Two eight week distance learning short courses have been conducted, where the course content delivery was via a self administered multimedia CD ROM package, and tutor-student tutorials were conducted using multicast desktop videoconferencing (DVC). The courses were setup in investigate the most appropriate use of the videoconferencing tools in supporting distance learning. The results from the first course indicated that the teacher could use DVC to effectively tutor small groups of individual distance learners, however these students wished for more contact with each other. The second course scheduled times when students could debate among themselves, which overcame the main criticism of students from the first course. Students all said that they benefitted from having each other present in the tutorial.

The weekly tutorials were conducted in groups of between two and five participants (including tutor). Before each tutorial the students would have completed a set of question based on a section of the CD ROM package, and these answers and associated material would be discussed during the tutorial. The MBone tools used were: WB for shared workspace, RAT for audio, and VIC for video. Tutorial questions were imported onto the shared workspace prior to the tutorial and the tutor and students annotated the text mostly without difficulty.

Operational issues to note: - Students occasionally shared a workstation which meant that the camera had to focus at a distance on two people which meant that it was hard to see both or clearly identify who was talking - Most students were content with a QCIF image of other participants and some did not feel a CIF image size would have been better. There was however a tendency to have the tutor (teacher) at the CIF size. - When the video image update dipped below 1fps it was hard to visually identify who was speaking - Lack of prior practise on WB gave some problems - especially when text disappeared. - Drawing and pointing by on WB by using a mouse was awkward. - Several students mentioned that the use of push-to-talk inhibited their ability to interrupt in a discussion, especially when ptt gave feedback when two participants 'pushed' simultaneously. - In most cases the audio and video quality was quite acceptable. - There were no intrinsic problems with the sound or video tools.