The Pennsylvania State University, through its World Campus, is exploring several design models which provide multifaceted communication environments for distance education. Currently, students enrolled in World Campus programs interact with courses delivered through WebCT, a course management tool, or through FirstClass. This paper focuses on FirstClass, a communication tool that provides students with access to a single communication environment that supports individual courses, as well as offering an interface to the whole curriculum, including the ability to communicate with the World Campus Learner Support (i.e., the administrative support unit for applications, registration, financial aid, and ombudsmen for students). The following topics are addressed: the FirstClass environment; collaborative workspace; level of interactions; and faculty and student perceptions. Figures illustrating the FirstClass desktop and collaborative work space are included. (DLS)