26 lines
1.5 KiB
Plaintext
26 lines
1.5 KiB
Plaintext
The integrated interface, which brings together the audio, video and
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shared workspace tools, has been designed to be as simple and easy to
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use as possible. Particular emphasis has been given to reducing screen
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clutter and to minimising the number of things that need to be done to
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use the different parts of the software. There is minimal need to
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manipulate, move or uncover windows, and all necessary tools and
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controls are readily to hand. Although basic keyboard and mouse skills
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are required, little else is needed for students and teachers to use
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the software.
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Currently, up to eight people can take part in a conference. As the
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screen-shot shows,each participant uses a workstation with camera and
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headset (headphones and microphones). Video images are displayed of
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all participants (including oneself), and any image may be enlarged to
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the upper window. Being able to see all members of the conference
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simultaneously gives a more relaxed atmosphere than other systems,
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which show only the current speaker.
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The system incorporates both a shared whiteboard (wbd, by Julian
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Highfield) and a shared text editor (nte, by UCL). The user can switch
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between them at any point during the session. With these tools, text
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and graphics can be entered, either via the keyboard and mouse or by
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importing a file. Everyone can draw or write simultaneously and see
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all other contributions; colour allows easy identification of the
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contributions.
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