Multimodal vs. Multimedia

While multimodal and multimedia are undoubtedly connected, I believe there is a difference between the two. Multimodal describes the reasoning behind our choice of combining particular communication modes in order to best explain an idea to an audience. However, multimedia focuses on the technology to create captivating illusions for viewers. Both multimedia and multimodal are made up of similar content forms and used as tools to effectively explain ideas; however, the modes implemented are selected based on the objective of the presenter. This is where the two differ because, based on my personal interpretations, I believe the core distinction between the two regards the intention behind the project. Although both are about enhancing the experience of the audience, the two differ because multimodal focuses on choosing modes to improve communication with viewers regarding the intended message while multimedia uses technical tools to create a powerful presentation for compelling entertainment purposes. Clearly, this difference is minimal and depends on internal based decision making of the presenter because when the intention is excluded, the overall appearance and finished product of either system are the same.