TUCAN carries teleconferences

With TUCAN, you can attend a teleconference - a "virtual meeting" via television.  A teleconference can be received simultaneously by people in various sites around the country, or even the world. A teleconference is also live and interactive, so you can communicate with the presentors, via phone, fax or e-mail while the teleconference is being broadcast.

TUCAN has carried a variety of teleconferences. Topics have included overpopulation, the Internet, childhood development, teaching methods for engineers and curricula for English as a Second Language. Sometimes teleconferences are just one segment of a larger, traditional conference. Or there might be a local presentor before and/or after the teleconference to clarify and reinforce the content. Sometimes a per-attendee charge is assessed. This can create a source of income for your department or group. And if you're a professor, you can include a teleconference as part of your course. There are many ways to use and benefit from this technology.

Teleconference Costs

Certain costs are involved with teleconferences. These include:

• The fee for the teleconference program itself. Fees vary from free to a few hundred dollars per conference; many are under $150.  Please note that this fee, if any, is charged by the teleconference provider and must be paid for by the requsting individual or department.  Academic Technology Support Services is not responsible for collecting, paying or otherwise negotiating this fee.
  
• Tulane downlinking costs: $35/hour during normal working hours, $50/hour outside of normal working hours (i.e., evenings and weekends).  Charges begin with the scheduled test time.
  
• Videotape costs (optional): $10.00/two-hour VHS tape.

Additional costs may include extra equipment rental, catering, etc.

Accessing Teleconference Information

Although people usually learn about teleconferences through mailings from professional or academic organizations. Information on upcoming teleconferences can also be found on the Web.

Additional Information

For more information about teleconferencing at Tulane, contact:

• Sheldon Jones   
  (504) 862-8594
  sheldon@tulane.edu