AbstractThis paper reports on a project commissioned by the National Council for Educational Technology and designed to investigate the potential for interactive video to support students and mentors in school‐based initial teacher training (ITT). Its results derive from an empirical study in 26 schools, currently using interactive video in staff development. The work focused on three parallel questions relating to the new models of school‐based training: what are the training needs of the students, their mentors and ITT tutors?; what features of interactive video make it a feasible and appropriate means of distance learning in this context? and how is interactive video currently being used in schools’ staff development? A primary concern was to investigate the potential of interactive video to offer a consistent core of training that would cover a breadth of training experiences, regardless of the student's placement. Using the Quality Management in Schools interactive video disks (QMS I and II 1990/91) as the focus, the modes of usage and perceived value of interactive video in staff development are considered. The report concludes by commenting on the potential of interactive video fo