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ICC TECHNOLOGY: ADVANCED, USER-FRIENDLY, COMPATIBLE AND EASY TO MAINTAIN The Interactive Counseling Center is a computer based video conferencing system designed to have a small footprint, be easy to use, and cheap to maintain. MCEC uses off-the shelf equipment that is readily available to keep the cost low and the equipment easy to service. The system includes a small form-factor computer, LCD monitor, video camera, speakers, microphone, and a multi-function document scanner / color printer. The communications software is based on the Windows XP operating system and utilizes a custom-programmed application to deliver its functionality.
This small, power-packed system does away with special purpose connectivity, cabinets and racks of equipment, and large dedicated rooms. It does its job using a minimum of bandwidth, it’s easy to use, and doesn’t require a technician to make a connection. All that, and it still provides video motion that is fast enough to watch eyes blink, and audio that is smart enough to allow spontaneous conversation without specialized microphones and speakers. The ICC system does the following: • Allows two ICC systems to call and connect to each other in a point-to- point video conference utilizing a standard internet connection. • Allows the scanning of student records and other documents directly into the ICC during the call and the printing of those scanned documents at high quality for later review. • Allows the two communicating parties on either end to share or send scanned images between or to one another. • Includes a whiteboard program that allows the users on each side of the video conference to highlight portions of scanned documents for review, dynamically between parties in real time. The whiteboard program also allows them to write, chart, diagram, or draw onto the whiteboard while the other side watches and discusses the activity. • Includes a multi-function color printer, attached to the system, for printing and scanning. • Provides a chat system that allows users to type messages dynamically back and forth. • Provides a web browser that is active during conferencing for each counselor to review web sites for curriculum and other school information. • Has automatic update capability for the operating system and the software to add more locations or for future enhancements to the software |
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The ICC software is
standards-based to be easy to integrate on a variety of networks.
The technology is IP-based to allow it to function over existing
networks without the need to install special-purpose lines. It uses
the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) for easy firewall setup and
Network Address Translation (NAT) device compatibility. The port
counts are small, the bandwidth requirement is low, and the software
does a good job of automatically configuring itself on most networks.
Compared to traditional video conferencing systems, the ICC system is
a breeze to integrate.