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Susan Cutter and Deborah Thomas provided a demonstration of the atlas that they have been preparing with a grant from the Department of Energy through the South Carolina Universities Research and Education Foundation (Cooperative Project #91). They are nearing the end of their two-year project to develop an educational tool oriented at the general public and students in grades K through 12. The CD-ROM package combines information on natural, technological, social, and global hazards into a user-friendly package. In addition to general hazard data, the atlas also includes information on the risks that different hazards pose to individuals and communities along with basic information on preparedness.
The developers initially considered utilizing the World Wide Web (WWW) for distribution of the atlas. However, in an effort to reach as many individuals as possible (including students in poorer districts), they chose to distribute the atlas on CD-ROM. The CD-ROM-based package was developed using Adobe Acrobat, and the Acrobat Reader is included on the CD-ROM.
The atlas has an easy-to-use interface that will require little if any training. Navigation aids are provided and the organization of the data is very consistent throughout the package. The CD-ROM includes sound for many of the screens. In particular, a voice over is used to read the detailed map captions included with many of the screens. The initial release of the package does not include animation or video because of time and copyright constraints.
Much of the material in the atlas was culled from available information. The developers consulted with the educational community during development of the package. In order to help ensure the effectiveness of the atlas, the tornado module was tested in the summer of 1997 with classroom teachers. Key technical sections of the CD-ROM were reviewed by physical scientists and appropriate South Carolina state agencies.
The Atlas of South Carolina Risks and Hazards will soon be available from the University of South Carolina Press (1-800-768-2500) for $19.95. While the material will be copyrighted, the intention is for teachers to freely print out and distribute the maps as part of the classroom instruction.
Following the demonstration, audience members joined in the discussion. Feedback from the attendees was very positive. Many individuals were interested in seeing similar atlases developed for other states. The group discussed the challenges of creating a package oriented at K through 12, and the consensus was that teachers need to pick and choose from the material in order to tailor it to the appropriate grade level. Significant discussion also took place regarding potential future enhancements to the atlas if funding becomes available. These included a WWW version, overlays of hazard maps, development of teaching modules, a process for periodic updates, and the addition of animation and video.
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