Effective Characteristics of Learning Multimedia

Developing effective educational software requires an understanding of the complexity of multimedia components. The relationship between the characteristics of learning multimedia and learning outcomes of students is explored in two studies carried out in Estonia with multimedia textbooks and multimedia drills. Included are those characteristics likely to be effective for all students, boys, girls, high-achieving students, and low achieving students. Concluding recommendations based on the results of these studies should be useful for teachers and for developers of multimedia software.