The mental health crisis in higher education is a systemic challenge requiring coordinated action at national, state, and institutional levels. The SHEEO-JED Mental Health and Wellness Learning Community, launched by the State Higher Education Officers Association (SHEEO) and The Jed Foundation (JED) in the fall of 2023, brought together state…

Affordable, reliable access to high speed broadband is critical to U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. Upgrading to higher-speed broadband lets consumers use the Internet in new ways, increases the productivity of American individuals and businesses, and drives innovation throughout the digital ecosystem. As this report describes, while the…

The telephone has to be one of the greatest inventions in history. Most children are fascinated by the prospect of learning to use the telephone to "reach out and touch someone." Getting connected has never been easier or more rewarding thanks to an innovative state program that provides a selection of specialized phones and services…

The United States is more accessible to deaf and hard of hearing individuals and people with disabilities today than it was 50, 20, or even 10 years ago. A variety of laws ensures equality in the treatment of deaf and hard of hearing people. Communication barriers have been addressed, and wider opportunities are available in education, employment,…

The use of computers in Virginia's institutions of higher education is reviewed and the role played by data communications in the work of the institutions is discussed. In this paper, data communications is defined to mean the movement of information from one place to another without changing the value of the information. State plans for…

A central argument for the existence of the South Carolina Educational Television Network (ETV) follows an economic theme. In the last three years ETV has conducted 319 teleconferences to provide specialized training for 74,000 people. The use of teleconferences during that period of time has provided services that could have cost the state eight…

The extent of present efforts in telecommunications research and innovation in the Commonwealth of Virginia is reviewed. Two programs are highlighted: Project HEAR (Higher Education Applications of Radio), designed to enable state-supported institutions to develop means of meeting cultural, instructional, and informational obligations through the…

This report presents an overview of the distribution formats for instructional television. While broadcast means of distribution have ben the mainstay of instructional television in the past, there are at least three television technologies that are considered as appropriate delivery mechanisms: over the air transmission, including broadcasting,…

This review of the problems encountered in the use of telecommunications for higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia points out that there is no agency or organization that has taken the lead in coordinating and facilitating the organized growth and development of television services with and among all institutions. Insufficient in-place…

This paper discusses three aspects of telecommunication programming delivery--instructional television fixed services, subsidiary communication authority, and cable television--and applies these systems to Virginia's requirements, pointing out their future potential in the Commonwealth. The potential oF network interconnection is also discussed…

This study of state agency use of facsimile transmission--a generic term used to refer to any of several communication techniques for sending half-tone hard copy pictures by wire or radio circuits--includes a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the medium. Users are divided into two groups: those that utilize facsimile as an integral…

The California Relay Services (CRS) is a statewide 24-hour dual-party relay system which is designed to bridge the communication gap between the hearing-impaired and the normal-hearing community by using communication assistants to relay calls between those without Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDDs) and TDD-users. (DB)

Describes distance education programs in Iowa, including the Iowa Distance Education Alliance developed through the Department of Education's Star Schools Program; the use of fiber optic technology; and the Iowa Communications Network that links colleges, universities, and secondary schools with public television. (LRW)

Describes activities sponsored by some of the 28 state Centers for the Books, affiliated with the national Center for the Book at the Library of Congress, that were created to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and libraries. Highlights include electronic bulletin boards, satellite conferences, and children's book fairs. (LRW)

This progress report describes the first year of a 4-year project to design and develop an educational telecommunications system for Alaska. Called "Educational Telecommunications for Alaska" (ETA), the project centers around a statewide computer network, linking every school district and regional resource center to each other and to the…