As　an　extension　of　WWW,　web-based　Collaborative　Virtual　Environment,　is　a　next　generation　interface　for　collaborators　geographically　dispersed　to　work　together.　Virtual　Reality　Modeling　Language,　a　kind　of　description　language　for　3D　worlds,　is　appropriate　for　constructing,　distributing,　and　rendering　a　shared　3D　world　of　CVE　system　over　WWW.　However,　the　current　VRML　technology　does　not　support　multi-user　directly　and　all　VRML　contents　per　se　are　collaboration-unaware.　To　supply　the　gap　between　VRML　world　and　CVE　system,　Java　technology　is　integrated　with　VRML　through　an　interface　called　External　Authoring　Interface　(EAI)　provided　by　VRML　language.　This　paper　analyses　the　requirements　and　design　considerations　of　generic　CVE　system;　then　it　presents　generic　system　architecture　for　CVE　systems.　Based　on　these　design　considerations　and　requirements,　this　paper　proposes　a　new　Java-based　framework　for　web-based　CVE　which　adopts　VRML　language　to　construct,　distribute　and　render　a　shared　3D　world　over　the　Internet,　and　integrates　Java　with　VRML　through　EAI　to　manage　and　control　the　virtual　world　to　support　multi-user　collaboration.　©　2005　IEEE.