To the Australians: VCE or VCAL?

To the Australians: VCE or VCAL? I'm going into year 11 next year, and unsure which path I should take. What did you choose to do, and if you chose VCE, were there a lot of tasks/assignments that involved oral presentations etc. Is participation more heavily encouraged? As in, if I never answer any questions, will I just barely pass? If anyone has any advice or past experiences to show that would be great. Thanks