Abstract:In order to support distributed multimedia group communication mechanism description and development, QCGPIPE (QoS controlled group PIPE) is presented as a QoS-based platform multimedia group communication abstraction. The formal definitions of QCGPIPE are introduced and its enforcement procedures are discussed in detail. QCGPIPE has been applied as the guidelines of the development of group communication mechanisms in distributed multimedia information systems, computer conferencing systems and distance edstance education systems successfully.Experimental results show that QCGPIPE can ant as the development guidelines of distributed multimedia group communication mechanisms.