Authors: Richard Nantel and the staff of Brandon Hall Research

Published August 2006 • One year access • $495

Web-based technologies that allow people in different geographical areas to meet, learn, and work together in real time are called many different names:

• Live e-learning systems
• Virtual classrooms
• Synchronous training systems
• Live online learning systems
• Web conferencing systems

Regardless of the labels given to these types of applications, these systems serve as the foundations of training, communication, and collaboration within many leading organizations.

One of the primary strengths of these applications is that they can serve many needs:

• Training: Live e-learning systems provide an excellent way for an organization's experts to teach a geographically dispersed group of learners. In addition, live e-learning systems enable real-time collaboration between students, often allowing them to break out into smaller “rooms” to discuss and share ideas.
  
• Sales: Web conferencing systems provide an excellent way for sales teams to present information to prospective buyers. Unlike recorded product demos that provide no opportunity for the viewer to depart from the “script,” a product demo using Web conferencing allows the prospective customer to see specific features demonstrated. In addition, using video during such a session can provide important face-to-face contact, leading to a more personal business setting.
  
• Communications: Using Web conferencing, no one is ever unavailable due to being in different physical locations. If an individual can access the Internet, he or she will be able to participate. Many Web conferencing systems also allow sessions to be recorded for future playback. So, if a key team member can’t be present for a meeting due to scheduling conflicts, that individual can at least view the session at a later date.
  
• Knowledge capture and management: Meetings can often produce excellent ideas. But, unless those ideas are captured and made available, many great ideas simply die or fade away with no chance of being implemented. Since many Web conferencing systems provide the ability to record sessions for future playback, organizations can capture the ideas to help them reach fruition.
  
• Brainstorming: Tasks may be checked off our “To Do” lists when we are secluded in our offices, but ideas are often born through discussions with colleagues. Web conferencing sessions allow this interaction to extend beyond geographic boundaries.
  
• Teamwork: Teams were traditionally defined as a group of people with complementary skills, located in the same geographic location, assigned to a common project. Web conferencing software removes the need for team members to work side-by-side in the same physical location. Team members can now be selected on the basis of the skills they will bring to a project rather than their place of work.

If you are planning on harnessing the power and flexibility of live e-learning, virtual classroom, synchronous training, and Web conferencing systems, this research will provide you with independent, objective data to help you compare systems and select the right one to meet your needs.

Best of all, the Live E-Learning KnowledgeBase is available from the convenience of your desktop for one full year. Search, and search again. Narrow down your short list. Find all the details about synchronous training products that you simply cannot find anywhere else.

This online subscription service includes extensive information on 20+ of the leading tools to enable instructor-led, real-time, virtual training sessions.

• Detailed 15-20-page profiles of the leading live e-learning, virtual classroom, synchronous training, and Web conferencing systems, including features and technical specifications.
• Handy At-a-Glance charts to quickly get a sense of what each system can do for you.
• Live E-learning System Comparison Tool: Select the systems you want to compare, and the KnowledgeBase creates an extensive comparative grid showing a side-by-side functional comparison of each selected product.
• Live E-learning System Selection Tool: Select the criteria you desire, and the KnowledgeBase shows you which systems match your business needs.
• Screen captures of the systems to give you a sense of the user interface.
• All pages contained in this online service can be easily printed on standard 8.5 x 11 inch paper.
• Online service features continually updated information.

Read all about how the KnowledgeBase is constructed, the additional resources that are provided to teach you more about live e-learning, and how you can best use the KnowledgeBase to its full potential here.