VB Client - Java Server Interaction?

Hi, I'm trying to work out how to go abouts implementing my final year project. I was hoping to be able to have an application written in VB, interacting with java classes on a remote server.

From my understadning Java can use CORBA and RMI.
But VB can only use COM??

Is there anyway of allowing a VB app to make use of remote java classes. I had a look at the Jacob project but that appeared to only do the reverse (allow java classes to access Com classes)

All this is pretty confusing to someone who hasn't developed any network applications before. Any help?