As the world enters the 21st century, information technologies are changing the ways we live, work, and learn. Technological development has created a demand for new skills and at the same time is providing powerful new learning tools and opportunities.

Personal computers and access to computer networks are becoming cheaper and more common throughout the world. When used appropriately, these and older technologies such as radio can be powerful tools for literacy and lifelong learning.

Now available in many countries, the Internet offers tremendous possibilities to improve communications infrastructures for literacy programs. Similarly, more traditional distance education--using radio, television, and other media--is likely to see dramatic growth in the coming years.

Finding an appropriate role for technology in the educational process requires careful planning. Simply giving teachers and students broader access to hardware and software will not improve learning. Creating effective and economical strategies for using technology to support education in developing countries is a major challenge. In meeting this challenge, much will be gained by comparing and sharing experiences among both developed and developing nations.

The following projects demonstrate how a variety of technologies can be used in both developed and developing countries to extend the reach of literacy education:

Interactive Radio:
RADECO, Dominican Republic

Nonformal Distance Education:
The Gobi Women's Project, Mongolia

Literacy Instruction and Staff Development Over the Internet:
LiteracyLink, U.S.A.