Audio-visual interaction (synchronous) is one of the Synchronous Computer Mediated Communications (SCMC). ‘Computer Mediated Communication’ (CMC) is defined as any communicative transaction which occurs through the use of two or more networked computers. In synchronous communications all participants are online at the same time. Graphical and textual interaction can also be forms of synchronous communication.

The term ‘audio-visual interaction (synchronous)’ is used to refer to real-time communication using video-conferencing (a set of interactive telecommunication technologies which allow two or more locations to interact via two-way video and audio transmissions simultaneously) and/or audio communication over a computer network, perhaps using a tool such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

‘VoIP’ is a general term for a family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over IP networks such as the Internet or other packet-switched networks. Other terms frequently encountered and synonymous with VoIP are ‘IP telephony’, ‘Internet telephony’, ‘voice over broadband’ (VoBB), ‘broadband telephony’, and ‘broadband phone’.

Related methods include: Graphical Interaction (Synchronous), Textual Interaction (Synchronous) and Virtual world modelling.