In the USA, systems have been in use for some time with both teachers and students reporting learning gains. Early outcomes from a pilot project currently supported by the UK Education Departments have indicated some learning gains and an increase in attention levels and personal learning responsibility. All current integrated learning systems run on high bandwidth local area networks. Broadband networks may open up the possibility of on-line classroom access to a very wide range of supplementary curriculum materials, provided line charges and other costs are low and that access is structured . Work is needed to establish the proper relationship between networked in-school ILS and supplementary outside material accessed via broadband or other means.
Services delivered by satellites have significant potential in education.
There are signs that other subject departments are gradually exploring the potential that satellites have to offer. The evaluation found that both systems contributed to increased motivation, improved linguistic skills, and provided work with a greater sense of immediacy and relevance through access to live images. Direct broadcasting systems offer the possibility of eventual video conferencing between institutions in the UK and abroad. This would require education institutions to have access to transmitting equipment as well as receiving systems. Such facilities may become more widely available in the future, although the increasing encryption of satellite-transmitted data for commercial purposes may prove to be a disincentive to educational users as they would need to purchase decoding devices.