San Francisco—April
18, 2003—Faced
with the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
(SARS) virus outbreak, Hong Kong Baptist University
turned to technology to keep students
learning and able to attend virtual classes after
the government shut down schools to contain the
virus. With the help of Macromedia Flash Communication
Server MX 1.5, classes that are open to public
access are continuing for more than 6,500 students,
while 60 schools are operating separate classes
catering to the needs of their students.
“Macromedia Flash Communication Server
MX 1.5 makes it possible to deliver multi-way
audio, video, and real-time data to so many students
at the same time, all streaming through the tiny
Macromedia Flash Player on a student’s
PC,” said Dr. Alex C.W. Fung, head of the
education studies department and the school administration
and management system training and research unit,
Hong Kong Baptist University. “Instructors’ lesson
plans and learning materials are uploaded and
stored on the server ready to use later during
the real-time webcasts of each lesson. Teachers
reduced content development time significantly
by using Macromedia Flash MX to quickly convert
all teachers’ existing PowerPoint presentation
files before uploading to VITLE.”
Hong Kong Baptist University was already test-running
the Virtual Integrated Teaching and Learning
Environment (VITLE) using Macromedia Flash Communication
Server MX and Macromedia ColdFusion MX within
its campus, but the availability of Macromedia
Flash Communication Server MX 1.5 made it possible
to stream presentations and live audio and video
to students across the territory. Macromedia,
Microsoft, and other technology companies are
providing software, support, and infrastructure
to help this "Classes Suspended But Learning
Continues" initiative using VITLE. Fung
developed this improved version of VITLE using
an ASP model with Macromedia Flash Communication
Server MX 1.5. It was launched in two working
days with the help of a Macromedia engineer to
enable Hong Kong schools to use this unique e-learning
solution.
"We're starting to see more and more examples
of the Internet being used as a two-way communication
medium," said Rob Burgess, chairman and
CEO, Macromedia. "Hong Kong Baptist University
has created a live virtual classroom where students
are able to see the professor on the screen and
literally conduct the class through this difficult
time. It's a great example of the Internet delivering
more than HTML experiences."
To see streaming video examples of VITLE in
action, visit www.macromedia.com/go/vitle/.
VITLE is available at www.iLearn.com.hk/.
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