Information Technologiy Services (ITS) provides and supports several different types of web conferencing systems and services.
- Most of the services are provided at no charge to U of S faculty, staff and student for use in teaching, learning and/or University-related business.
- The one you choose will depend on the type of room you plan to use and how many people you are connecting:
For large and small groups/rooms (incl. lecture halls) and one-on-one
Elluminate Live! Blackboard Collaborate and Adobe Connect are full-featured, versatile web conferencing systems that can be used for small or large conferences. There are major differences in the way that the services are licensed for use at U of S.
Elluminate Live! and Blackboard Collaborate
- Uses a virtual classroom paradigm
- ITS manages licenses to ensure all participants in scheduled classes can connect
- Can be booked for an entire term
- Superior audio performance
- Service is hosted off campus
- No integration with central identification management systems
Adobe Connect
- Uses a virtual meeting paradigm
- Participants initiate web conferencing sessions on their own, subject to available licenses
- Intended for casual and ad hoc use
- Uses campus identification (NSID)
WebEx
- Integrates with the university telephone system
- Requires purchase of a license
- ITS can provide set-up and testing support upon request. Contact Us
For one-on-one (two end points where, for example, one end point could be a remote lecturer and the other a class full of students)
ITS also provides some support for Skype, a widely used free program that is great for one-on-one conferencing and for bringing in a remote lecturer to a class of any size. Adobe Connect and Elluminate Live! may also be used for these purposes.
Skype Convenient for single location to single location
- Free online service;
- Widely used, available to everyone
- ITS can provide initial set-up and testing support upon request. Contact Us
