BA/reality.pr                         Contact: Elaine Barkley, 301-929-5522


VIRTUAL REALITY PROGRAM
PROMOTES HIV/AIDS AWARENESS
AT WHEATON REGIONAL LIBRARY'S
HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER              For  Immediate Release: Nov. 14, 1996

     

     Adults and young adults, alike, can learn how to adopt healthy
lifestyles by avoiding risky behavior through a new virtual reality program
available through November 22 at the Wheaton Regional Library's Health
Information Center.
     In the HIV/AIDS Interactive Nights Out video presentation, the player 
assumes the role of a lead character in a movie, the outcome of which is
determined by the decisions the player makes regarding alcohol, substance
abuse, peer pressure, date rape, unplanned pregnancy and sex.  There are more
than 20 possible outcomes.  HIV/AIDS Interactive Nights Out has been called
the benchmark program for using full-screen,full-motion video reality to
modify individual behaviors.
     The program is part of the Komputer Interactive Stimulation System  
(KISS), an interactive multimedia health "edutainment" library. KISS has been
recognized as one of the top 20 new technologies in the state by the Suburban
Maryland High Technology Council.  It allows users to look into the future and
see the results of lifestyle decisions.  KISS is produced by World Institute 
                                  -more-

VIRTUAL REALITY PROGRAM .                                 2-2-2-2
of Leadership and Learning (WILL), a Rockville-based health communications
business.
     HIV/AIDS Interactive Nights Out includes five programs:
          - a database of confidential/anonymous HIV testing sites
          - two quizzes on HIV/AIDS
          - an online encyclopedia of the most requested HIV/AIDS-related
            topics  
          - the Interactive Nights Out segments for males and females; and
          - tracking software which shows all topics accessed and           
              questions answered
     For more information, call the Health Information Center at 301-929-
5520.


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