This paper describes how information and communication technology (ICT) is used in the modular Open University course "T209 Information and Communication Technologies: People and Interactions", first presented in 2002. In this course ICT is used to provide students with practical experience and to support an active and collaborative approach to learning. The paper provides some background information on the course and an explanation of its general use of ICT, before going on to discuss the particular applications of ICT in each module. These include design and modelling tools, computer-mediated communication, and use of the Web and CD-ROMs for resource-based learning. The authors include an evaluation of the contribution of ICT to the achievement of the learning outcomes for the course, and also discuss lessons learned for the future. (Contains 1 note and 4 figures.)