This student guide is intended to assist persons employed as supervisors in understanding and using communication equipment. Discussed in the first three sections are the following topics: producing and storing information (communicating, storing, and retrieving information and using word processors and talking machines); communicating information (post and telephone, machines that communicate, electronic mail, facsimile machines, electronic banking, and telephone communications); and using information retrieval systems (information retrieval, viewdata, and uses of viewdata systems). Each of these sections contains an introduction, instructional text that is interspersed with reinforcing learning activities, and a section summary. The fourth part of the guide includes a series of performance checks (an end check, a tutor check, and a work-based project). A unit review, which also includes a description of related extension courses and resources, concludes the guide. (MN)