School improvement is tied to community development. Some of the most powerful tools we have in educational reform are communication technologies. Education is a process of interaction among students and teachers. But students do not all fit this set. By creating learning communities we can begin to address the diversity that exists in the classroom.
Students can share expertise and learn from experts that are both in and out of the classrooms.
The human resources for learning and teaching in any classrooms can be greatly extended. It doesn't make sense to expect teachers to solve the problems of isolated teaching alone. This invitation to federal agencies and organizations to take a leadership role in working with teachers and learners in new relationships around knowledge creation is an effective way of supporting significant educational reform. We do not need new materials as much as we need new ways of working with information and people. We need to involve students and teachers, experts and novices, near and distant in activities that will foster deeper understanding in all members of the community.