What is a Web Conference?

A. Summary:

Web conferencing is an on-line meeting space where participants can collaborate by sharing documents, web pages and software applications. It includes audio and visuals -- all in real time, among people in different locations. Web conference programs can be used to teach skills, communicate ideas, and aid in collaboration on group projects. Contact the Information Technology Dept. if you wish to begin using web conferencing.

B. Key Points:

· Web conferencing presentations are composed of (1) a phone conference call, and (2) an on-line visual presentation viewed through an Internet browser

· Web conference meetings can show Powerpoint slides or screens from any applications running on a Windows PC, including the desktop

· Meetings can be either collaborative and interactive in nature (round-table discussion) or a presentation by one or more presenters to a listening-only audience

· Web conference presenters have rights to change slides and applications during the meeting

· Web conference attendees have more limited rights

· Macintosh computers often cannot be full presenters in Windows-based web conference software, but they still can view the conference presentations

· Please contact the Information Technology Dept. if you would like to learn more about web conferencing

· Link to What is Microsoft’s Live Meeting

· For corrections, updates, or clarifications on this Star Point, please email ewallace@afsc.org

C. Details:

Web conferencing programs extend the functionality of a phone conference call by providing a visual way for participants to interact with one another and share information using the Internet. This allows distant users to communicate quickly and effectively. The current web conference software of choice for AFSC is Microsoft Office's Live Meeting.

A web conference allows users to show visual slides and documents, use free-hand drawing and annotations on slides, and share views of any applications on their PCs.

There are generally two basic roles in web conferencing: Presenters, who have full rights, and Attendees, whose rights are limited. Presenters can set the options for the meeting to allow attendees to use most of the presenter controls or not. Web conferencing also allows "presentation" meetings, in which only one person modifies the content of the presentation while all the others are in the audience.


What Does a Web Conference "Look Like"?

Below is a screen shot of a typical web conference screen, in this case a MS Live Meeting screen showing a Powerpoint slideshow from the presenter's viewpoint.

The entire screen may look confusing at first, but in this example the controls are on the left and the bottom of the presenter's screen. If the presenter chooses to share an application, an Excel spreadsheet for example, it can be shared so that the entire screen on the attendees' monitors will show nothing but the Excel spreadsheet, without the Live Meeting "frame".

Besides the phone conference call, participants can communicate through a "Seating Chart", where they can indicate if they have a question or are not keeping up, and through a "Question and Answer" panel.

Participants can also communicate through the use of poll slides and interact via online chat.

You Can Record a Web Conference

A presenter can choose to record a web conference, both audio and visuals, for future viewing. You can record all or part of your presentation, then make the recording available on a web site for viewing later or download it to a server or computer. A recording will have the perspective of an attendee. It includes the slides that are shown during the Live Meeting as well as the audio on the conference call.


How Do I Get Started with Web Conferencing?

Contact the Information Technology Dept. to get started with setting up a web conference (helpdesk@afsc.org). The IT Department will assist you in getting up to speed and conducting web conferences.

What Equipment Do I Need to Present or Participate in a Web Conference?

All you need for a web conference is a phone and a computer that can access the Internet. Dial-up connections (modems) are too slow for web conferencing. Live Meeting software will perform a quick one-time download the first time you enter a Live Meeting.

Macintosh computers often cannot be full presenters (able to use all the options) in Windows-based web conference software, but they still can view the conference presentations given by others from PCs.