Communications Corner - Lessons Learning

Improving access to research information in low-bandwith environments

1. INASP/CSC Workshop: Accessing information in Developing Countries - Handout. Programmes which support access to information
   This document describes the different kinds of programmes that support access to information in the south. It will enable RPCs to help their southern partners to be better connected to global research information.


2. HINARI (Health InterNetwork Access to Research Initiative)
   The HINARI program, set up by WHO together with major publishers, enables developing countries to gain access to one of the world's largest collections of biomedical and health literature. Over 3750 journal titles are now available to health institutions in 113 countries, benefiting many thousands of health workers and researchers, and in turn, contributing to improved world health.
   The HD7 Effective Healthcare RPC did a review of the scheme and this is included to show what more needs to be done. See the policy brief: Research on access to electronic health knowledge in Africa, created as an output of Effective Health Care Research Programme Consortium (EHCRPC)


3. AGORA (Access to Global Online Research in Agriculture)
   The AGORA program, set up by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) together with major publishers, enables developing countries to gain access to an outstanding digital library collection in the fields of food, agriculture, environmental science and related social sciences. AGORA provides a collection of 1132 journals to institutions in 107 countries. AGORA is designed to enhance the scholarship of the many thousands of students, faculty and researchers in agriculture and life sciences in the developing world.


4. OARE (Online Access to Research in the Environment)
   OARE, an international public-private consortium coordinated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Yale University, and leading science and technology publishers, enables developing countries to gain access to one of the world's largest collections of environmental science research. Over 1,300 peer reviewed titles owned and published by over 340 prestigious publishing houses and scholarly societies are now available in more than 100 low income countries.


5. Web design guidelines for low bandwidth
   These guidelines explain in detail how to make web sites accessible to users with low bandwidth Internet connections, which includes most of those who live and work in developing countries.

Capturing research processes to detect and show impact more effectively

1. Learning Alliance Briefing No 6: Process Documentation
   This document explores how researchers can better document not only the outcomes, but the processes of research, to better get results into use.

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Lessons learned through workshops

1. Lessons Learnt on Designing Communication Strategies for Research Programmes. Report of a Workshop held at DFID, 26th July 2006
2. Lessons Learnt in Research Communication: Monitoring and Evaluation and Capacity Development. Report of a lesson-learning workshop, DFID, Palace Street, 2nd August 2007

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Monitoring and evaluation techniques

1. Guide to Monitoring and Evaluating Health Information Products and Services
   This guide describes a standardized way to evaluate whether print or electronic products and services meet the requirements needed to make them effective, used, and adapted by health care practitioners and policymakers in the field. The 29 indicators in the Guide measure the reach, usefulness, and use, as well as the collaboration, and capacity building engendered through information products and services. The innovative “Conceptual Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating Health Information Products and Services” shows how they contribute to the initial, intermediate, and long-term outcomes of health development efforts.
2. The ‘Most Significant Change’ (MSC) Technique: A Guide to Its Use
   This publication is aimed at organisations, community groups, students and academics who wish to use MSC to help monitor and evaluate their social change programs and projects, or to learn more about how it can be used. The technique is applicable in many different sectors, including agriculture, education and health, and especially in development programs.

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