The first of two papers in this report, "The Present and the Future of Audio-Visual Production Centres in Distance Universities," describes changes in the Open University in Great Britain. The Open University's use of television and audio materials are increasingly being distributed to students on cassette. Although transmission is still the main distribution method for television material, a large proportion of students record course programs off-air for viewing at a more convenient time. Programs in recorded form offer students more opportunities to control and interact with the material and thereby improve the depth and quality of their learning. Potentially, the quality of distance education in Europe could be enhanced through greater use of audiovisual materials, but it would require collaboration between institutions. The second paper, "The Demands of an Information-Conscious Society on a National Distance Teaching University," discusses the potential of new technologies in distance education to contribute both to the production and dissemination of information and to the development of skills for handling, interpreting, and using information. The implications of electronic publishing for the preparation and delivery of distance teaching materials are considered, as are the roles of audiovisual and computer-based materials in helping people make sense of information. The advantages and problems of home computing in the Open University are discussed, including the potential of computer mediated communications to improve dialogue in distance education. (10 references) (Author/DB)