This paper first provides a brief overview of the Italian educational system and the diffusion of computer-assisted instruction (CAI) within the schools and industry, and then it reviews the activities of the Laboratory of Interactive Educational Technologies (LIET) in the Department of Production Engineering at the University of Naples (Italy). Five goals of LIET are listed: (1) to evaluate possibilities and advantages of using technology and equipment in teaching; (2) to assemble and improve interactive multimedia teaching systems; (3) to analyze, improve, and utilize the available authoring systems; (4) to produce CAI courseware in various fields; and (5) to promote awareness and use of CAI throughout the educational and business sector. LIET's hardware resources and courseware production activities in the areas of banking, manufacturing, and education are then described, as well as a LIET study which found that students are receptive to and benefit from CAI techniques. A look at future plans for courseware development, improvement of authoring languages, and teacher training concludes the paper. (MES)