A discussion forum is

	An online application used for group communication
	Generally used in courses within an online instructional environment, such as Blackboard, WebCT or Lotus Notes
	Possible using web-based services such as eGroups and others
	Semipublic, in that participants may read entries posted by group members, but access is restricted to group members
	Also known as threaded discussion, bulletin board, message board
	Valuable for face-to-face courses, blended courses, and distance courses Examples WebCT Forum http://courses.unf.edu:8900/webct/public/show_courses?958401312 Blackboard Discussion http://blackboard.unf.edu/