Optus and the NSW Government today announced a multi million dollar project to bring School of the Air services to 322 remote NSW communities as part of the National Communications Funding project.
The NSW Minister for Education & Training, John Watkins, said that regional communities in NSW now have access to the latest education technology.
Optus has established interactive distance learning infrastructure for small rural communities and homesteads on the North Coast, Murray-Darling and Dubbo areas of NSW.
Optus' SatLearn technology will deliver education services to over 2,500 school students in 322 sites throughout NSW and broadening access to further adult education for the communities in and around these sites.
This includes School of the Air and distance education students, isolated indigenous communities, TAFE outreach students and adults seeking vocational education.
Chris Anderson, Optus Chief Executive said students in NSW are able to fully interact with their teacher and, for the first time, are able to see demonstrations in real-time.
"Gone are the days of relying on 50-year old technology and conducting lessons over two-way radio. Students can now see their teacher every lesson using the video broadcast component of Optus SatLearn technology," Mr Anderson said.
Teachers can interact with students, demonstrate concepts, conduct ongoing assessments and screen images or video presentations live on camera or via a range of technologies including video and DVD.
Teachers and students can review lessons using the 'on demand' feature of Optus SatLearn. This allows users to retrieve a recording of a full lesson conducted at an earlier time or date.
Optus has built three satellite-teaching studios in schools at Broken Hill, Dubbo and Port Macquarie. These studios are linked terrestrially back to the Optus Earth Station at Belrose in Sydney and give teachers the ability to deliver lessons to 158 remote homesteads and 164 small regional schools where the Optus SatWeb two-way service has been installed.
"This service further strengthens Optus' position as the leading satellite service provider in Australia and shows new competition brings better services and new choices to people in the bush," Mr Anderson said.
In addition to the Interactive Distance Learning initiative, Optus has been awarded a contract with the NSW Department of Education and Training to provide broadband services to over 837 of the Department's 2,122 schools and internet services and network links to the Department's 1.2 million eLearning Accounts project.
Broadband services to be deployed over the next three years will be delivered using OptusNet Cable, Optus DSL and both the Optus SatWeb one-way and two-way satellite services.
"Developing innovative partnerships with the NSW Government ensures greater competition, the implementation of new technologies and most importantly reduced prices for communications services," Mr Anderson said.
"It is encouraging to see the NSW Government is recognising the benefits of implementing new and competitive infrastructure, rather than simply relying on the incumbent."
The Interactive Distance Learning initiative is part of the Commonwealth Government's National Communications Funding and is in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) and the NT Department of Education, Employment and Training (DEET).
Media contact:
Luisa Ford
Optus Corporate Affairs
Phone: +61 2 9342 5045