Engineering courseware content and delivery: The NEEDS infrastructure for distance independent education

The Synthesis Engineering Education Coalition strives to integrate multidisciplinary, open‐ended problem solving into the varied engineering curricula of its members. To achieve this goal, Synthesis has developed a broad array of computer‐based multimedia courseware modules and elements. In addition to the courseware, Synthesis has developed NEEDS, the National Engineering Education Delivery System, as the infrastructure for disseminating these and other education materials over the Internet. Several interesting challenges have been identified through this effort: How can electronic courseware meet the diverse needs of curricula among a cross section of universities? How do educators adapt traditional teaching roles to fit new resources and delivery styles? What courseware access modes equally suit the needs of author, teacher, and student? Can an infrastructure designed for static course‐ware be adapted to dynamically changing information on the World Wide Web? The experience of Synthesis/NEEDS can begin to answer these questions while opening more issues in distance independent education. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.