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Do I need a webcam to participate in a virtual class?
The virtual classroom does not involve live video. The
instructor displays class material and talks to the class. Students participate
by displaying their material, working on material displayed by others, typing
in text chat, using quick feedback responses or by talking to the class. An
image of the person talking is displayed (if desired) but it is a static image
rather than a live video image.
This is a choice necessitated by the
bandwidth limitations of the Internet, the expense or the extra equipment and
the complexity of live video. And, most importantly, there is very little
information content in a picture of a 'talking head' image. The information
content of the class is fully transmitted with the material and the
audio.