Telecommunications for Concerned Citizen Involvement: Hindsights

摘要

In September of 1977, the Rehabilitative and Visual Services Divison (RVS) of the Oklahoma Department of Institutions, Social and Rehabilitative Services received a grant from the Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA) of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare to develop, implement and test an approach to obtaining consumer involvement in Vocational Rehabilitation policy development. Consumer involvement of the level and scope planned was to be made possible by the use of preexisting telecommunications systems developed and operated by other state agencies. The Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education operates a 'Talkback Television' system that provides one way video and two way audio connections for most state post-secondary educational institutions and in a few other facilities. The Hospital Teleconference Network is a two way audio teleconference system that operates as a shared services system among approximately 90% of the hospitals in Oklahoma. Liaison was also made with a third system, the State Department of Libraries, Interlibrary Loan System.