy in the United States. The assessment will examine how technology offers new resources and creates opportunities to reach learners and improve productivity of learning. OTA will identify ways to increase learning access in existing programs and overcome economic, social, institutional, and technological barriers. In assessing new roles for technology, the study will analyze the changing requirements for skills and knowledge. In this effort, OTA will incorporate existing data and information about what people know, how they learn, and what they need to know in the workplace, the home, and the community. The assessment will look at the current base of adult education and family literacy services in schools, community colleges, community-based organizations, volunteer networks, libraries, and businesses. OTA will examine how these programs work, who is being reached, and what opportunities can be created by new institutional arrangements and emerging technology. Literacy is not a new issue for Congress. Several recently enacted laws, as well as House and Senate bills in conference, expand literacy services through a variety of institutions. Improving the literacy skills of all citizens is one of the six national goals agreed to at the Education Summit. OTA's work on educational technology, worker training, adolescent health, rural telecommunications, and economic development will provide useful background information. (Forty-one footnotes and a list of 12 major federal program supporting literacy efforts are included in this document). (NLA)

Health needs and health services in rural America are key issues directly related to education as well as community well-being. This report examines rural America's access to basic health care services and discusses options for congressional consideration. The focus is on trends in availability of primary and acute rural health care and on factors affecting those trends. The report describes the characteristics of rural populations and health programs, the availability of rural health services and personnel, and delivery of rural maternal and infant health and mental health care services. On each subject, options for congressional action are examined. The federal government currently finances several different types of rural health care programs, and has a strong interest in health care trends. Major declines in inpatient utilization, compounded by increasing amounts of uncompensated care, have undermined the financial health of many rural hospitals, which also are faced with the outmigration of rural residents to urban areas for care. Policy reform options are presented in regard to: (1) improvement of rural health facilities; (2) availability and training of health professionals in rural areas; and (3) enhancing maternal and infant care programs and mental health care programs in rural areas. This document contains numerous charts, graphics, data tables, and appendices that present background information about the study. It also includes a 745-item bibliography and a subject index. (TES)

This report analyzes the implications of new communication technologies for business, politics, culture, and individuals, and suggests possible strategies and options for Congressional consideration. The report consists of 13 chapters: (1) Summary; (2) Conceptual Framework for Analyzing Communication Issues; (3) New Technologies and Changing Interdependencies in the Communication Infrastructure; (4) The Impact of New Technologies on Communication Goals and Policymaking; (5) Communication and Comparative Advantage in the Business Arena; (6) Communication and the Democratic Process; (7) Communication and the Production of Culture; (8) Communication and the Individual; (9) Equitable Access to Communication Opportunities; (10) Security and Survivability of the Communication Infrastructure; (11) Interoperability in the Communication Infrastructure; (12) Modernization and Technological Development in the U.S. Communication Infrastructure; and (13) Jurisdictional Issues in the Formulation and Implementation of National Communication Policy. The appendixes include a list of each of the following: workshop participants; reviewers and contributors; contractor reports; and acronyms used in the report. (GL)

This summary of the larger report analyzes the implications of new communication technologies for business, politics, culture, and individuals, and suggests possible strategies and options for Congressional consideration. The first of four major sections describes the changing U.S. communications infrastructure. The second section summarizes some of the opportunities and constraints presented by new communication technologies, including discussions of communication and comparative advantage in the business arena, communication and the democratic process, communication and the production of culture, and communication and the individual. Policy issues and Congressional strategies are discussed in the third section. Issues addressed include equitable access to communication opportunities; security, survivability, and interoperability of the infrastructure; modernization and technological development of the U.S. communication infrastructure; and jurisdiction in the formulation and implementation of national communication policy. The fourth section presents the case for a national market, economic, and social vision of the role of communication. Figures included throughout illustrate Congressional options in response to changes in the communication infrastructure. (GL)

The Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs is considering legislation to improve mental health services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. This report is in response to the Committee's request for information on the mental health needs of Indian adolescents and the services available to them. The section on mental health problems among American Indian and Alaska Native youth examines: (1) diagnosable mental disorders, particularly developmental disorders, depression, suicide, anxiety, and substance abuse and dependence; (2) serious, but less diagnostically specifiable, problems of adolescence, such as low self-esteem, conduct disorder, school dropout, delinquency, and running away; and (3) environmental risk factors, including otitis media, fetal alcohol syndrome, child abuse and neglect, parent alcoholism, family disruption, and stressful school environment. The section on delivery of mental health services discusses: (1) agencies and programs involved in service delivery, including the Indian Health Service (IHS), Bureau of Indian Affairs, tribal health programs, urban Indian health programs, and state and local service agencies; (2) treatment settings and therapeutic interventions adapted to and by American Indians; (3) cultural insensitivity in Indian mental health programs; (4) community involvement; and (5) agency coordination efforts. The report concludes that 160-200 child and adolescent mental health providers are needed in IHS service areas, and presents Congressional policy options. This report contains 390 references and 37 data tables. The appendixes include a review of earlier evaluations of Indian adolescents' mental health needs. (SV)

This study, which examines the extent to which information technology could serve American needs for education and training, documents two basic sets of conclusions: (1) the so-called information revolution is profoundly affecting American education by changing the nature of what needs to be learned, who needs to learn it, who will provide it, and how it will be provided and paid for; and (2) information technology can potentially improve and enrich educational services provided by traditional educational institutions, distribute education and training into new environments such as the home and office, reach new clients such as the handicapped and homebound, and teach job-related skills in the use of technology. This report provides an overview of the issues involved in educational applications of the new technologies, examining both the demands that will be made on education and the opportunities these technologies will afford to meet those demands. A wide variety of new information products and services is examined, including those based on the combined capabilities of computers, telecommunications systems, and video technologies. The effects which information technologies may have on the roles of a broad range of educational providers are also examined. Seventeen case studies of information technology applications are appended. (LMM)

This study examined the implications of potential Medicare coverage for the use of preventive services by analyzing current use and and the determinants of that use by the elderly. Trends in available data suggested that the use of preventive services varies widely according to the type of service and that the rates of use of specific services show a high level of consistency across studies, despite methodological differences. Data also indicated that if an elderly person receives any preventive services, he or she is likely to receive multiple services. An analysis of data for the over 65 population in the 1982 National Health Interview Survey found that the probability that an elderly person used each of five selected preventive services (glaucoma screening, eye examinations, blood pressure measurement, breast examinations, and Pap smears) was consistently related to: (1) being male (for the three services available for men and women); (2) being younger; (3) having more education; (4) having greater family income; (5) having health insurance in addition to Medicare; (6) living in a metropolitan area; and (7) having spent more days in bed during the previous year. The implications of this study suggest that reducing patients' out-of-pocket expenses for preventive services through Medicare would probably increase the percentage of elderly receiving preventive care; Medicare coverage of preventive services may indirectly increase the use of preventive services; and expansion of Medicare to cover preventive procedures will represent an immediate boost in the program's financial obligations. (LLL)

The Office of Technology Assessment is conducting an assessment of the effects of new information technologies--including high performance computing, data networking, and mass data archiving--on research and development. This paper offers a view of the issues and their implications for current discussions about Federal supercomputer initiatives and legislative initiatives concerning a national data communication network. The observations to date emphasize the critical importance of advanced information technology to research and development in the United States, the interconnection of these telecommunications technologies into a national system program, and the need for immediate and coordinated federal action to bring into being an advanced information technology infrastructure to support U.S. research, engineering, and education. High performance computers are discussed in detail using the Cornell Theory Center, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and the John von Neumann National Supercomputer Center as examples. Several high performance computer facilities at the state level are also reviewed, as well as changes in the scientific computing environment, the review and renewal of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Centers, and international programs in Japan and Europe. A detailed discussion of the status of and policy issues surrounding data networking for science focused on the proposed National Research and Education Network (NREN) concludes the document. A list of reviewers and the names and affiliations of the High Performance Computing and Networking for Science Advisory Panel are included. (DB)

In the history of Federal involvement in rural areas, communications has played a significant role. However, at the moment, the future of rural telecommunications looks bleak. Although the extent of interest within the Federal government is wide, the intensity of interest is low, particularly at the highest levels. This paper provides: (1) a review of the specific interests and capacities of the various Federal agencies actually or potentially concerned with rural telecommunications; (2) an assessment of the specific roles that various Federal agencies and other interested parties might play in rural telecommunications; and (3) a description and appraisal of the merits of various scenarios by which different plays might be combined into a broad effort. Information is from several interviews with Federal government officials and other interested individuals, along with a review of recent legislative initiatives. Among the Federal agencies discussed are the: Department of Agriculture; Appalachian Regional Commission; Office of Telecommunications Policy; Department of Commerce; and Health, Education, and Welfare. (NQ)

