Desktop video conferencing knocks down classroom walls and brings subject experts and co-learners from all over the world into the classroom.

Such opportunities present great advantages to students who are now expected to develop skills valued by the international work community such as communication skills and global and cultural awareness.

The best moment to teach a student something is the moment they are curious about it — but what about when that moment happens outside of classroom hours? Online communication tools create opportunities for “the teachable moment” even if students are at home, at the mall, on a field trip, or anywhere else

Teachers can manage classroom activities even outside of classroom hours through synchronous, two-way online communication

Capturing such a conversation creates an instant reference:

As more professionals work from remote or distributed locations, the need for cheap, flexible communication tools has grown

Online communication tools put students in touch with distant family members, practicing experts, and their peers, wherever they may be located.