As of June 30, 1992, over 230,000 people in the United States had been diagnosed with AIDS. Of these, nearly 10,000 were between the ages of 13 and 25. The Healthy People 2000 goal is to get appropriate AIDS/HIV education into 95% of schools nationwide targeting 4th grade and up. However, most efforts to date are in 7th grade and up. Effective prevention education tools to fill the pre-7th grade classes are needed. We are proposing to develop and provide an interactive multimedia system on HIV prevention. This system is intended to be purchased and used by schools to provide health promotion and disease prevention information to 5th and 6th grade age children. We will refine current designs for in-school use and incorporate the most effective and appropriate learning methods for 5th and 6th grade children, including considerations of ethnic and special education needs, in designing this interactive multimedia system. The cost strategy and distribution plan will assure product accessibility and will stress wide distribution. This project will provide a model tool for health education, health promotion, and disease prevention to pre-teen children and youth.
