Wireless Data Communications Prototyping: A Flexible, High-Quality, and Cost-Effective Information System for Education.

In this paper, potential applications of wireless data communications and mobile satellite technology are described which aim at improving education. The motivation behind this work is that the technology now exists for providing today's teachers and students with not only better access to educational facilities, but also instantaneous communications with distant sites and mobile units. Wireless data communications systems integrated with mobile satellite technology use wireless radio packet modems for message transmission between a fixed dispatching center and mobile units. Messages are relayed over a wireless data network, and mobile units are equipped with satellite receivers which read signals from Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. A discussion of mobile satellite communications includes an examination of GPS, the Magellan AIV-10 OEM GPS Module, and Blue Marble Graphics MAIL Map, Geo View, and GeoCalc. Topics addressed in the wireless data communications discussion include the ARDIS Radio Network and the Motorola RPM 405i Radio Packet Modem. Mobile unit design, dispatching office design, and development issues and interface requirements are addressed in the section on system design. Wireless data networks, Internet access and distance learning, and administrative computing are offered as examples of applications in education. The last section of the paper addresses other applications and future directions. (Contains 19 references.) (MAS)