The Information Superhighway

Describes how students are being exposed to a commercialized version of the Internet and includes information on how to develop noncommercial resources.

This text explores the shape of the partnerships between cable, TV, entertainment and multi-media companies, and how they lower entry fees, consolidate technologies and influence regulatory structure.

New edition of a resource about the information superhighway, more formally known as the National Information Infrastructure (NII) and the "infobahn," or Global Information Infrastructure (GII) in Europe. Perritt (law, Illinois Institute of Technology and Chicago-Kent College of Law) presents 15 chapters that deal with the NII as a source of legal

Discusses: (1) managing the transition to a more competitive local telecommunications marketplace, (2) ensuring universal service in a competitive marketplace, and (3) ensuring network security, privacy, reliability, and interoperability. Charts and tables

Wolfgang Glatthaar International Business Machines (IBM), Gennany The rapid developments in infonnation technology (IT) will continue through the coming years. New application areas will be added. Whereas the use of infonnation technology in the past decade has been concentrated primarily on business and public administration, in future the suppliers of infonnation technology will develop an increasing number of applications for the private household (see fig. 1). Traditional perspective: New perspective: 'IT-solutions for the "IT-solutions for the company' private household" ~ . . . . . . \ . . . . . . . . . . . . \ . . . . . . . . . . . . \ . . . . . . . . . . . . \ . . . . . . . . . . . . \ . . . . . . . . . . . . \ \ \ \ \ Fig. 1. New perspective on information technology This development has already generated considerable market dynamics. Latest forecasts for the USA suggest that by 1996 at the latest the private household will present greater sales potential for home computers than business and public administration. VI Preface Up to now the use of infonnation technology in the private household has not been regarded as highly significant by either business or science, even though PCs have become widespread in the private sphere. In the ESPRIT framework there have been individual projects dealing with home networks, and in a number of Asian and European countries, as well as America, experiments with interactive television are taking place. Internet and commercial online services are experiencing rapid growth. This application area for infonnation technology in the private household, which is generating increasing business attention, must also be the subject of appropriate research activities.

This report discusses the growth of the National Information Infrastructure (NII), or the information superhighway, and its implications for people with disabilities. Advantages for people with disabilities include: increasing the ability of individuals with some types of disabilities to access and use information; decreasing personal isolation due to mobility and communication restrictions; allowing individuals to interact with others in a way that makes their disability invisible or irrelevant; and allowing convenient access to educational and medical services. The barriers to the NII include: socioeconomic barriers; the complexity in the design of many products; the use of graphic interfaces; the use of touchscreens and pointing interfaces where alternate input techniques are not available; virtual environments; sound; animation and interactive systems; and the sealed nature of public systems that must have built-in access accommodations if they are to be made accessible. The report makes recommendations on how facets of the NII can be modified to allow greater access by those with disabilities and strategies that can be used to achieve changes. A list of 17 additional readings is included. An appendix describes the mission of the National Council on Disability. (CR)

Currently, little is known about library experience and success in providing Internet-based services to library patrons. Some studies conducted in the United States indicate that this is an area of great uncertainty, into which libraries are hesitant to venture. Issues such as planning, budgeting and costs, and types of services are some of the areas of concern. World Libraries on the Information Superhighway: Preparing for the Challenges of the New Millennium explores issues of Internet-based services in libraries and provides practitioners and educators with examples of libraries that have achieved success in this important emerging information area.