This article describes the influence of tool and task design on student interaction in language learning at a distance. Interaction in a multimodal desktop video conferencing environment, FlashMeeting, is analyzed from an ecological perspective with two main foci: participation rates and conversational feedback strategies. The quantitative…

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of interaction (through gathering local field data and engaging in remote reciprocal presentations) on aspects of multicultural awareness. Sixty-six 11-12-year-old Scottish primary school pupils collected data in the field from their local community through questionnaires, interviews, direct…

Whether two-way visual contact between an instructor and students would promote dialogue during teleconferenced instruction was studied, and the types of verbal dialogues that might be affected by two-way video contact were explored. The following three types of instruction were assessed: (1) Group A, teleconferenced instruction in which students…

Presentations at this conference focused on future developments in distance education and innovative uses of learning technologies. Ten papers from the general sessions, including keynote addresses and a panel, are presented in the first of two sections. Topics covered include planning for new priorities in distance education; trends for the…

This article provides a report on NetMeeting as an appropriate fourth-generation tool for interactive language learning in distance mode. It follows on earlier research by Wang and Sun (2000, 2001) on the most urgent problem facing distance language education--lack of provision of oral-visual interaction and the emergence of a fourth-generation…

This paper presents the results of an experiment using videoconferencing in a distance graduate course in the Computer Science Department at the Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The purpose of the experiment was to test two videoconference technologies that are widely used on the Internet, Cu-SeeMe and Real technology, and to assess…

Presentations at this conference focused on how organizations and individuals are improving their efforts to serve learners at a distance through innovative approaches to competition and collaboration. Rapid developments in technology promise expanded access to education and training resources, but the developments challenge traditional policies…

This document reports the results of an examination of the external and internal environments of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the most promising technological tools and methods to create the training system capabilities the IRS will need in the future. Following an executive summary, chapter 1 describes how the document was developed.…