The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College has been running videoconferences for more than five years. Because we are so remote, videoconferencing has offered our students opportunities to take courses before we had the staff to support those courses ourselves.  For example, nurses were able to finish their degrees before we had our own nursing program. 

As a result of our experience in this area, the support staff have been able to develop considerable expertise.  Furthermore, they take great pride in helping faculty learn how to use the equipment and they help faculty prepare for class sessions. 

In my case, at least one person has always been available to help me before, during, and after class.  Before class, the technician establishes the connections between or among sites, and makes sure to test both the sound and the video. I also ask the technician to re-arrange the furniture and to set the camera's "pre-sets" so that each button I press goes to a specific table in the room. 

In addition, if I have any materials that need to be faxed to the remote site (or sites), the technicians are there to help, both before or after class.