JW-Peterson@UTAH-20@sri-unix (11/27/82)
From: JW-Peterson at UTAH-20 (John W. Peterson) Those of you who reacted to CMU's plans to require students to purchase computers may be interested in this one: The "World Institute for Computer Assisted Teaching" (better known to WORKS readers as WICAT) currently has a proposal before the Utah state board of Education asking the state of Utah invest $15 million in Wicat, for them to develop a standard CAI system to be used in most/all of Utah's public schools. The state would be the sole owner of the program and receive the royalties (6% of the sales commissions) on the software. According to the proposal "the royalties would continue [at >$3 meg a year] for a 15-year period ... meaning the state fund would be fully reimbursed and the state would receive $30 million for the hardware acquisition." The courseware would include subjects such as "English, Writing, Calculus, Biology, History and Foreign Languages (with Audio)." These programs are to run on a "System 300 (the Hydra System)" that has 30 terminals "with audio, graphics and animation" and a CPU with an 80 meg disk. Price (w/ discount) is given at $67,000. WICAT's proposal also states they would be willing to "translate" the programs to other hardware vendors at the states option (the state would pay extra for this service). While the proposal does list some of the reservations about such a move (such as WICAT's current marketing capability, and having one company as a sole source), Utah's executive directory of administrative services claims "there are strong, psitive feelings about WICAT's offer and it's potential role in assisting the State of Utah to develop and utilize CAI materials." The proposal is set to go before the '83 session of the Utah state legislature. The source for the above quotes is a Utah State Office of Education newsletter. -jw peterson -------