ayman abdel-hamid department of computer science lamar university p.o. box 10056, beaumont, tx...

Ayman Abdel-HamidDepartment of Computer Science

Lamar UniversityP.O. Box 10056, Beaumont, TX 77710, USA

[email protected]

Kurt Maly, C.M. Overstreet, Sahar Ghanem, Ye Wang, and Aravind Elango

Department of Computer ScienceOld Dominion UniversityNorfolk, VA 23529, USA

{maly, cmo, ghanem, ywang, aelango}@cs.odu.edu

Tool Sharing Modes in aSynchronous Interactive Remote

Instruction System

June 2004 ED-MEDIA 2004 2

Outline

Introduction IRI-Easy Overview Tool Sharing Modes in IRI-Easy

Application Server Mode Remote control capability

Local Sharing Mode Conclusions and Future Work


Introduction 1/2

IRI-h (heterogeneous) is a multi-platform, multi-network environment scalable system (available from http://www.cs.odu.edu/~iri-h)

IRI-h prototype successfully used to teach a semester-long computer science course across 2 sites 20 miles apart

IRI-h prototype deployed in actual home user scenario using a cable modem connection

IRI-Easy, most recent version of IRI


IRI-Easy features: fully implemented in JAVA (multi-platform) Simple on the fly setup of collaborative sessions audio, and video (Java Media Framework JMF) tool sharing (Interactive Program Video IPV) annotation and pointer Application-level gateway

“Group of groups” communication paradigm Individual multicast-disabled participants

recording and playback note taking and notes-server call student, site video

Introduction 2/2


IRI-Easy Overview 1/4

SMSP1

SP3

SP2

Multicast Intranet I

Site2

GW1 GW2

SP5

SP4

Multicast Intranet II

Unicast UDP forwarding

TCP connection(control and state)

DirectoryServer

Multicast-disabled participantMulticast-disabled participant


The concept of a session shared view and private view Secure session vs. open session

a directory server offers a lookup service for ongoing sessions Contacted by an IRI-Easy client software to get active

sessions’ information unreliable group communication offered through IP-

multicast semi-reliable group communication offered through IP-

multicast and a controlled retransmission policy IRI-h services: audio, video, tool-sharing, annotations, and

pointer services.




A snapshot of the IRI-Easy client software while viewing active sessions’ information



A shared view snapshot illustrating a discussion scenario


Tool Sharing Capabilities Identified tool sharing as one of the essential features of

interactive distance learning systems A tool sharing engine: allows a participant to share any

running application with other participants sender side (coded in Java, relying on some native calls in

Microsoft Windows) images of the windows in the application being shared are

captured, compared to previous images to detect change, compressed, and transmitted over a group communication channel

receiver side (pure Java code, using Java Advanced Imaging package) images are received, decompressed, and displayed

a floor control facility is provided to enable receiver side participants to take control of the shared tool


Tool Sharing modes: Application Server mode 1/3

Server machine to act as sender side: Application server Hosts a variety of applications needed for class material

presentation and discussions does not participate in shared session activities such as

video, audio, and shared tools traffic reception requires a system administrator to man the application

server capable of retrieving a list of currently active applications

on the machines (through the sharing tool engine) Out-of-session communication mechanism between current

presenter and administrator to dictate which tools to be shared next

chosen application window(s) needs to be on top of other existing applications



Need for remote control of application server Application server configured with names and locations of

applications available for sharing Application server registers with SM Participants provided with capability of remote controlling

the applications server, including starting new applications initiating the sharing process for an already running

application changing the size and the location of the shared application

window All protocol communications are sent to the SM, which in turn

relays them to the application server, and vice versa in the reverse direction



An image of the shared application window

A miniature of the application server main screen along with shared application window

Remote control interface

A remote control scenario of the sharing tool engine on the application server


Tool Sharing modes: Local Sharing mode 1/2

Relying on the application server as single source of applications to be shared represents a single point of failure.

Need for local sharing mode (peer to peer)Any participant can share any running tool on his/her desktop

Intelligent manipulation of IRI-Easy GUIa participant has to control the GUI and the shared tool, with the requirement that the shared tool remains on top at all times for correct capture process operation

Solution: Automated GUI resizing policyvisible screen is split in half with one half being occupied by the IRI GUI, and the other half left available to place the shared tool in


Tool Sharing modes: Local Sharing mode 2/2

Shared tool

IRI GUI automatically resized to provide space for the shared tool

An image of the shared window as part of IRI-Easy GUI

a local tool sharing scenario


Conclusions

IRI-Easy On the fly set up and join of collaborative sessions Caters for heterogeneous network environments

Sharing tool engine (IPV) Two tool sharing flavors

Application server mode Local sharing mode

Versatile sharing scenarios enhancing teaching and learning experience in interactive distance learning systems


Future Work

investigate the feasibility of simultaneously combining both tool sharing modes within a session

automate the discovery of applications available on the application server removing the necessity for pre-configuration of application server

port the sharing tool engine sender component native calls into other platforms such as Linux

ayman abdel-hamid department of computer science lamar university p.o. box 10056, beaumont, tx...

Documents

irieasy features

tool sharing modes

irieasy client software

shared tooledmedia

irih heterogeneous

discussion scenario

java multiplatformsimple

cable modem connectionirieasy