Remote teaching of arthropod species identification through interactive multimedia

Remote teaching programs are effective means for providing entomologists with the knowledge they need to confidently identify medically important arthropods. Using interactive multimedia, these programs teach the morphology of ticks and larval and adult mosquitoes through tutorials, followed by practice identifications of collected arthropod specimens. Interactive multimedia programs are created in 3 phases: planning, design, and development. Species identification is one of the most important skills that entomologists must have, because recognition of disease vectors during field surveillance is an important component of overall troop protection.