  The proliferation of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has
shown great promise in addressing educational challenges facing rural areas.
However, the complex rural context poses significant challenges to the
effective utilization of these technologies. This paper examines the empirical
integration of live-streaming-based remote classrooms (LSRC) through a
qualitative study in rural China. Our findings suggest that while LSRC enables
rural students equal access to high-quality educational resources, its
practical integration faces numerous challenges. In particular, we emphasize
the crucial role of local teachers in addressing these challenges, ultimately
achieving the desired improvement of students' learning outcomes. We also
examine the impact of LSRC on the original rural education ecosystem. Building
upon our findings, we call for a reconsideration of interaction paradigms and
evaluation systems of ICT-mediated rural education, emphasizing the
significance of rural teachers. We conclude by discussing the implications for
future ICT-mediated technology interventions in rural settings.
