  Historically the training of teams has been implemented using a face-to-face
approach. In the past decade, on-line multiuser virtual environments have
offered a solution for training teams whose members are geographically
dispersed. In order to develop on effective team training activity, a high
sense of presence among the participant needs to be reached. Previous research
studies reported being able to reach a high level of presence even when using
inexpensive technology such as laptop and headset. This study evaluates the
level of presence of ten subjects who have to perform a team-building activity
in a multi-user virtual environment using a laptop computer and a headset. The
authors are interested in determining which user characterizes, such as gender,
age and knowledge of computers, have a strong correlation with the level of
sense of presence. The results of this study showed that female participants
were more likely to engage in the activity and perceived fewer negative
effects. Participants who reported less negative effects such as feeling tired,
dizzy, or experiencing eye strain during the team-building activity reached a
higher level of sense of presence.
