The great variable in internet development has always been bandwidth. DSL, cable television systems and T1 lines have made high speed internet communication widespread if not yet commonplace. That development has made the design possibilities for web pages explode. Java led the way for multiple software programs that provide special effects for web pages. Beyond the cleverness of moving images, some of the new software has in effect rewritten the foundation for web page design. There are several programs from Adobe and others that virtually work in their own languages, providing all sorts of technical tools to create visual effects.
Learning about these programs and keeping up with new ones is the challenge that a web design student faces. 3D modeling, the CAD programs, the many image manipulation programs...the tools in these areas are issued in updated versions frequently and new tools are coming along with regularity. One visual effects course of curriculum includes the following programs as tools with which students must develop proficiency: Alias Maya & MotionBuilder, Adobe CS Suite, After Effects, Final Cut Pro, Commotion and RealViz Matchmover. This particular institution says that "more than half the student's day is spent one-to-one (student with machine)." The faculty member is strictly in an advisory role.
