Development of web browsing techniques to capture responses in the context of English language skills assessment

The assessment of speaking skills in English as a foreign language presents pedagogical and logistical challenges, which are being exacerbated by the increasing demand for British qualifications from students based overseas. To address these challenges, and to reduce the time lapse between taking the test and issuing the results, we have developed an on-line version of a traditional high-stakes Speaking test, using Real Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP).