Documents of the scientific methods to be performed, lab sheets, and data calculations are all tasks that computers transform quite well. Most people are so accustomed to word processors that the distinctions between a text document and a text file are becoming negligible.
The social aspect of the traditional classroom does not lend itself as naturally to a computer model. To model the dynamics of conversation many tools are used, each succeeding in bringing some aspects of a conversation together. For example, video coferencing using NetMeeting can allow the students to watch each other and communicate visual signals to each other. These signals can be hand signals and gestures to describe objects, a wrinkling of the brow to communicate confusion, or any number of other signals.
While telecommunications can help alleviate the loss of standard communication methods, we saw in both our experiments with the Virtual School as well as with all of the school groups usage, technology could not make up for all of the awareness issues.