Wimba Classroom 5.2 vs. WebEx Meeting Center Comparison Tables
Product Orientation
Wimba Classroom 5.2 – This is an online conferencing product that is more educational oriented as it features software specifically designed for classrooms and educational purposes. Wimba.com
WebEx Meeting Center – This is an online conferencing product that is oriented for businesses of all sizes as well as individual users interested in online conferencing.
Webex.com
System Requirements
(Windows, Macintosh, and Linux)
|
|
|
Comments |
Operating System |
Windows 2000+, Mac OSX 10.2+ or Linux |
Windows 98, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista |
Mac OS9 and Linux have limited features and functionality in Wimba! |
RAM |
256 MB RAM (higher recommended) |
128MB RAM on Windows |
|
Browser |
IE 5.0+, Netscape 7.0+, Mozilla 1.0+, Safari 1.1+ |
Internet Explorer 6/7 |
Vista supports Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 2 browsers only! |
ActiveX/Java |
Browser must be Java and JavaScript enabled |
JavaScript and cookies need to be enabled |
|
Internet Connection |
Internet access at 56k or above (Broadband strongly recommended) |
Broadband access recommended |
Wimba supports access to both dial-up users as well as broadband connections |
Server |
You can host on your own server or have Wimba host on theirs |
All WebEx applications are delivered on demand from the MediaTone Network |
|
Product Cost
|
|
|
Comments |
License Type |
Annual or Perpetual |
Annual or Perpetual |
|
Price |
N/A |
$75 per named host per month (minimum five named hosts) |
A named host is any individual that may schedule and host meetings. |
Product Limitations
|
|
|
Comments |
Number of users |
Limited to Cost |
Limited to Cost |
WebEx Supports up to 800 participants in a single session |
Online Conferences |
Unlimited |
Unlimited |
|
Ease of use |
Simple Interface, teaching tools are easy to use |
Setting up meetings is easy, controls are easy to learn |
|
Setting up a Meeting/Classroom Session
WebEx
A meeting can be initiated in several ways after WebEx Productivity tools are installed:
- Using the WebEx One-Click Icon on the task bar
- Through IM applications such as Windows Live Messenger
- Clicking on the WebEx icon in Windows Outlook
- Clicking on the WebEx icon in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox
- By going to the WebEx website
Once inside the Meeting Manager display window:
- Click on the Quick Start Panel
- Select the Invite Participants panel if not selected already
- Select one of the three options
- Invite by email
- Sends out an email to invitees with a link to follow
- Invite by IM (Instant Messaging)
- Send out a Instant Message with a link to the meeting
- Invite by phone
- Under this option you can see a telephone number that will connect the invitees to the audio conference when dialed
- Begin the presentation
Wimba
Setting up classrooms in Wimba Classroom 5.2 is conducted through an internet browser.
Setup Steps:
- Instructor must request a room from Wimba for the classroom session
- Instructor requests specific session times
- Go to the Wimba Classroom log in website (http://wimbaclassroom.elearning.ubc.ca/)
- Instructor teaching the course logs in as a presenter
- Students must log in as participants
- When both the presenter and students are logged in, the session can begin
- Note: Sessions are not canceled if a presenter leaves the room
Features
|
|
|
Comments |
Whiteboard |
Included |
Included |
Images cannot be inserted in the WebEx whiteboard |
Application/Desktop Sharing |
Included |
Included |
|
Video |
Included |
Included |
WebEx allows presenters and participants to view up to six webcam screens at one time Wimba only allows one video screen to be viewed |
Telephone Conferencing |
Included |
Included |
Feature is a separate charge WebEx bills telephone charges to same statement as Meeting Center |
Integrated Phone Conferencing (VoIP) |
Included |
Included |
|
Simultaneous VoIP and telephone conferences are possible in Wimba but not in WebEx Meeting Center!!! |
|||
Chat (Public & Private) |
Included |
Included |
|
Breakout Rooms |
Included |
Included |
|
Webpage Co-browsing |
Included |
Included |
Allows presenters and participants to browse the internet together by exchanging browsing controls |
File transfer |
Not Included |
Included |
Meeting Center allows presenters to share files with participants |
Remote PC Access |
Not Included |
(Additional $10.35/month) |
Allows you to access your computer files and programs remotely from anywhere |
Interactive polls, quizzes, and surveys |
Included |
Included |
WebEx includes polls that have to be set up using a wizard but does not include quizzes and surveys |
Customer Service
|
|
|
Comments |
Support |
24/7 Technical Support |
24/7 Support |
|
Accessibility |
Offers accessibility options including close captioning |
Offers accessibility options including close captioning |
Please visit the company websites for more Accessibility information |
Reliability |
Consistent reliability even at slower internet speeds according to customer testimonials |
Designed and engineered to support a service availability target of 99.999% |
Reliability for Wimba may depend on the server used to host |
