Networked Multi-user and Multimedia Environments for Learning and Collaboration Jonathan P. Bowen The University of Reading Michael K. Houghton Entranet November 1999 Address for correspondence: Jonathan Bowen The University of Reading Department of Computer Science Whiteknights, PO Box 225 READING Berks RG6 6AY UK Email: J.P.Bowen@reading.ac.uk URL: http://www.cs.reading.ac.uk/people/jpb/ Abstract The dramatic increase in the popularity of the Internet, largely brought about by the World Wide Web, has significantly increased the need for environments to support re- mote collaboration, learning, and research. Existing network technologies can be used to partly service the requirement for self-paced teaching, but a greater level of tool in- tegration is needed to support directed learning and collaboration. This paper discusses work done to marry traditional text-based conferencing with the facilities available through a graphical World Wide Web browser. The uses and needs of reconfigurable multimedia-based ‘virtual’ environments are explored, suggested from experience in producing a prototype development.