4 Discussion about the use of HyperMirror and other tools
4.1 Importance of choices of tools in distance learning
While the traditional videoconferencing system creates a ‘disconnect’ with participants shown in separate windows, HyperMirror brings all the participants together into a single shared space and allows participants to have more natural interactions with each other.
However, as stated in this paper, we use not only HyperMirror in these distance learning projects, but also use other tools. We devise a way of using such Distance Learning and the Internet Conference 2008 tools: switching HyperMirror to other tools; using both HyperMirror and other tools together. As a result, participants could do their activities that they want to do, and they could show clearly what they want to display: a picture, material and situation they are working on. Basically, it seems to be that these uses of HyperMirror and other tools were effective in the projects we implemented.
Thus, it is important to choose an appropriate tools which function or feature is (are) suitable for contents, activities, and participants of distance learning.
4.2 Supplement each other It seems that tools used in this paper supplement each other. This is because each tool had the characteristics and was taken advantages in each single distance learning lesson.
Particularly, in the case stated in 3.3, participants could communicate in different way: communication with every part of and a part of the body. Although such a different way of communication could have different meanings, it seems to supplement each other.
This supplement could be a significant point in planning distance learning lesson and deciding which tool is used in distance learning.