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DRAFT FOR COMMENT
Last modified on: 20th March 2006
The Videoconferencing Services Project is a DfES-funded project, managed by UKERNA, to pilot national-scale videoconferencing between schools networks via the JANET Interconnect until the end of March 2005. This will build on the work already accomplished by the RBCs in establishing videoconferencing services within their regions, and establish the interoperability standards and support services required for seamless national and international use of videoconferencing by schools.
The Videoconferencing Services Pilot allows participating schools to use the central gateway (IP-ISDN) facilities of the JANET Videoconferencing Service (JVCS), currently used by UK universities and colleges on the JANET network. The JVCS offers a centralised videoconferencing resource including a Web-based Booking Service, managed multipoint conferencing units and video technology support. The JVCS Management Centre, based at the Computing Services in the University of Edinburgh, provides management for all central resources, including the gatekeeper hierarchy and registration of organisations. The Management Centre also undertakes Quality Assurance Assessments of all registered endpoints.
Access to these facilities will enable a school with an ISDN connection to videoconference with a school which has a Broadband connection. Broadband-enabled schools in different RBCs will be able to videoconference via the JANET Interconnect, using IP only. Schools will also be able to videoconference with colleges, universities, museums and other educational organisations, using the IP-ISDN gateway or IP-IP via the JANET Interconnect.
Videoconferencing support for schools will continue to be provided through their existing Local Authority/Regional Broadband Consortium support structure. Schools must liaise with their Local Authority/RBC prior to registering to use the JANET Videoconferencing Service. A condition of participating in the pilot is that each school completes a brief Web-based feedback form after each videoconference.
From this page you can access links to the following information:
All videoconferences must conform to the policy.
Any Content Provider who wishes to provide content to the Schools Videoconferencing Project must adhere to the conditions of use.
Please complete the worksheets within the spreadsheet to facilitate registration of multiple endpoints
Click here to download the spreadsheet
Please send the spreadsheet as an attachment to vidconf@jvcs.ja.net once completed
The help document related to bulk uploads can be seen here.
A leaflet (pdf) detailing a summary of videoconferencing for schools can be seen here
Videoconferencing is a very powerful way to collaborate, with considerable potential benefits for education. However, like any communication technology, videoconferencing can be misused. Please read the factsheet at http://webarchive.ja.net/services/publications/factsheets/060-videoconferencing-safety.pdf which provides some guidelines on how to set up and use videoconferencing safely.
The Booking Service provides a web interface to place a JANET videoconferencing booking. It also provides details of videoconferencing facilities at each registered institution and a summary of existing bookings. In order to access the service and request a booking you must first register and have a valid user ID and password. The on-line help within the Booking Service pages provide information on how to place a booking. A booking user guide to the JVCS Booking Service is available from www.jvcs.ja.net/bookuserguide.pdf and a guide for administrators can be found at www.jvcs.ja.net/bookadminhelp.html.
JANET maintains an E.164 gatekeeper hierarchy on the Global Dialling Scheme (GDS) as explained in the JVCS-IP documentation. In order to register your gatekeeper with the GDS please see the documentation at http://www.jvcs.ja.net/schools/gkreg.html
The Quality Assurance Assessment is a check carried out between the school's endpoint and the JANET Videoconferencing Management Centre. This 15 minute check is to evaluate the suitability of your endpoint for multipoint videoconferencing. At the end of the check you will be prorvided with recommendations on how to improve quality, where required.
In order to ensure that the service provided to schools is of the highest possible quality please complete the on-line feedback form. This will give valuable feedback on the videoconferencing project. A condition of participating in the project is that each school completes a brief Web-based Feedback Form after each videoconference.
