pepnet 2.0

PEPNet Think Tank-2 "ONLINE MEDIA"

PEPNet Think Tank-2
2-DAY WEBCAST: "ONLINE MEDIA"

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 AND Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Making the Right Connection Can Save You Time and Money

Online media were once considered communication tools for businesses only. With online media solutions or platforms, companies could use the Internet to hold meetings between people separated by great distances. Early technologies enabled chat-type meetings with audio and/or text. Participants could also share documents and spreadsheets as if all were physically in the same room. Further enhancements enabled people to have "face-to-face" meetings; with video components participants could see each other no matter where they were located.

But even for major corporations, online media platforms could be complex and expensive. And, the quality and capacity of online media varied. In addition, these technologies had few, if any, access features that enabled individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing to participate.

All that has changed. The wide range of online media solutions now available benefits many educational and community organizations around the globe. Today's users of online media platforms are finding that the technologies can be cost-effective and tailored to their individual needs.

PEPNet Holds "Think Tank-2 Online Media"

In March 2010, PEPNet held the webcast "Think Tank-2 Online Media" to showcase several technologies. Think Tank-2 not only demonstrated use of online media solutions and platforms, but also showed how they may be made accessible to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Think Tank-2 was designed to get potential users thinking about the many ways they can put online media solutions to work for them.

Over two days, 262 people logged on for nine online presentations. Each presentation is available now through PEPNet's Resources to view at your convenience. The site also includes a PowerPoint presentation and a transcript of each presentation. The first day of Think Tank-2 was broadcast from PEPNet-South at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. The second day was from PEPNet-Northeast at Rochester Institute of Technology. Staff from three PEPNet regions gave presentations, along with users of online media and technology vendors.

These new systems have the capacity for real-time audio and video, captioning, and instant messaging. Just some of the other functions and features of today's online media platforms are:

  • Text chat
  • Embedded slides, movies or other video
  • Shared whiteboard
  • Feedback and polling
  • Indicators of those who are in or out of the session
  • Web browsing
  • Application sharing
  • Breakout rooms
  • Webcam video
  • Testing and quizzing
  • Recording/playback of sessions
  • Archiving of sessions

Small groups to large institutions rely on online media solutions for important services. Schools, non-profits and other organizations use online media for distance learning, staff training, connecting off-site specialists to individuals who need a specific service, and parent-teacher or community meetings. See how online media solutions have many uses beyond the classroom.

However, organizations that could benefit significantly from online media have yet to use these technologies. Or, the technologies they have are not fully accessible. Finding online media platforms that provide full access for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or individuals with cognitive or mobility disabilities, can be a challenge.

Among the specialized accessibility functions of online media platforms may be real-time captioning, video transmission of sign language interpretation, screen readers, and adjustable screen fonts and colors. While most online media platform technologies may not provide all necessary access features, sometimes a combination of technologies may provide wider access.

The technologies demonstrated during PEPNet's Think Tank-2 were these commercial products:

Acrobat Connect Pro For more information on Adobe Connect Pro. Watch the demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

Blackboard Learn For more information on Blackboard Learn. Watch the demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

Elluminate For more information on Elluminate. Watch the demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

GoToMeeting For more information on GoToMeeting. Watch the demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

Mediasite For more information on Mediasite. Watch the demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

Polycom and Tandberg For more information on Polycom and Tandberg. Watch the Polycom and Tandberg demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

Saba Centra For more information on Saba Centra. Watch the demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

And a non-commercial product:

Moodle For more information on Moodle. Watch the demonstration. Transcript of the demonstration. PowerPoint of the demonstration.

PEPNet also sponsored a webcast focusing on a Synchronous Collaboration Tool Evaluation conducted at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Watch the webcast and connect to the webcast's transcript and PowerPoint.

Several online media solutions have functions that increase access for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Among those functions are captioning, video of interpreters, and text transcripts. Some of the technologies enable live, remote captioning; others require post-production captioning or integration with third-party solutions. These functions are important as you choose an online media solution that meets your needs. See PEPNet's Checklist: Your Online Media Needs to help you define your technology needs and goals.

Online media solutions been shown to improve student learning, retention and matriculation. Online media can increase enrollment without requiring new facilities, reduce travel and boost efficiency, improve internal and external communication, create and build stronger teams, improve collaboration, build skills, broaden outreach, and generate new revenues. See more ways to maximize your investment in online media solutions by thinking Beyond the Classroom.