Australian studies show that television assists in the socialization of immigrants, changing and shaping their self-images and perceptions of reality and fostering their interpersonal communication skills. Studies conducted to evaluate the introduction of television have found that television helps in the vocabulary development of young children. Comparisons of "Sesame Street" with the Australian program "Playschool" suggest, among other findings, that "Playschool" is more appropriately designed for four-year-olds than is "Sesame Street" and increases oral competence in a much more generalized way than does "Sesame Street," that "Playschool" encourages oral responses from children, and that the success of "Playschool" may stem from its promotion of associative learning of word meanings. Other studies suggest that television can provide children with a shared symbolic structure, thus facilitating interpersonal communication. A study of the uses and gratifications provided by the television program "Happy Days" suggests a number of conclusions, among them that adolescents watch the show so they can talk about it with others; that younger adolescents interact with the characters, making use of inner speech processes; that younger adolescents learn social skills and assertiveness from the program; and that the majority of adolescents respond to--rather than identify with--the program's characters. (GT)