Ch. 9— Animal Use in Education and the Alternatives • 213 
tations of this alternative in a variety of teaching 
situations. Several of the disadvantages listed in 
table 9-7 underscore the small likelihood that com- 
puters can completely replace animals in the class- 
room. Those who are developing computer simu- 
lations are among the most vocal in maintaining 
that this technique is not the optimal method in 
every teaching situation; in some cases, they say, 
animals serve the lesson better (8,13,15,26). 
In addition to providing models of biological ex- 
periments, computer programs serve in the class- 
room and laboratory as reusable training devices 
to teach specific skills, just as airline pilots train 
in flight simulators. These simulations are based 
on graphic presentation of the experiments and 
involve interaction between the program and trainee. 
An interactive videodisk program, for example, 
enables students to simulate dissections using pho- 
tographic images stored on the disks, rather than 
animals. Production of such a videodisk can cost 
from $60,000 to $200,000 for a 30-minute program 
and involves thousands of still photographs, com- 
puter overlay, and touch screen interaction. The 
sales price of such a videodisk can range from 
$1,000 to $5,000. 
The most sophisticated types of videodisk pro- 
grams have not achieved widespread use, largely 
because of economic factors. Apart from steep ini- 
tial production costs, the hardware supporting 
videodisk use is expensive. 
Scenes From Interactive Videodisk Laboratory Exercise 
—Canine Hemorrhagic Shock 
Photo credits: Charles E. Branch and Gregg Greanoff, Auburn University 
Computer-linked mannequins and robots cur- 
rently provide the most sophisticated simulations. 
Resusci-Dog, developed at the New York State Col- 
lege of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University 
in Ithaca, NY, is a canine cardiopulmonary resus- 
citation training mannequin, the equivalent of the 
human dummies used in training paramedical tech- 
nicians. Constructed of plastic, Resusci-Dog can 
simulate a femoral artery pulse, and pressure can 
be applied to its rib cage for cardiac massage or 
cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The first micro- 
processor-laden canine simulator cost $7,000; the 
second $700. Resusci-Dog has replaced about 100 
dogs per year in veterinary classes at the New York 
school (19). 
Despite the widespread enthusiasm for the po- 
tential of computer models and interactive simu- 
lations in the life sciences, three general problems 
These photographs were taken from the monitor screen 
of a video program on blood flow and hemorrhagic shock 
in use at the Auburn University School of Veterinary 
Medicine. The interactive video simulated experiment 
depicts actual experiments conducted by experts. 
Several treatments are videotaped and students then 
simulate performing the experiment, testing different 
treatments and dealing with the results as if they were 
actually performing the study. Top: Anesthetized dog 
in experimental setup. Bottom: Response of 
dog’s pupil to light. 
confront computer-based education in the mid- 
1980s (7,8): 
• The rapid advance of computer technology 
has resulted in many— frequently incompat- 
ible-machines in competition for the same 
market. This has limited the transportability 
of existing computer-based education mate- 
rials. Users of different systems cannot eas- 