Fiber optic communications (communications over very pure glass transmission channels of diameter comparable to a human hair) is an emerging technology which promises most improvements in communications capacity at reasonable cost. The fiber transmission system offers many desirable characteristics representing improvements over conventional coaxial cable used in the transmission of television (video) signals, namely: superior bandwidth, immunity from electromagnetic interference, electrical isolation, small size, light weight, high strength, bendable, corrosion resistant, negligible cross-talk, privacy, transmission properties nearly independent of temperature, humidity, vibration, and potentially lower cost with adequate supply of raw materials. Fiber cables can be readily installed in ducts and conduits with significant savings in space. Intended as a resource statement of technology readiness and potential future implications of fiber optics, this paper briefly describes fiber optic communications by its characteristic major components; mentions some future developments which may have significant impact on broadband communication services; describes some coming trends in communications which may make fiber optic communications very desirable; and discusses and compares some fiber optic communications with existing technology for applications in rural broadband communication systems. (Author/NQ)

While state and local regulation is important to the development of communications, particularly broadband, Federal policies have been and will continue to be the dominant force in shaping the regulatory environment for communications. This paper identifies the Federal regulatory policies that have been most important to rural communications, and assesses broadly how well they have served to promote balanced national growth and development. In addition, areas where policy is and is not sufficiently flexible to meet distinctive rural needs are identified. Federal regulatory policies are organized within broad categories: (1) broadcasting (radio and television), (2) cable (general policies), (3) cable and broadcast translators, (4) telephone-telegraph services, and (5) domestic satellites. (NQ)

To explore the economic feasibility of a rural broadband telecommunications system supported by revenues from subscriber, commercial and public service users, a potential demonstration cable system was designed and evaluated for Poinsett County, Arkansas. Analyses of projected capital and operating costs, anaticipated revenues, prospective public service applications, required non-entertainment contributions, and break-even fees and penetration rates were made using the Hopkins Cable Model modified to reflect some specific features of rural systems. The system was designed on the basis of the County's existing utility distribution system. The analytical approach was to: estimate, on the basis of model calculations, the total capital and operating costs of the system over a 10-year period; determine the amount of these costs that can be expected to be covered by subscriber revenues for entertainment uses over the period; and indicate the remaining average annual revenues that would be required to be covered from public service uses, grants, and other sources of non-entertainment revenue for the system to break even. Findings included: a demonstration system in the County would cost around $3,880,000; subscriber fees for entertainment uses were anticipated to yield $1,903,000 in total revenues over the period; and at a $6/month basic subscriber fee, a penetration rate of 74.5% would be necessary to finance the system entirely from entertainment uses. (NQ)

Late in 1973 it became evident that the trend of population growth in the U.S. had turned toward rural and small town areas. Growth and migration rates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas were compared. Counties were classified by certain basic functional characteristics, and the trend was examined in those that were dominated by some feature or function. Principal source of current population data was the annual series of estimates for all counties conducted by the Census Bureau in cooperation with State agencies. Causal data such as the Social Security Administration's statistics on covered employment and on location of retired worker beneficiaries were also used. Findings included: from April 1970 to July 1974, the nonmetropolitan counties increased in population by 5.6%, while metropolitan counties grew by 3.4%; as measured by the rate of net migration, all but two States showed increased net retention or greater acquisition of population in their nonmetro areas in the 1970's as compared with the 1960's; the nonmetro counties that showed the most rapid growth were those that were termed retirement counties; the second most rapidly growing class of nonmetro counties was those where a senior State college was located; and counties with high dependence on farming were still having net outmigration though on a far lower pace of outmovement than in the 1960's. (NQ)

