Abstract: A computer-assisted educational system. Educational courses are provided, comprising individual lessons. The lessons are stored at one, or more, servers, and are transmitted to remote computers over a network, such as an internet. Students utilize the remote computers to participate in the lessons. At any given time, the remote computer displays the lessons available to a student, so that, for a given course, the student is not held in lock-step with the other students, but may study the lesson's of the student's own choice. This freedom is subject to any requirements of certain lessons which require prerequisite lessons be completed. The prerequisites must be completed first.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to the fabrication of materials for use as tools in various applications. Specific emphasis is placed upon certain ceramic matrix composite materials and metal matrix composite materials for use as tools as well as certain ceramic matrix composite and/or metal matrix composite coatings on substrate materials, also for use as tools. This invention makes specific reference to a number of different materials for use as tools in the molding of thermoplastic materials (e.g., polymers, plastics, ceramics, glasses, metals) with particular emphasis being directed to the thermoplastic molding of plastics or polymers.