THE INTEGRATED DISTANCE EDUCATION NETWORK
A Platform for Internet, FAX, Phone and Other Telcom Applications
Are funding constraints forcing your institution to "choose" between joining a distance education network and implementing needed applications such as Internet, E-mail, and telephone service? Perhaps a change of perspective is in order - it may be that what appears at first to be several separate functions are really parts of the same telecommunications system, and they can be aggregated at little additional cost.
Today, many of Wisconsin's leading educational institutions, reflecting both K-12 and schools of higher education, are either members of distance education consortiums or are in the process of planning a wide area video network. These networks have been put in place with the realization that the costs of adding future telecommunications and computer-based applications to these systems are not additive, but rather reflect substantial long term savings because they are built upon a common transport system.
These schools recognize that the first step to higher productivity and lower phone bills is the type of dedicated wideband connectivity represented by a wide-area video interconnect.
In today's cost-conscious environment, administrative personnel are constantly being asked to make the hard choices required to prioritize the telecommunications initiatives requested by staff and students. In this atmosphere, the current one or two "hot topics" will frequently be moved to the head of the list, even though the candidates not making the "cut" exhibit a high degree of synergy and cost sharing potential with respect to the funded projects. This "ad hoc" approach results in long-term costs which are higher than necessary, because each subsystem is designed only for one intended use, and must be updated in the future to support other applications when they reach the top of the list. This process is analogous to re-designing a house for each additional room to be added, rather than providing a sufficient foundation for all future rooms as a first step.
For instance, applications such as E-mail, Internet access and classroom telephones are actually modules of a more general integrated video, data and voice network, which can be implemented in phases if a broad-based foundation is laid as per a coherent Information Technology Plan. Once the backbone of the multi-mode system is put in place, each institution can build on this foundation in order to address its own needs. A multischool distance learning network can therefore serve as the vehicle to deliver E-mail, Internet, long distance telephone service, FAX, computer networking, and media retrieval applications at a considerably lower combined cost than would be the case if each was implemented separately.
Therefore - first things first! It is possible to have it all: Video Instruction, Internet, E-mail, phone systems and computer networking, by merely undertaking appropriate planning and designing an effective multi-year migration strategy. As per the experience of the institutions already using these systems, the network will ultimately fund itself with cost savings.
For more information please contact:
Evans Associates
210 South Main Street
Thiensville, Wisconsin 53092
(262)242-6000
fax: (262)242-6045
http://www.evansassoc.com
These pages produced and copyrighted by Evans Associates ©, Consultants In Telecommunications Technology, Thiensville, Wisconsin.