A MULTIPURPOSE HYPERMEDIA SYSTEM FOR DRUG USE PREVENTION EDUCATION

THE PROBLEM OF EDUCATING TEACHERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS ON THE DANGERS OF DRUG ABUSE IS AN ENDURING ONE. PRINTED MATERIAL IS READILY AVAILABLE BUT IS INEFFECTIVE IF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IS TOO CONDENSED AND IS IGNORED IF TOO DETAILED. A COMPUTERIZED VERSION OF SUCH MATERIAL WILL FARENO BETTER UNLESS IT CAN BE PUT INTO A FORM WHERE JUST THE RIGHT INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AT THE RIGHT LEVEL OF DETAIL. COMPUTER-BASED HYPERTEXT TECHNOLOGY OFFERS THIS POTENTIAL. PHASE I OF THE PROPOSED EFFORT IS TO DESIGN A HYPERTEXT VERSION OF A "GUIDE TO DRUGS" THAT WILL DESCRIBE THE VARIOUSTYPES AND FORMS OF DRUGS, ILLEGAL AND LEGAL, THAT ARE AVAILABLE AND THEIR EFFECTS ON AN INDIVIDUAL. IN ADDITION, A "PROOF-OF-CONCEPT" APPLICATION OF THIS HYPERTEXT TECHNOLOGY WILL BE DEVELOPED AND DEMONSTRATED. PHASE II WILL COVER THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOTYPE APPLICATION AS WELL AS EXAMINE ITS USEFULNESS IN IMPARTING INFORMATION THROUGH FORMATIVE EVALUATION. FOLLOWING PHASE II A COMPLETEAPPLICATION WILL BE DEVELOPED. THIS PROPOSED HYPERTEXT VERSION "GUIDE TO DRUGS" COULD BE EXTENDED TO PROVIDE ADVICE TO PARENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF COUNSELORS, AND EMPLOYERS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE KNOWN OR SUSPECTED DRUG ABUSERS. THIS ADVICE COULDBE USED BY TEACHERS, PARENTS OR FELLOW STUDENTS. A SECOND POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATION IS USE OF A SIMILAR VERSIONTO TRAIN OF SUPERVISORS IN DEALING WITH DRUG ABUSE AMONG EMPLOYEES.