Ensuring ESA Field Compliance in Construction through Multi-Media Education on CD

This paper discusses the creation of multi-media CDs to assist civil engineers in design and construction of highways with recognition of the increasingly stringent requirements laid out by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Under FHWA sponsorship Portland State University was required to study the possible marriage of computer learning technologies; using videographers, animators, and software designers, to the real world engineering design and site `feel' of construction activity using environmental construction experts on camera, and to include case histories. The result is a 100% digital and portable CD product with multi-media techniques designed to supplement more cumbersome paper and written word formats. This offers a new way to overcome civil discipline barriers, and with web on-line components quickly connect the engineer to current information, ensuring the CD is never outdated. The paper introduces and defines the 3 possible categories for this media technique to build future digital civil engineering libraries: Category I, II and III, each having different learning methodologies and formats.