[2] Initially it consisted of a large council of experts with a small administrative team whose purpose was to "advise educational services and industrial training organisations on the use of audio visual aids and media" but it quickly became more than this, developing projects, producing an academic journal BJET and advising government on setting up major computer aided learning programmes (NDPCAL and MEP).
[9] During the late 1960s computers were beginning to make an impact on education and John Duke, the Council's newly appointed assistant Director proposed a major initiative in computer-based learning.
[10] The Council set up a Working Party to investigate the potential role of the computer and to outline a programme of research and development.
[11] The Government, following much discussion amongst the interested departments and an intervening general election, announced the approval of Mrs Thatcher, Secretary of State for Education and Science to a 'National Development Programme in Computer Aided Learning' in a DES press release dated 23 May 1972.
Although it was delayed by the change of government in 1979, Keith Joseph as Education Secretary finally approved it in 1980 and in March a four-year programme for schools, costing £9 million.