One of four reports designed to assess the current state of new technologies, the document reviews the present and future 5-year status of telecommunication technologies in regular and special education. Briefly described are technological and economic aspects of videotex/teletext, subscription services, satellite broadcasting, cable television, and teleconferencing including video-, audio-, and computer conferencing. General educational use of telecommunications is described relative to current trials and future use of videotex/teletext, and eight other forms of telecommunications including SpecialNet, and Silent Network (a cable satellite group for the deaf), and major network programing for the deaf. Factors discussed as affecting use of telecommunications technologies within the next five years are hardware advances, software developments, and capabilities of local schools. The summary states that technologies are changing rapidly due to technology breakthroughs, standardization, and deregulation, and that within the next five years substantial expansion of educational use of television and subscription services can be expected, along with experimentation among the other technologies. (MC)