Combining VOIP and Web-Conferecing

WHAT IS VOIP | VOIP Overview | What is VOIP? | Advantages and Disadvantages of VOIP |

VOIP PROVIDERS | Comparison of Free VOIP Providers | Comparison of Paid VOIP Providers | Combining VOIP and Web-Conferecing |

Many ESL tutors use a combination of voice over ip providers or voip and web conferencing software to teach online English. This means that you can display your powerpoint presentation, share files, lesson plans and showcase other sites. Most web conferencing software will also allow you students to interact with you by taking control of the screen or accessing your desk top. In addition, these programs also provide essential teaching tools such as highlighting and drawing tools, text messaging and file transfers, and thus making online tutoring a truly interactive experience.

At present many cheap web conferencing software on the market do not support voice or VOIP services together, unless you sign-up with an all-in-one web conferencing provider such as Webex or Microsoft Office Live Meeting (see Web Conference Software Review). The down side to these all-in-one providers is the high cost of their monthly subscription. Although voice is not provided with cheaper web conferencing providers, they usually have agreements with conference providers such as FreeConference.com. What this means is that a toll-based number is provided for all participants to call in. Each participant is than charged a long distance call rate.

There are alternative free VOIP providers that you can use to organize your own voice channel. VOIP services such as Skype, Gizmo and PeerMe uses the internet to offer free conference calling. For less than the cost of a regular phone call, paid providers such as Vonage and AT&T allow you to call other VOIP services, landlines or mobile phones. For more information see our Comparison of Free VOIP Providers or the Comparison of Paid VOIP Providers Review.

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