Using ooVoo: Free Video Chat and Video Conferencing Featuring: Dr. Nader Chaaban, Coordinator, Speech Communication 

As you all know, when WebCT is down and we cannot log-on to use the chat or Elluminate, I resort to ooVoo, which is free, easy and wonderful.

With ooVoo, you can connect with up to three students anytime with video calls, video messages, phone calls, text and more! Faculty members can use ooVoo to do the following:

1. Meet with students online to discuss assignments 2. Lecture 3. Go over sample exam questions. 4. Have office hours online, at any time that is convenient for the faculty and students

Using ooVoo video and chat conferencing saves time, and it is free!

Features of Web Video Call: Those students who do not have an account can video call you from their web browser.

Video Chat Room: This feature provides a video chat in any website, blog, or social network.

Hi Resolution Video: For speeches, this is amazing. It is super clear and amazing. I can see students while they are presenting their sample speeches with amazing clarity.

Video Call Recording: This feature can save everything so others who missed the video chat can always go back to see what was discussed.

Video Messages: This feature allows faculty to send a video greeting to the entire class before the first day of class.

Teaching Tips with Technology

Privacy Control: With this feature, you can control who can access the site. You would only allow students registered in your class to go on the chat.

Again, I find ooVoo very useful, especially when the MC server is down. It is an excellent back-up option that is free to students and faculty.

Getting Software: • Go to http://www.oovoo.com//download/ and click on the download

button for the platform you are using, Windows or Macintosh.

Setting up an account: • The first time you launch ooVoo, you will be prompted to either sign

in or set up a new account.

• Think of a unique screen name and password for your account. To make it easier for those who might be trying to contact you, try using a commonly known nickname or part of your real name, which will help those who do not yet know your screen name or email address.

• Once you have set up your new account, you can sign in and begin using ooVoo.

Connecting: • To connect with others, you must first add them to your ooVoo contacts.

• To add contacts, either click on the green plus sign on the right side of the screen under the contacts tab or go to Contacts>Add new contacts.

• To add a contact, you must enter their full name, email address, screen name or ooVoo ID into the search field.

• Once you have located the person you are looking for, you will be prompted to invite them to become one of your contacts.

• The person receiving the invitation must respond to your invitation before you can begin any correspondence with them.

• To begin a videoconference with one of your contacts, highlight their name on the ooVoo contact screen and go to Actions>Start ooVoo video call; or, click the down arrow to the right under the contact's screen name and highlight Start ooVoo video call.

• Upon accepting your invitation, the contact's image will appear in the video call window on your screen and you may begin your conversation.

• If you would like to contact someone who is not on ooVoo, go to Actions>Call non-ooVoo friends.

• This will bring up the video call window and an additional window with a web link in it.

• Now you will email the web link to the person(s) you wish to contact by either clicking the Send link by email or copy link and pasting the address into the body of a new email.

• Once the recipient clicks on the email, a videoconference window will open in a web browser where you can hold your videoconference.

Instructions: Courtesy of Iowa State University

DELT wants to hear it directly from you! If you would like to share some of your favorite technology tips or know someone who does, please submit to Gloria Barron, gloria.barron@montgomerycollege.edu.