Virtual lab: a Java application for distance learning

Recent progress in telecommunications has made it possible to develop software offering users new features such as access to remote resources from different geographical locations. At the University of Catania we have developed a Virtual Laboratory (VL) for distance learning. Our lab is realized in Java and uses the Internet or/and an Intranet to provide complete access to the lab's resources. Users can consult tutorials, run simulations and intervene in the production cycle of an educational industrial plant from any Internet node. This paper describes the general organization of the VL and the implementation choices made in order to guarantee the efficiency of resource management, provide adequate communication and security for the information exchange and ensure flexible, customized service configuration.