use Term::Cap;

$ospeed = eval {
    require POSIX;
    my $termios = POSIX::Termios->new();
    $termios->getattr;
    $termios->getospeed;
} || 9600;

$terminal = Term::Cap->Tgetent({ TERM => undef, OSPEED => $ospeed });
$terminal->Tputs('cl', 1, STDOUT);          # Clear screen.
$terminal->Tgoto('cm', $col, $row, STDOUT); # Position cursor.

The Term::Cap module provides access to your system's termcap (3) library routines. See your system documentation for details. Systems that have only terminfo (5) and not termcap (5) will lose. (Many terminfo systems can emulate termcap.) However, on CPAN you can find a Term::Info module, as well as Term::ReadKey, Term::ANSIColor, and various Curses modules to help you with single-key input, colored output, or managing terminal screens, at a higher level than Term::Cap or Term::Info.