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Audio Conferencing
What is it? 
Audio conferencing refers to voice-only communication between three or more users and locations.
Audio Conferencing
What are the educational uses and benefits?
Synchronous Presentations
- Can replace lectures in distance education classes or augment activities in face to face classes.
- Instructor and students can participate in synchronous discussions and audio presentations.
- Allows for guest presenters to participate from remote locations.
- Beneficial to auditory learners and learners who multitask.
Communciation
- Inexpensive and Cost effective communication method.
- Well suited to interactive distance education work.
Audio Conferencing
Can I see an example?
An example of Audio Conferencing is coming soon! Please check back!
Audio Conferencing
How do I get started?
Audioconferencing using Telecommunications
Audioconferencing using Telecommunications can be as simple as using telephone services to have conference calls or as complicated as using an audio conference bridging system depending on the amount of people involved and the complexity of the conference.
Conference Calls
- Conference calls requires each user to have a single telephone or a telephone with speakerphone for a few users sharing the same phone.
- One user will dial another user and using each phones unique conferencing abilities will continue to dial in users until all users are present for the call.
Bridging Systems
- Bridging Systems allow for multiple users to dial into an audio conference by using a single port. The port allows the host to include up to 400 ports for students to dial into.
- Many bridging ports also allow for conferencing via the Web.
Audioconferencing using Computer-based Software
- Audioconferencing via computer-based software is also called dataconferencing or audiographic conferencing
- This involves users connecting via the Internet to transmit audio data between sites. This can be done with software programs such as Skype
- When users connect they can speak with one another via a microphone and audio input in the computer
- Many software programs will also allow for conferencing with video as well as audio
Audio Conferencing
Where can I learn more?
- Audio/Audioconferencing in Support of Distance Education: An article on the use of audioconferencing in distance education including “how to” examples in using audioconferencing in the distance education class
- Interpersonal Interaction – Audioconferencing: A brief explanation of audioconferencing and resources
- Skype: A free software application that lets you make free audio calls and conduct audio conferences over the internet
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