By Sherry Kughn
JSU News Bureau
February 2, 2004 -- Imagine students at area high
schools interacting with a class in progress at Jacksonville State University.
Imagine being able to
renew your driver’s license over the Internet, or sitting in the office of your
family physician while discussing your mysterious ailment with a specialist
several miles away.
A study that seeks solutions for
people’s day-to-day communications problems should begin within 120 days thanks
to a $20,000 grant awarded by Gov. Bob Riley to Jacksonville State University.
Frank King, JSU’s
director of distance education, will oversee the study.
The study focuses on developing a
community broadband network that could save money, improve public services and
support economic development.
“This study has the potential to
pave the way for revitalization of the area,” said Riley in a recent press
release.
The applications studied will be
in the areas of distance education, telemedicine, video arraignment of accused
criminals, Internet services, e-government and business services, and possibly
in ways that present themselves during the study. It will seek ways to provide
efficient services and accurate information to Calhoun County residents in areas of both
public and private organizations.
The money comes from state funds
and will be administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community
Affairs’ Division of Science, Technology and Energy.
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