For several years, the Office of Telecommunications Policy has initiated projects investigating the potential of telecommunications as a method for alleviating some of the problems of rural America. In the course of these investigations, a number of insights have been gained relating both to the match between rural problems and telecommunications solutions and to some of the issues involved in service delivery via telecommunications wherever the delivery takes place. Covering some of the issues raised during these investigations, this paper discusses: (1) the rural setting, trends, background, and traditional public services (education, health, public works, public safety, and recreation); (2) some of the alternative technologies (telephone, coaxial cable, radio, video broadcasting, microwave, and satellites); (3) significant characteristics and comparative advantages of cable and local telephone systems; (4) some aspects of the "software problem"; (5) the development of methodology for identifying the communications requirements of localities; and (6) the compilation, codification and analysis of information already available. Several representative studies and demonstrations pertaining to health services, services to the elderly, educational services, public safety, and administrative services are outlined. (NQ)

The study was conducted to determine the feasibility and value of using broadband communications (transmission of many television, voice and/or data signals through a single system) to provide public services for rural areas. Applications of broadband communications to rural areas were divided into public services (health, education, law enforcement, and governmental/administrative uses) and commercial uses (security systems, information and data transmission, and pay-TV). Each category was examined in terms of: rural needs; experiments conducted in providing the service; and potential rural uses, including their feasibility and value. In addition, tasks were undertaken to: identify rural needs and make a preliminary evaluation of actual and potential applications of broadband communications to meet those needs; determine the present status of rural growth so that the role broadband communications might play could be defined; and identify constraints to, and an approach for, bringing broadband communications to rural areas. Three policy alternatives were identified, briefly considering pros and cons of each. Appendices include: an examination of the health services and needs of rural populations; and a description of the technologies (cable television, translators, telephone, microwave, communications satellite, fiber optics) included in the assessment and the economic factors governing their use. (NQ)

This report, developed by the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), is intended to provide the Congress of the United States, during its deliberation on the creation of a new Department of Education, with a range of options for dealing with science and technology educational issues. It consists of two chapters. The first chapter includes potential long-term impacts, both positive and negative, of the proposed Department of Education on three key science and technology-related areas. These are the programs of the National Science Foundation's Science Education Directorate, general support programs for graduate science and engineering training across the country, and educational analysis and research which should be the responsibility of an appropriate Federal agency. Key criteria to be utilized in these evaluations are presented for the use of congressional committees. Specific options dealing with these science education activities are also presented. The second chapter presents an analysis of the effects of the establishment of the proposed Department of Education on science and technology activities of the federal government. An appendix including a bill to establish a Department of Education and for other purposes is also presented at the end of this publication. (HM)

The application of programmable automation (PA) offers new opportunities to enhance and streamline manufacturing processes. Five PA technologies are examined in this report: computer-aided design, robots, numerically controlled machine tools, flexible manufacturing systems, and computer-integrated manufacturing. Each technology is in a relatively early stage of development and even earlier stages of application. PA is not likely to generate significant net national unemployment, but its use may exacerbate regional unemployment problems. Due to PA, the white-collar work force will constitute a larger proportion of manufacturing employment. The introduction of PA will create situations that have negative psychological effects on the work force but will tend to have a favorable impact on the physical surroundings of work. PA will reshape instructional services and create new demands for high quality education, training, and retraining programs; career guidance; job counseling; and placement services. PA industries concentrate on software and customer services and are characterized by high levels of interchange between firms. Both industry and government fund a broad range of PA research and development. Successful Federal policy regarding PA must mesh actions in several areas through a multifaceted strategy. (YLB)

Rapid technological change in American society has been accompanied by accelerating growth of the population over 65. This report discusses the new challenges that will face the public and private sectors in both responding to the needs and making use of the resources of older Americans. The report discusses five chronic conditions that severely affect older persons. The potential health improvements from behaviors that may delay the onset of chronic diseases, the need for increased biomedical research into the causes of these diseases, and methods to encourage behaviors that promote health are also reviewed. Special attention is given to the potential impact of telecommunications in the home and community in promoting self-health care among the elderly. The housing and living environment of the elderly are also described. Shared housing, residential care facilities, accessory units, and other types of residences that would expand the housing choices available to older Americans are discussed in the report. The study also evaluates the impact of changes in workplace technology. Job security may be weakened in some industries, while in others technology can enhance job performance, safety, and security for older workers. Finally, the report addresses the retraining of older workers, which would encourage continued employment or provide new employment possibilities. Extensive indexes to the report provide information on morbidity and mortality statistics, the cell biology of aging, nutrition, biotechnology, workplace technology and the employment of older adults, a glossary of terms, and a list of contractors involved in preparation of the report. (KC)