Watching the network in action is fascinating.

From a master control room, an administrator can tap into cameras in any of the classrooms in rural high schools scattered throughout the southeastern part of Alabama. With the click of a button, the centrally located administrator can peek into a classroom in Goshen. With another, the screen switches to students in Dale County.

The students in each classroom are monitored in-person by an aide, but the only official teacher is at a central location, delivering instructions to a classroom of students and a camera at the same time. In addition to keeping the equipment functioning, the aide is responsible for taking attendance, distributing handouts and maintaining classroom discipline.

The camera broadcasts the teacher's face, the teacher's writing, and the faces of the students, all at the touch of a button.

Students can speak by pressing a button on a box attached to their desks. Microphones and technology will broadcast their question to the classrooms across the entire network.

Teachers can use Powerpoint presentations, broadcast videotapes and surf the Web, all on camera and all broadcast simultaneously to the classrooms.