"Iterative techniques have revolutionized the theory and practice of coding and have been adopted in the majority of next generation communications standards. Modern Coding Theory summarizes the state-of-the-art in iterative coding, with particular emphasis on the underlying theory. Using Gallager's original ensemble of LDPC codes as a representative example, focus is placed on the techniques to analyze and design practical iterative coding systems. The book takes advantage of the simplicity of the binary erasure channel to develop analytical techniques and intuition, which are then applied to general channel models." "Covering the most recent advances in the field, this book is a valuable resource for graduate students in electrical engineering and computer science, as well as practitioners who need to decide which coding scheme to employ, how to design a new scheme, or how to improve an existing system."