The introduction of telecommunications hardware and systems for educational purposes in Alaska has been rapid and dramatic, but has not adequately addressed the needs of rural Alaskans. The policy-making process for the delivery of educational systems has emphasized technical questions, the breadth of dissemination of programs, costs and benefits, and the choice available to consumers. While such policy approaches are likely to increase access to educational programs, they operate within a framework of the status quo and do not increase the control of the population over the technology or the content of the programs. Neither do these policies challenge the applicability to a rural Alaskan setting of programming based on the culture and values of white, middle-class America. Indeed, experience indicates that programs produced in and for the residents of the lower 48 states cannot adequately address the needs, capacities, experiences, and learning strategies of rural Alaskan residents without major modifications. If educational programming is to be based on community needs, rather than on the technological potential for dissemination, consumers must have adequate information about the system and provide input into the processes of prioritizing, producing, and disseminating educational programs. A final concern for policy making, that of the potential for community destabilization inherent in the introduction of new technologies, demands that policies reflect the purview of both the clientele and the state. (HB)