This paper describes development and evaluation of “VoicingBoard”: a computer-based tool that helps users to draw Manga (cartoon). This system is developed to support Manga-representation method, which is a training method for message generation in the process of presentation. In this method, learners are supposed to represent their ideas in the form of a Manga and reflect on their ideas by examining as well as re-drawing the Manga. It is expected that representing their ideas in a form of Manga will help learners to envision voices of related people to think about their ideas in relation of various opinions of the people. This multivoiced reflection is, from the viewpoint of the theory of dialogue, the key to good presentation. The authors’ previous study showed that Manga-representation method was effective in supporting learners’ multivoiced consideration; however, it also revealed drawing Manga itself was hard task for learners. VoicingBoard is developed to reduce the load of Manga drawing. Comparison experiment between paper-based Manga and VoicingBoard showed that (1) Manga drawing with this system is easier than paper-based drawing and (2) with VoicingBoard, learners can imagine more related actors than paper-based drawing.

This paper evaluates subjective quality and response time of real-time distance interactive environments in multipoint IP communications. Buffering control at receiver terminals is effective in improving intra-stream and inter-stream media synchronization quality, while it may degrade the inter-destination synchronization quality. By experiment, we quantitatively clarify factors which affect the subjective quality and response time when the buffering control is exerted. We then see that the overall subjective quality and response time are affected by the inter-destination synchronization quality. Furthermore, we show that the improvement of subjective quality and response time enhances the inter-destination synchronization quality.

The “Magical Spoons” is a learning program to promote interest and attention for the Information Study at high-school level. The features of this program are 1) a learner participates in information processing as a software engineer, and 2) a learner performs some functions of an information system. By using this program, a learner will be able to perceive experientially the role/purpose/function of the information coding, and information processing in a computer/information system. In this paper, we describe the educational practices and results about this program.