A considerable amount of experience in the use of instructional media systems has been accumulated over the past 15 years. It is now time to draw some conclusions in order to define the actual costs involved in the use of such systems. The author begins by reminding the reader of why the use of instructional media systems raised such high hopes: namely, (a) in an aim to improve the quality and content of education; (b) to lower educational costs (or rather limit cost increase rates); and (c) to open up access to education, particularly in rural areas. The author goes on to discuss factors involved in planning the costs of such systems, and he gives an idea of the costs involved in past experiences. Before drawing conclusions for policy, he gives some indication of how to plan the costs of such systems in the future.
