New to Java

Is there some alternative to OLE for Java. I do not mean an alternative API for using OLE. I mean a way of achieving similar functionality (embed or link objects created by one Java application into documents created by other Java applications) without relying on Microsoft's COM APIs at all, not even indirectly.

I want to be able to write a Java application that can embed pieces of documents created by other Java applications with results similar to OLE, except I don't want the applications to be limited to use on Windows machines. I didn't switch to Java to end up with my applications stuck on Windows anyway.

If there is some totally cross-platform standard for doing this, I would appreciate hearing about it.

Thanks