Implementing a Video Conference

Large companies with staff working in remote geographic regions can justify the cost of installing and maintaining expensive video conferencing equipment given the travel and living costs savings obtained. Rather than flying participants in to 'face-to-face' classroom training sessions, video conferences can be set up for a fraction of the cost, particularly if public conferencing facilities are available both locally and remotely.

Heritage College in Ontario Canada, has delivered Small Business Development distance training in partnership with the James Bay Cree School Board to adult learners since 1997. As much as 300 hours of training programs are delivered by video conferencing to the remote Cree communities of northern Québec, communities that are 750 to 1,800 kilometres north of Hull, Quebec, where the college is located.

As a result of improving, as yet imperfect compression techniques, video conferencing images, particularly at low bandwidth speed, can be less than clear. Rapid movements can cause a blurry effect. In addition, sometimes the trainer's words are not synchronized with his mouth movements. This may distract learners and make them feel uncomfortable.