A proposal to convene a workshop on the potential of open schooling has been developed in conjunction with the National Open School in India and submitted to the Asian Development Bank for possible funding support. Consulting with an expert group, COL is developing design guidelines and a funding proposal to produce and pilot model teacher training programmes. COL and International Extension College have jointly published, The Use of Distance Learning in Non-Formal Education . Follow-up and further survey work is continuing. COL 's focus in the Gender and Development sector has been to ensure that gender is a serious consideration in all of its programmes and projects.
Progress is encouraging.
Steps toward a similar Centre for Africa have been initiated. Numerous enquires and requests from throughout the Commonwealth have been received as a result of the offer of Canadian sports training material and coaching videos, contained in the March 1996 edition COL's Connections newsletter. In partnership with a Canadian manufacturer, COL is testing and installing community broadcasting stations in Jamaica and Belize, as well as in Canada's north. Networking Support COL provides technical advice and network services to developing Commonwealth countries, principally in the area of Internet connectivity and teleconferencing systems. Training COL 's Educational Technology 2000 conference and trade show takes place in Singapore this August.