First, e-mail provides students an excellent opportunity for real, natural communication…
Second, e-mail empowers students for independent learning…
Finally, the use of e-mail enriches our experiences as teachers…

The contributors in Warschauer (1995), and Townshend (1997) also discuss the benefits of e-mail project work allowing for collaborative learning between students in the same and different schools, and between students in the same and in foreign countries. Mason (1994) mentions that because the communication is asynchronous learners may not feel under pressure to respond to e-mails. One of the solutions to this in the collaborative writing classroom is ensuring that the teacher is available to monitor students so as to encourage them do respond. This is easier in project work with other schools where a teacher at the other end may also check that messages between students have been sent.

The world wide web is a vast universal collection of ‘hyperlinked’ pages. Web pages may contain not just text as Ebbelink (1999) notes in Table 1, but also graphics, pictures, video, and sound. The WWW is a part of the Internet – an international network of linked computers. Tim Berners-Lee (1997), the person who created the www postulated that "The first phase of the Web is human communication through shared knowledge." This may serve as a pertinent reminder to language teachers and learners of pedagogic use of the WWW (referred to by Ted Nelson (the creator of ‘hypertext’) as "docuverse").
Warschauer (1996a) enthusiastically advised that by making use of the WWW:

However, one of the disadvantages of using the WWW is that because of the sheer volume of data in this ‘docuverse’ it can be very easy to become ‘lost in cyberspace’, simply distracted or unfocussed on the task in hand.

Computer environments traditionally lack sufficient location and navigation cues and the very real problem of disorientation is commonplace.
Jennings (1995:110)

Another perturbing problem is finding the information in the first place, and examining and evaluating numerous potentially useful sites.

Computer conferencing is a system for text based message exchanges. Participants can write publicly to a forum, where everyone can view and respond to the messages posted, or to individuals. The principal advantage of computer conferencing is "interactivity". Mason (1994:57) explains that

In a study by Paramskas (1995:31) she claims that her

On a more cautionary note Howell-Richardson (1995:124) posits overload of the number of messages in computer conferencing as a distinct disadvantage. Users may become overwhelmed by the number of new messages since their last log in session. Mason (1994:59) concurs with this sentiment and also adds that the most confident students may dominate (as in FTF interaction); writing messages is time-consuming; and there is less pressure to respond.

Audio conferencing allows only the broadcast of an audio channel between participants with computers. The set-up is much the same as a videoconference except for the lack of cameras.

The main advantages are that it is technically easier to set up than videoconferencing and that much less data needs to be transmitted between computer terminals, meaning that quality can be comparable to holding a normal telephone conversation. Most people have used a telephone and this means that teachers and learners should already be familiar communicating in this way. Daly-Jones, Monk and Watts (1998:54) found that audio conferencing was just as effective in regard to fluency in student pairs.

The disadvantages include most importantly the lack of the visual element (just as in telephone talk). Daly-Jones et al (1998:53) found that "interpersonal awareness was enhanced by the configuration of the video equipment". In addition, audio conferencing does not support the sharing of other computer applications that DVC supports.

Newsgroups are similar to computer conferencing. Users subscribe to a newsgroup that interests them and download new messages each time they log on. The messages are listed time-sequentially in the order of their contribution by the participants and are connected with the newsgroup list’s topic area. Sperling (1998) has an excellent list of computer based EFL resources including student newsgroups such as EslList for young English learners macjord@oxnardsd.org, and Word.A.Day wsmith@wordsmith.org which sends a word of the day with its definition. Teacher lists are represented too:

Flteach http://www.cortland.edu/www_root/flteach/flteach.html
LLTI http://eleazar.dartmouth.edu/IALL/index.html
TESL-L listserv@cunyvm.cuny.edu

Some newsgroups are moderated and therefore only messages that are relevant, useful and contribute ‘on topic’ information are distributed.

The advantages of newsgroups are that users can examine topics of interest to themselves and contribute when they feel like doing so. Learners can ‘brainstorm’ ideas from a large pool of people, and seek answers to specific questions.

The disadvantages are that the contribution of messages is never constant; so there can be a huge number of messages, or very few, each time the user logs on. There can also be unstructured threads to the messages, even though they are dealing with the same general theme, and comments can digress off topic.

IRC is one form (and the most popular) of ‘chat’ via the Internet. IRC and other Chatrooms such as ESL Chat Central http://www.eslcafe.com/chat/chatpro.cgi are synchronous text-based CMC systems. IRC is developed around a ‘channel’ system, where users will select one of thousands of channels to join. Users can exchange messages by typing in a portion of a split ‘window’ on their computer screen. One half of the window is devoted to typed messages, the other half to messages received. Messages can be typed with the recipient viewing what is written, either as each character is typed, line by line, or as a block of text.

