Email
Email or electronic mail permits people with computers to send text (and sometimes graphic, video, and audio) messages to each other. Email is not "real time," so senders have no control over when a message is received, read or replied to. In online classes, students and instructors use email to communicate, collaborate, send and receive documents and files.

Chat Rooms
Chat rooms are virtual gathering places where people meet in real time to participate in dynamic, ongoing conversations. Like actual conversations, people in chat rooms can speak up by adding comments or they can just "lurk"--passively follow the conversation. In online classes, chat rooms are used for discussions and group meetings.

Discussion Forums
Discussion forums, threaded discussions, or message boards, are online databases where people post their thoughts on a given topic, statement or question and read what others have to say. In online classes, instructors may post a topic or a challenge on a discussion board and require students to respond, or use it for non-real time class discussions.

Firewalls
Some organizations build firewalls, or buffers, between their internal computer networks and the Internet. Firewalls protect Intranets from unauthorized users by allowing only certain types of messages (data) to flow in and out of the system. Firewalls can cause problems for online learners who access classes from work.

Listservs
A Listserv is an electronic mailing list, where email, files and documents are exchanged between subscribers through the list. In online classes, listservs are used to distribute class materials and messages.

WebCast
A WebCast is a "real time" video conference. Students view a live video of an instructor or other speaker on their web browser, and submit questions via a text box, email, or telephone line. WebCasts may be saved for later viewing in case a student missed the live session or wants to review what was said.