Toward determining an attention-getting device for improving interaction during video-mediated communication D.I. Fels a, *, P.L. Weiss b a Ryerson Polytechnic University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, Canada M5B 2K3 b Hadassah-Hebrew University, POB 24026, Jerusalem, Israel Abstract Video-mediated communication is becoming a more common and eective means of inter- personal communication including work-related activities, distance education, telemedicine, and access to public information. Although the issue of `attention getting' and its importance for interpersonal interaction is well recognized in the video-mediated communication literature there is very little empirical evidence as to the relative eectiveness of the various attributes of attention-getting signals. The objective of this study was to compare the response times and error rates of four attention-getting devices which were suitable for a particular application of video-mediated communication in the educational sector. Twelve subjects (eight female and four male), classroom instructors aged 35±55 years, participated in the study. Four attention- getting devices were tested in this experiment: a red light, a yellow rotating light, a wire hand, and a fan with ribbon streamers. Each device was tested three times in three dierent class- rooms during an actual class with actual instructors (the subjects). A one-way analysis of var- iance demonstrated a signi®cant dierence in response time for the four devices with the yellow light and the metal hand being fastest. This preliminary study points out the importance of empirically testing the eectiveness of attention-getting devices of diering characteristics since, of the four devices tested here, two could be expected to elicit the most immediate response from a communication partner. # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Video-mediated communication; Attention-getting device; Children and computing 1. Introduction Video-mediated communication is becoming a more commonly used and eect- ive means of interpersonal communication (Finn, Sellen & Wilbur, 1997). It is Computers in Human Behavior 16 (2000) 189±198 www.elsevier.com/locate/comphumbeh 0747-5632/00/$ - see front matter # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S0747-5632(99)00055-2 * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-416-979-5000 ext. 7619; fax: +1-416-979-5249 E-mail address: dfels@acs.ryerson.ca (D.I. Fels).