A virtual classroom for real-time interactive distance learning

With the progress in the digital media (video, audio) compression and multimedia networking distance learning and media-on-demand applications are rapidly becoming more feasible and accessible. The majority of the distance learning systems can be classified as real-time (live) and non-real-time (stored, on-demand). Each of these categories leads to a different set of constraints and possible solutions. For real time applications the focus is on achieving fast and efficient compression and network delivery of the live contents to the client machines. For on-demand systems, the focus is on embedding various multimedia features and streaming the stored contents to the end user. In this paper, a real-time system under development at the University of Washington is presented.