Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash) is a multimedia platform that is popular for adding animation and interactivity to web pages. Originally acquired by Macromedia, Flash was introduced in 1996, and is currently developed and distributed by Adobe Systems.
Flash is commonly used to create animation, advertisements, and various web page Flash components, to integrate video into web pages, and more recently, to develop rich Internet applications. Flash can manipulate vector and raster graphics, and supports bidirectional streaming of audio and video. It contains a scripting language called ActionScript. Several software products, systems, anddevices are able to create or display Flash content, including Adobe Flash Player, which is available free for most common web browsers, some mobile phones and for other electronic devices (using Flash Lite). The Adobe Flash Professional multimedia authoring program is used to create content for the Adobe Engagement Platform, such as web applications, games and movies, and content for mobile phones and other embedded devices.
Files in the SWF format, traditionally called "ShockWave Flash" movies, "Flash movies" or "Flash games", usually have a .swf file extension and may be an object of a web page, strictly "played" in a standalone Flash Player, or incorporated into a Projector, a self-executing Flash movie (with the .exe extension in Microsoft Windows). Flash Video files[spec 1] have a .flv file extension and are either used from within .swf files or played through a flv-aware player, such as VLC, or QuickTime and Windows Media Player with externalcodecs added.

Animation
Flash can display moving text and still images. This is different from video, where each frame is a new image.
Interactivity
Flash can capture user input via mouse, keyboard, microphone and camera. Using such input, the flash programmer can create an interactive user interface.
Video
Flash can be used to embed video in web pages, a feature available since Flash Player version 6. The technique is to create a flash file (.swf) that provides a user interface for playing the video file, a so called "player". This is what many popular video sites do, including YouTube and Google Video.

Format/extension
.swf - .swf files are completed, compiled and published files that cannot be edited with Adobe Flash. However, many '.swf decompilers' do exist. Attempting to import .swf files using Flash allows it to retrieve some assets from the .swf, but not all.
.fla - .fla files contain source material for the Flash application. Flash authoring software can edit FLA files and compile them into .swf files. The Flash source file format is currently a binary file format based on the Microsoft compound file formatExtension

WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
Starting on Web Design
To be able to teach the basics of web design to high school students, you must first have a good knowledge of it yourself.
The usual first impression is that websites are a purely technical matter. That’s true, for the most part. Anyone with the technical knowledge can make a website. But making a successful one involves a lot of factors, all of them revolving around functional design and content.
According to Phil Brisk, a creative director and advertising director of print, broadcast and online media, the golden rule in web design is that everything that goes into the website must have a purpose.
Be useful.
A lot of mistakes have been committed due to the enthusiasm of web designers to make their websites look good, adding graphics that do not have a purpose, trying to present an image that might look good framed on a wall, but not on the computer monitor.
Brisk emphasized the importance of not only the aesthetics (beautiful, attractive, creating impact), but also the functionality (ease of use of website interface), hence the reminder to “effectively communicate the message and not decorate.”
According to him, the websites with the most information, that are quick to load and easily understandable are the most functional websites. However, he adds that aesthetic quality in a web design is also needed, because things like instructions or technical manuals, or even reports, are absorbed better with the proper color, contrast and layout of elements.
Remember Conventions.
Teach your students to maximize conventional shapes, colors, patterns, layouts, and font styles, among others, that have developed their own meanings through the years.
Examples are:
Yellow triangles on road signs means “warning.” This can also mean the same in software too.
Anything that looks like a button or a switch means something will happen when clicked with a computer mouse.
Even if it is somehow difficult to read text in blue, text hyperlinks have traditionally been rendered in blue (and sometimes, underlined). If you put text in blue anywhere in your website, people will try to click on it, expecting to get transferred into a new link.
Readers usually start reading from left to right, from top left to the bottom right of a page. It is best if you consider this when designing the content layout.
So if you’re going to teach the art of web design, share these conventions with your students. It can save the viewer a lot of ‘head scratching’ and the student a lot of experimenting.
Finally, here are some last-minute tips for your students before starting their website project:
Plan thoroughly, from the website sections to their design themes. Design with the target audience in mind.
Organize all related website files in one folder or working directory for easy reference.
Refrain from using large graphics or large file sizes. Know how to optimize images.
Use common fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, Verdana, Sans Serif because other computers might not have the fonts your students might use. Sames goes for color.
Apply design and layout conventions to ensure the website will be user-friendly.
Most importantly, put useful and entertaining content.
Your students will surely want to start as soon as possible. Encourage their creativity, and usher them skillfully into the Internet Age
Sources:
Dawson, Steve. (n. d.) Website Design Basics-Top tips for a great website. Retrieved November 5, 2007 from http://www.stevedawson.com/article0013.php
Brisk, Paul. (n. d.) Don’t decorate, communicate! Retrieved November 5, 2007 fromhttp://www.webdesignfromscratch.com/basics.cfm
The Basics of Web Page Development
When someone mentions web page development, that person is in a way referring to the process of turning a web design concept into web pages.
In order to do this, a person needs to at least have knowledge and experience in areas of graphics preparation, HTML or Hyper Text Mark-up Language, CSS or Cascading Style Sheets, and JavaScript programming.
So for an overview on all these things, delve into the basics. Here are some resources to get you or your student started:
HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) is the language of the Web. It defines and layout the web content into paragraphs, blocks, lists, images, tables, forms, and comments, among others.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) “informs” the web browser how each element should be displayed, depending on the different media (screen, handheld device, etc) involved. It is an easier and faster means to change styles across a whole site. CSS also helps minimize file sizes making them easier to load.
JavaScript is used for client-side scripting to “program” the web browser. This allows the website to deliver a more dynamic content. For example, rather than manually encoding the current date in your homepage, you can use javascript to allow automatic date update.
Elements of Web Design
In design, there is a formula called K.I.S.S. or Keep It Simple and Short. There is even an intellectual tool called Occam’s Razor, which states that the simpler solution between two solutions of the same problem will always be the best.
This constant reminder to keep things simple to both web designer and client or user is important. After all, the more complex, the more risks of miscommunication.
When it comes to websites, simplicity almost always results in faster loading, clearer graphics, easier navigation, quicker to build and profit from, and easier maintenance.
This simplicity principle should be kept in mind when teaching about the different elements that make up a website.
Clarity is the relationship between elements. What the visual images on the screen should show are the answers to: what is part of what, what is different from what, and how they are related to each other.
Contrast attracts and guides the eyes. Areas of high contrast have to be balanced with areas of low contrast. Moreover, bear in mind that while thick lines might attract the eye more than thin ones, clarity is lost when it is overdone. (This is why bold fonts should be used sparingly in web pages.)
Richness is made by using color, pattern, layers and effects. Specific areas must be rich in detail so the eye will linger on these key areas.
Dynamism or movement can be created not only through animations but also through shapes like diagonals and busy patterns.
Color helps communicate a message, express personality, and emphasize content. To make the best out of the multitude of colors available in web design, consider the following tips:
Use enough color. Too little color looks boring but if used well, it can group different elements effectively.
Leave white space. This is the best background for text because it makes letters quickly stand out. It is also best to use light colors for the main background because that is what the brain expects.
Keep intense colors for attracting the eye. Use this tool to attract attention to the proper areas. Too much intense colors cause the eye to go in different directions.
Sources:
Brisk, Phil. (n.d.) Web Design Basics. Retrieved November 5, 2007 fromhttp://www.webdesignfromscratch.com/basics.cfm
Gabriel-Petit, Pabini. (n.d.) Applying Color Theory to Digital Displays. Retrieved November 5, 2007 from http://www.uxmatters.com/MT/archives/000163.php