An intelligent computer-assisted instruction system designed for rural health workers in developing countries

This paper describes an intelligent computer-assisted instruction system that was designed for rural health workers in developing countries. This system, called Consult-EAO, includes an expert module and a coaching module. The expert module, which is derived from the knowledge-based decision support system Tropicaid, covers most of medical practice in developing countries. It allows for the creation of outpatient simulations without the help of a teacher. The student may practice his knowledge by solving problems with these simulations. The system gives some initial facts and controls the simulation during the session by guiding the student toward the most efficient decisions. All student answers are analyzed and, if necessary, criticized. The messages are adapted to the situation due to the pedagogical rules of the coaching module. This system runs on PC-compatible computer.