This is the first volume of a two-part study of the role of cable television in education; its purposes are to discuss the implications of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ruling that all cable systems in the top 100 markets must reserve one channel for educational purposes and to stimulate the interests of educators by making them aware of this development. The report gives a brief description of cable television, mentions its four most important educational contributions--increasing access to education, providing new services, improving quality, and lowering unit costs--and treats its substantive and methodological functions. Next covered are the barriers to the use of cable in education, which are the lack of appropriate software, the under-utilization of existing programs, and lack of interest on the part of educators to undertake any innovation involving non-human change agents. The final chapter deals with the roles educators can play in the franchising and administration of cable systems. Some relevant statistics, a short glossary, and a bibliography are appended to the report. (PB)