A new technology is on the verge of revolutionalising courseware delivery in distant learning.

When small groups of students gathered around the radio sets and looked avidly into the images that appeared on the screen in the adjoining PC, they certainly got a glimpse of the emerging learning scenario a few years later when Digital Satellite Broadcast Technology will impart education to students in small towns and the rural hinterland. The concept has been named ‘Radio Vision’.

Through Radio Vision, Indira Gandhi National Open University's Electronic Media Production Centre (EMPC) has conducted a pilot feasibility study which has established that radio has potential to play the role of a teacher. Most students who participated in this study were benefited by visuals and said that it helped them to understand the text even better. Originally conceived to give clean sound broadcasts through satellite transcending the national barriers, the WorldSpace Foundation has subsequently taken up the social responsibility of supporting educational and developmental ventures both in Africa and Asia. And the cause of distance education in these regions can definitely benefit from the emerging concept of Radio Vision. This study on the feasibility of digital satellite radio has reiterated the findings that are now part of the Indian media history

Radio Vision can be defined as the convergence technology in which sound and visuals are transmitted through radio transmitters or transponders on the digital mode and can be received by a radio set and a computing device.

In the new millenium, through the digital and satellite revolution, it is now possible to send both audio and visuals through the same transponder or transmitter. While the technological feasibility is established, it will take a few years before such things can become affordable through terrestrial transmitters and adapted for suitable applications by professionals. The Internet Radio has similar function but the scarce bandwidth combined with cost of connectivity makes it unaffordable in the present day for most individual learners at least in the developing world. The Internet Radio/ TV is, however, affordable for group access in Community Centres. For individual learners a cheaper option which does not depend on electricity or telephone is preferable.

The USP of the new system is high quality crystal clear digital sound and extensive coverage. The additional feature is simultaneous data transmission capacity. The cost of transmission to 1 or 1 million is the same through this mode and hence offers economic viability for large scattered learner population.

This system may even be accessed by those who have a Personal Computer (PC) by inserting a PC card by which a regular PC can be converted into a DSAB receiver. For those who like to surf the net with other learners and experts, the DSAB can supplement the functional activity of Internet. They may even interact on the Internet in ‘chat’ mode. A number of new applications which meet precise user demands is feasible. Rather than modifying the user requirements to meet the channel characteristics, it is hoped to make it adapt the system features to their requirements thus changing the paradigm of educational broadcasting.

The computer penetration in India is on the rise and just as there are TV households, there are now many PC households especially in the urban areas, big cities and small towns. Cybercafes are increasingly mushrooming all over, even in the rural areas of many states. Hence, demand for data downloads may shoot up in the near future.

From the point of view of technology, it seems to be a boon as the cost of hardware equipment is very less, cost of production is less than 10% of the cost of similar TV software while the cost of transmission is almost about 1/l0th. When seen in conjunction with the high reach at no extra costs, the possibility of running on batteries, the possibility of storage and retrieval of almost a month's programme makes it extremely attractive. As it also provides the effect of watching TV, and offers links for two way interactivity via. Internet, the convergence of media seems to have truly arrived.

Radio Vision has helped IGNOU to operationalise and experiment with the concept of an economical cost effective way of reaching distance learning materials including audio, video, multimedia materials to the hitherto unreached learner. The use of FM Radio transmitter and digital satellite transponders for carrying simultaneous audio and visual signals and interactivity has been made possible through the net. Teachers get trained to adapt Radio Vision faster than to face the camera. Radio vision is a true example of what convergence can do to the third world.

[Source : Radio Vision (Multimedia Through Digital Radio), Electronic Media Production Centre(EMPC), Indira Gandhi Nationl Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi-110 068]