A wireless connection using two laptops next to each other could mean that passwords could be easily copied between the two machines. It's not obvious how it would work in large places. The security problem is a major reason a wireless connection has not been deployed for student use yet, Fligor said. If CCSO can find a company that is able to successfully encrypt the passwords, then Fligor said CCSO would look very seriously at wireless connections within the next few months. As people begin to rely more and more on technology, distance learning is becoming more popular.
Distance learning involves learning from resources outside the classroom, namely computers.
Many professors take advantage of distance learning by posting a class Web site, sending e-mail to students and assigning course work on the Web. Correspondence courses are another example of distance learning. Spanish, chemistry and engineering departments all regularly take advantage of distance learning, Ruby said. The National Center for Supercomputing Applications is always working on improving current technology for the future. The future of NCSA includes developing a bigger, better and faster Internet.