Improves communication between learners and instructors.
Boosts scalabity of training programs.
Assists with custom course creation.
GoTo Meeting
Virtual Classroom Software
Virtual classroom technology is part of the broader learning management software category. It provides individuals and organizations with conferencing and collaboration capabilities. As a result, instructors can directly interact with learners anywhere in the world with an Internet connection, while maximizing both time and location flexibility.
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Learn more in our Buyers Guide
Competitive advantages of Virtual Classroom Software
Compare All Virtual Classroom Software
Kaltura Video Platform
Kaltura Video Platform
Kaltura’s mission is to power any video experience for any organization. Our Video Experience Cloud offers live, real-time, and on-demand video products for enterprises of all industries, as well as specialized industry solutions,...Read more
Zoho Meeting
Zoho Meeting
Zoho Meeting is an online video conferencing solution suitable for single users as well as small to large-sized organizations. The solution can be used to host product launches, sales presentations, webinars, user education and on...Read more
Brightspace
Brightspace
Brightspace from D2L is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) that helps K 12 institutes, higher educations and corporate organizations run both blended and fully online courses. Brightspace comprises of three integrated ...Read more
Matrix LMS
Matrix LMS
MATRIX LMS is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) designed for businesses that offers course authoring, skill tracking, social learning, assessment, e-commerce, and more. MATRIX LMS helps businesses create a custom...Read more
Software pricing tips
Read our Virtual Classroom Software Buyers GuideSubscription models
- Per employee/per month: This model allows you to pay a monthly fee for each of your employees.
- Per user/per month: Users pay a monthly fee for users—normally administrative users—rather than all employees.
Perpetual license
- This involves paying an upfront sum for the license to own the software and use it indefinitely.
- This is the more traditional model and is most common with on-premise applications and with larger businesses.
Rated best value for money
ProProfs Training Maker
ProProfs Training Maker
ProProfs Training Maker is a cloud-based learning management system (LMS) designed for businesses of all sizes that offers course authoring, assessments, certification management, a gradebook and e-commerce functionalities within ...Read more
iSpring Learn
iSpring Learn
iSpring Learn is an award-winning learning management system. With iSpring, you can quickly launch online training in your company. Just upload eLearning content you already have or create it from scratch using a built-in editor f...Read more
Newrow Suite
Newrow Suite
newrow_ smart is a cloud-based learning management solution (LMS) that caters to learning and development departments in organizations across various industries and virtual classrooms in schools and universities. Features include ...Read more
Popular Virtual Classroom Software Comparisons
Buyers Guide
Last Updated: March 11, 2022
Distance learning courses are a long-established tradition in education and training. Indeed, the University of London established its international program in 1858, making it the world’s oldest provider of distance and flexible learning.
Even so, seemingly unavoidable disadvantages have typically resulted in lower completion rates for distance learning than for in-person classes. Until the 21st century, there was no way to avoid the lack of direct interaction between student and teacher or the demoralizing effects of student isolation. Today, however, software has made it possible for distance learning to be conducted in real time and with a much more personal quality.
This guide will help prospective buyers learn more about virtual classroom software. In it, we’ll cover:
What is virtual classroom software?
Common features of virtual classroom software
Benefits of virtual classroom software
What type of buyer are you?
Recent developments you should know about
What is virtual classroom software?
Virtual classroom technology is part of the broader learning management (LMS) software category. It provides individuals and organizations with conferencing and collaboration capabilities necessary for virtual training or online learning. As a result, instructors can directly interact with learners anywhere in the world with an Internet connection, while maximizing both time and location flexibility.
Common features of virtual classroom software
Virtual classroom software can be used by educators as well as trainers at organizations with a large geographical reach, in order to bring the learning experience to students wherever they are located while reducing travel costs to zero. Buyers should expect to find the following functionality in their new system:
| Audio-video streaming | Instructors can interact directly, in real time, with groups of learners or individuals via streaming audio and video. |
| Interactive whiteboard | Virtual whiteboards allow instructors to share information with students, and include the ability to add real-time annotations, text and highlighting. Learners can also be given access, so they can share their video stream or desktop with the class. |
| Chat | Learners and instructors can interact via personal or group chat, rather than sit passively listening to lectures. Questions can be addressed directly in real time, and instructors can conduct quick tests. |
| Recording | Instructors can record classes for playback by absent students. They can also use the audio-video recording functionality to prepare introductions to lessons. |
| Breakout rooms | Instructors can break classes into smaller groups via virtual breakout rooms, where learners can collaborate to solve problems. Breakout rooms have their own chat, virtual whiteboard, and document-sharing capabilities. |
| Media streaming | Enables instructors to play audio/video files using a built-in media player. |
| Attendance reporting | Instructors can monitor attendance and send out notifications about upcoming classes to learners. |
| Polling | Enables instructors to conduct quizzes and surveys during class, then assess learner comprehension by viewing the results in chart form. |
| File and screen sharing | Instructors can share their desktop as well as multiple file types (PDFs, Word documents, etc.) with learners during class. |
Benefits of virtual classroom software
Organizations that use a virtual classroom solution are able to:
- Provide students with the flexibility of following and completing courses at their own pace.
- Deliver education and training to students who are currently employed or whose scheduling commitments prevent them from attending in-person classes.
- Expand the reach of their education to anywhere on the globe—so long as students have access to the Internet, they can attend an online class.
- Reduce travel costs for instructors and learners to zero.
What type of buyer are you?
Virtual classroom technology can be used by individual tutors and organizations alike. Although marketing materials are often aimed at educational institutions, any organization with a large and dispersed workforce can benefit from using this technology for internal new-hire and personal development courses, as it eliminates the need for employees to travel for training.
That said, some solutions do cater specifically to higher or secondary ed, while others predominantly serve the corporate world. Meanwhile, some vendors offer different, specialized products for different types of buyers, while some products can be leveraged equally effectively by any type of organization.
What's most important when choosing a virtual classroom tool is finding a product with the features and functionality you need, regardless of the type of buyer it's marketed to most heavily.
Recent developments you should know about
Although some instructors still harbor doubts about remote learning and virtual classroom tools, they are becoming increasingly commonplace due to the many benefits they offer. Indeed, prestigious educational organizations are now using these tools.
For example, in August 2015, Harvard Business School demonstrated its confidence in virtual classroom technology by launching HBX Live: a virtual classroom capable of “seating” 60 students simultaneously. With this, students from around the world are able to log in and interact directly with faculty members teaching courses. Participants are displayed on individual screens, replicating the effect of sitting in a traditional classroom, while others can "audit" classes via an observer model.