The principal advantage of chatrooms is that learners can chat to people around the world anytime, and from any place. Chat is usually ‘fun’ and can be a motivating way for learners to practice and develop their language skills.

White (1998:74) summarises some of the negative aspects from his study of chat rooms for language learning that students faced:

Perhaps a more important consideration about chat is that the learners "were not so certain how it could be used in the language classroom." White (1998:74). This points to the need for greater teacher direction if used in the language classroom rather than in learners’ own time. In the confines of the physical classroom the teacher is always present. Allowing learners to ‘wander’ around chat rooms or from channel to channel without any teacher support is like walking out of the classroom – abandonment of the learners.

MUDs are ‘virtual reality’ text-based role playing adventure games on internet-linked computers, where each participant assumes an identity. The purpose of MUD play is usually to kill off one’s opponents so as to become one of the most powerful players, such as a witch or wizard.

MOOs (MUD Object Oriented) were first developed by Pavel Curtis at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center from MUDs. They are not simply games but also domains where more social and educational use is prevalent. MOOs have similar features to chatrooms. One of the most renowned MOOs is SchMOOze University which describes itself:

as a place where people studying English as a second or foreign language could practice English while sharing ideas and experiences with other learners and practicers of English
http://schmooze.hunter.cuny.edu:8888/

In addition to speech lots of paralinguistic features such as <*smiles*>, <*hugs*> and <*waves*>, can be expressed in MOOs, which induce a positive environment in which to learn; but these do not usually occur in the normal classroom environment. Learners can log in to SchMOOze and assume an identity that suits them. One of the quirks of MOOs, and chatrooms is that partcipants often invent a new persona to conduct their "chat". This may provide an anonymous cover for inhibited or shy learners, but for more genuine learners interaction in these ‘virtual’ environments can be frustrating if there is a significant difference from real life interaction.

The main disadvantage in these forms of CMC is the need for students to attain reasonable keyboard skills that are a necessity for active communicative participation. Learning in a MOO environment may not appeal to all learners. It is specifically an informal writing environment that attempts to mirror speaking. Language learners often need to improve their writing skills in more formal, specific areas such as writing a C.V., cover letter for a job. Chatting in textual form will not necessarily improve spoken communicative performance either.

2.8 Common benefits of other forms of CMC in comparison to DVC

There are a number of other advantages that other CMC systems such as e-mail, newsgroups and computer conferencing offer. Text based systems can provide a permanent record for each participant of message exchanges, that is easy to save and retrieve. In DVC, unless a video recording is made, as in FTF communication there is no permanent reminder of the event. Hiltz and Turoff (1993) also claim that

At least with asynchronous CMC the participants have more chance of logging on to a system at a convenient time for themselves rather than be restricted by the conformity of set times. Learners studying in different countries, or across different time zones can leave messages for others regardless of the time. Obviously a videoconference needs all participants to be in attendance at the same time. The sheer volume of people that one is able to connect with via CMC systems is greater than with DVC. Rapaport (1991:29) explains that ‘text’:

2.9 Common benefits of DVC in comparison to other forms of CMC

Mason (1994:80) notes "One important aspect of videoconferencing lies in the creation of social presence and a comfortable environment for learning." Students can see the teacher, interact with each other in ways that are as close to FTF interaction as normal in comparison to other modes of CMC.

In addition to the disadvantages already stated, in the previous sections referring to each form of CMC, Hiltz (1994:14) states three disadvantages in "factors related to educational effectiveness":

Absence of audio-visual media
Requires motivation / regular participation
Potential "information overload"

In a text based CMC environment Howell-Richarson (1995:122) highlights "the difficulty of gauging the appropriate level of shared knowledge". It will also be difficult to monitor individual knowledge too, as each person in a learning environment will be working at their own pace. The levels of participation may be particularly difficult to judge in such areas as e-mail, which can be sent privately to individuals or openly to a number of people; and in newsgroups and computer conferencing where participants may ignore posted messages.

In DVC, the teacher’s roles such as ‘controller’, ‘assessor’, ‘organiser’, ‘prompter’, ‘participant’, ‘resource’, ‘tutor’ (Harmer 1991:235), may be more readily apparent.

In this chapter I have examined the various forms of CMC and their significance in relation to language learning. In the following chapter I shall examine in greater depth what is involved in setting up desktop videoconferencing, and consider some fundamental technical issues.