Web conferencing at Duke makes long-distance meetings a breeze

July 8, 2008

It takes three or four hours to drive from Duke to the Nicholas School’s Marine Laboratory in Beaufort. It takes two full days to drive there from Oregon, and about eight hours to fly there from the United Kingdom.

That’s why the Marine Lab recently used Web conferencing software to connect its conference participants to individuals across the country and the Atlantic. Participants saw and heard each other in real time and shared their input over the Internet through their computers.

As technology advances – and gas prices skyrocket – Duke faculty and staff are taking advantage of affordable Web conferencing solutions facilitated by Duke’s Office of Information Technology.

Many use Adobe Connect, which lets users share files and even their computer screen with each other, as well as chatting via text, video and/or audio. The Flash-based service is available through Fig Leaf Software, one of Duke’s vendors for audio and Web conferencing.

Jeffery Priddy, manager of IT at the Duke Marine Lab, has used Adobe Connect for research and administrative meetings, seminars and conferences.

“As a satellite campus 150 miles away, it’s invaluable to be able to work interactively with our colleagues in Durham and elsewhere,” said Priddy said. “I've noticed that having video can help enhance communication by relaying facial expressions, hand gestures, posture and so forth.  It personalizes the conversation and the people, sort of ‘putting a face on’ the issue at hand.

“The next evolution is a Web conferencing tool like Connect, which works for individuals right on their computer. Connect makes it quick and easy to share presentations with an audience in Durham, or pretty much anywhere.”

While videoconferencing requires participants to meet at designated locations, Web conferencing allows all users to participate from their own computers. Because there are no dedicated, specialized hardware requirements, Web conferencing costs much less as well. With Adobe Connect, one license holder can host unlimited meetings of unlimited duration (one at a time) with up to 100 participants per session.

“As a participant, Adobe Connect is very easy to use,” said Steve Toback, senior manager of OIT Academic Computing. “You just click a link to open the session. Since most people already have Flash, they don’t even have to download any software.”

Adobe Connect costs Duke faculty and staff $150 per single license annually. Departmental licenses are also available.

OIT Digital Media Solutions offers consultations with faculty and staff interested in Web conferencing. To schedule an appointment, contact the OIT Service Desk at 684-2200. Learn more at http://oit.duke.edu/dms/connect.