Churchill 95-54251 Network Montana Project (NMP) will focus on the development of flexible, sustainable approaches to a systemic educational network infrastructure. The partners in this enterprise will include teachers, administrators, and researchers from the state's educational system, leaders in state government, and individuals from a variety of community, professional, and private sector organizations. Commitments of talent and resources from all partners will be focused on the development of a lasting infrastructure capable of supporting the development of a variety of educational telecommunications services. This proposal seeks funding for a three year grant aimed at developing a systemic approach to K-16 networking in Montana that: 1. Builds and maintains a state-wide coalition of partners from academia, government, and the private sector responsible for directing a wide variety of K16 educational networking activities during the period of NSF/NIE funding and in subsequent projects; 2. Supports and enhances a number of nationally significant systemic mathematics and science education reform projects; 3. Integrates multimedia network-based materials and delivery systems into mathematics and science instruction to enhance access and usability of many scientific resources. 4. Investigates adaptations of educational and informational telecommunications required to serve populations with special needs including those that may be visually or hearing impaired; 5. Develops a workable community networking model that is feasible in a low population density environment, promoting teleliteracy for rural citizens to enhance their involvement with lifelong learning, entrepreneurship and local/state governance.
