Video Conferencing Web Tools

Video Conferencing Tools:	Features:	Pros/Cons:
Skype	·         Call- can call any device anywhere in the world (cost to call mobile and landlines). Have options for forwarding calls to your phone and caller ID. Can connect to individuals or a group. ·         Video- Face to face conversation with an individual or a group. ·         Messaging- many different ways to message (video, text, sharing pictures and location). ·         Sharing- Can share files, screenshots, pictures.	·         Skype is a free download that allows the user to connect to anywhere in the world. ·         Great to use for education and connecting the classroom with outside resources without having to leave the room. ·         Premium options cost money, but the free options are great too!
Adobe Connect Now	·         Teamwork Space- Allows for shared online files, so many individuals can work on the same document without having to meet face to face. And it has set up options to manage who you want to see the document. ·         Shared PDF document reviews- Allows user to get feedback in one PDF file. ·         Personal File Storage- Everything is stored online and accessible with any device.	·         This program reminded me a lot of Google Docs, which is free. But it does have a free trial offer. ·         With online storage, the user doesn’t have to worry about losing documents. ·         This tool requires a login and after the free trial the user would have to pay for services.
Tiny Chat	·         Can chat with an individual or a group. ·         Can create Tags, so other users know what your chat is about. User has a maximum of 10 tags with the free version. ·         Pro allows for more options (Video, No advertisements, priority directory list).	·         Very unprofessional images and videos for all users to see. ·         Can use the tool from multiple devices. ·         Can import videos from Youtube to share with students. ·         I wouldn’t use this tool with students, for fear of them finding inappropriate things. Just hitting the Tiny Chat icon while in the chat room will take you to the home page.
Meeting Burner	·         Allows for screen sharing and audio conferencing. ·         Meeting scheduling. ·         Has in meet chat available. ·         Paid versions have meeting recording options, which can be shared.	·         With the free version the user is only allowed 10 attendees. ·         With the paid version it allows the user to record the meeting. This would be great for feedback for the teacher or if a student was absent from class they could review the information covered.
Go To Meeting	·         Can host a variety of conferences (Trainings, Webinars, and Meetings). ·         Available to use on many devices (besides the training option). ·         Have the options of audio or video conferencing. ·         Meeting scheduling.	·         Free 30 day trial available. ·         This tool seems very user friendly and shows how to set up a meeting step by step.
Yugma	·         User is able to share documents, images or desktop. ·         Application sharing allows the user to show audience what they want them to see. ·         Skype integration- can conference with Skype contacts. And adds instant desktop sharing to Skype. ·         Presentation tools include a whiteboard for brainstorming, notes, or drawing lines and shapes. These changes can be saved. ·         Recording, Playback and Webcast- The user can playback or share the information.	·         One feature that I really liked was the whiteboard option. I can see how helpful this would be during a lesson. The teacher could write notes or the student could add information, answer questions, or complete graphs. ·         Allows the user to host a meeting up to 500 people. ·         15 day free trial available. After that pricing options range from $9.95 a month to $159.95 a month.
Webex	·         Share- can share desktop, files, applications, and change presenters. ·         Collaborate through video, chat, and a marker tool to highlight important information. ·         It is possible for each user to choose their view.	·         Free version only allows for 3 people per meeting. So if using in the classroom, the students would have to work as a whole. ·         With the free version the Whiteboard is available, so the teacher and students could take notes.

After exploring all of the video conferencing web tools available, I think my preference would have to be Skype. Some of the other options I enjoyed as well, but I think Skype would work best in the classroom for educational purposes. When I was going though some other options I found that they would be very helpful in a business setting, but for the classroom I think a simple, user friendly program is the best option. Skype would be a great tool to use in the classroom to connect to individuals around the world. In Social Studies the students could learn about different cultures and connect with individuals from different countries to ask questions and learn directly from them. Using Skype in the classroom allows that students to go on a field trip without ever leaving their seats. This would be good in Special Education because with students with behavior and physical disabilities some field trips can be hard to manage or impossible to attend. Overall, I can see how video conferencing tools like these can enhance the learning experience for all learners.