Overview
UConn offers several video conferencing technologies for faculty, staff, and students. Each platform differs in features such as maximum number of participants, breakout room capabilities, screen sharing options, number of visible participants, meeting security and access controls, integration with HuskyCT, recording features, and collaboration capabilities. The best options depends on the user's specific teaching, learning, and collaboration needs. Professional staff within the Educational Technologies office are happy to assist with identifying the video conferencing tool that best fits your situation and learning goals.
Class Collaborate
Class Collaborate is an integrated tool that can be used for online teaching and web conferencing with HuskyCT and its features complement the existing functionality of HuskyCT. Class Collaborate makes it possible for instructors to interact with students remote-synchronously in an online web conferencing session that includes the capabilities for video, audio, screen sharing, text chat, hand-raising, file sharing, whiteboard, and breakout groups. Sessions can also be recorded and viewed by students. Integration with HuskyCT eliminates the need for sending session invites to email addresses or needing a username or password; students can access Class Collaborate sessions directly through the HuskyCT course. Class Collaborate creates a virtual classroom, where participants can interact via features such as chat and audio, “hand raising,” screen sharing, and an interactive whiteboard. It supports up to 500 participants at a time. NOTE: Breakout sessions are not an available feature for sessions with more than 250 participants.
Features
- HuskyCT Integration;
- Breakout sessions which can assign students using HuskyCT Groups;
- Real-time screen/application sharing;
- Polling feature to ask participants Yes/No or multiple-choice questions during a session;
- Chat tool that allows moderators and participants to communicate publicly or privately via text during a session;
- Hand raising feature allows participants to alert the moderator if they have an issue or question during the session; and
- Ability to invite guest attendees from all across the institution and beyond.
Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a collaboration and productivity tool that is included with Office 365. With Teams, you can chat with individual or groups, hold video conferences, store and share files, present and share desktop content, and connect with other third-party applications. All faculty, staff, and students can install Teams from either the Office 365 online portal page or from the software center. Teams and Outlook are integrated, and you can schedule and manage meetings through Outlook as well as other emerging communication/collaboration features. All team interaction is fully encrypted and secured. Meetings can be created with individuals inside or outside of the University and can be recorded. To utilize Teams, it must be downloaded onto a computer or other device with an internet connection. NOTE: Screen sharing with audio (such as sharing a video from your own computer) is limited to Windows-based computers only.
Features
- Group meetings for up to 10,000 people;
- Video or audio conferencing;
- Screen sharing;
- Meeting note taking;
- Meeting recording;
- Messaging with participants; and
- Meeting scheduling.
Accessibility Features
| Software | Available & supported at UConn | Option to record | Automated captioning | Save transcript |
| Class Collaborate | Yes | Yes (main room) | No | Yes (if live captioner) |
| Teams | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Webex | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |