Accessible by PCs, this SRI International service uses speech, virtual whiteboards, shared text, Web pages, and other tools to enable planning and running online courses, discussions, focus groups, and Web tours. There are customized virtual rooms, training, technical support by email and phone, weekly e-vents, and much more. Mix of current technologies used Most of the newer PCs and Macs with sound and video cards have enough oomph to give you a window into the world of e-learning. For animation, many content providers are using Flash, Macromedia's Web animation software for low bandwidth. As with all media-rich content on the Internet, the real issue is the size of the pipes that pump the bits.
Distance learning is bandwidth dependent.
An early Apex offering for advanced placement high school science students used high-end visualization graphics. The company hired some very good animators and produced a clean animation with strong educational underpinnings. When they took their product to market, they found that much of the target market did not yet have broadband access for streaming media. A lot is coming that is more powerful. Within five years there will likely be widespread high-bandwidth fiber optic and wireless networks.