The Community Access Network

Anne Ryan, Don Soucy
Anne is Director of Community Access
Don is a Professor of Education and Project Officer
Community Access
ryana@unb.ca

Community Access is a nation wide Industry Canada initiative that supports Internet connectivity and training in remote and rural Canadian communities. The infrastructure for the electronic communications network is housed at the University of New Brunswick. In partnership with the Faculty of Education and Computing Services Department and the N.B. Department of Education, the Community Access network is delivering educational and training materials to Community Access Centres across Canada.

As part of Community Access, Anne Ryan and Don Soucy are overseeing the development and implementation of a comprehensive electronic communications educational training package for delivery over the Internet. The users of this package include residents of rural Canadian communities, community colleges, teachers and students.

Don and Anne have been teaching Electronic Networking for Educators at U.N.B. since January 1994. In addition to their role with the Community Access Program, they are also developing interactive courseware on the Internet for TeleEducation N.B. As well, Anne and Don are experts in On-Line Conferecing on the Internet. Since 1993 they have conducted the Virtual Conference for American Educational Research Association and in 1995, produced the International Global Partnerships Virtual Conference for G7.

Their presentation will demonstrate how their educational training resources and on-line conferencing facilities have been developed and how they are being used across Canada and around the world. The presenters will be Anne Ryan and Don Soucy.