As part of a multimedia training pack on how to writer materials based on occupational standards, Kelvin Consultants included an audiotape as a means of allowing learners to hear about other's experiences. The equipment is cheap and robust. It is also widespread and familiar. Audiotapes are easy, quick and cheap to produce and update. As a result there is a high degree of author control.
Tapes are also cheap to distribute and store.
They are interesting, personal and intimate. They can be used to provide human contact and advice. They can be used to incorporate sounds and music and can be a powerful stimulus to the imagination. They can be used more effectively than print to talk learners through a passage and to document discussions, case studies and language pronunciation at work. They are convenient to use.