A modality, or, more explicitly, a modality of information representation, is a way of representing information in some medium ( Bernsen & Dybkjaer, 2009 ). By definition, a multimodal interactive system uses at least two different modalities for input and/or output. Multimodality allows an integrated use of various forms of interaction simultaneously. 

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      A modality, or, more explicitly, a modality of information representation, is a way of representing information in some medium (Bernsen & Dybkjaer, 2009). By definition, a multimodal interactive system uses at least two different modalities for input and/or output. Multimodality allows an integrated use of various forms of interaction simultaneously. 

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Examples of multimodal texts are: a picture book, in which the textual and visual elements are arranged on individual pages that contribute to an overall set of bound pages. a webpage, in which elements such as sound effects, oral language, written language, music and still or moving images are combined.

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Creating multimodal texts

Multimodal texts combine two or more modes such as written language, spoken language, visual (still and moving image), audio, gestural, and spatial meaning (The New London Group, 2000; Cope and Kalantzis, 2009). Creating digital multimodal texts involves use of communication technologies, however, multimodal texts can also be paper based, or live performances.

The Victorian Curriculum recognises that students need to be able to create a range of increasingly complex and sophisticated spoken, written, and multimodal texts for different purposes and audiences, with accuracy, fluency and purpose.