NESPUT, The National Education Simulations Project Using
Telecommunications, is actually an international activity in
which real-life activities are simulated via telecommunications
for educational purposes.  Schools, educators, and others may
join or even initiate simulations for purposes of education.
Adult "scriptors" moderate and guide the activities of students
as they work on a simulated activity which typically involves
exchanges between some or many educational institutions.  Some of
the activity related to a given situation can be done in the
classroom, much is actually done on-line.  Typically,
participants are involved with schools, but this is not always a
requirement.

     Simulations have included space shuttle launches (in which
schools worldwide acted as mission control, alternate landing
sites, solar flare observatories, the Russian MIR space station,
and other launch related sites), interstellar space travel in
which students respond to emergencies and develop problem solving
techniques while learning about space travel, a "tele-olympics,"
in which results were exchanged via telecommunications, and other
activities.  NESPUT is coordinated by Robert E. Morgan
(aa629@cleveland.freenet.edu) of University School in Shaker
Heights, Ohio and Judson Elliot (ab884@cleveland.freenet.edu) of
Willoughby (Ohio) Middle School.