Using virtual worlds to conduct online tabletop exercises

I've just happened upon what is assuredly a future fixture
in all training and higher education programs in homeland
security and emergency management: the use of virtual worlds.

I'm sure there are plenty of people out there light years ahead of me ...
such as the folks at Idaho State University Institute for Rural Health.

Play2Train is a virtual training space in SecondLife designed to support Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), Simple Triage Rapid Transportation (START), Risk Communication and Incident Command System (ICS) Training. This virtual environment spreads over two islands Asterix and Obelix (65536 x 2 sq. meters), with one island dedicated to a virtual town and the other a virtual hospital. The design of this virtual environment is influenced by dioramas frequently used by emergency services to support their tabletop exercises. A diorama is a partially three dimensional full-size replica or scale model of a landscape typically showing historical events, nature scenes, cityscapes, etc. for purposes of education or entertainment, source: wikipedia. Play2Train will provide opportunities for training through interactive role playing and will be the foundation for our emergency preparedness educational machinima. This site will document activities and developments in this part of the SecondLife virtual world.

http://irhbt.typepad.com/play2train/

This is, in a word: incredible. And just the beginning in terms of application
within the academic world. I would absolutely love to develop a group exercise
for my future online undergraduates (University of Maryland University College)
involving a virtual tabletop exercise. In fact, this is the ONLY way to recreate
the spirit and interpersonal nature of a group face-2-face exercise in e-learning.
Please contact me if you would like to collaborate on such a project.

Expect much much more from me in this forum on this topic.