Virtual Blackboard for Online Meetings

Question

I would like to integrate a "virtual blackboard" functionality with my e-learning website. I would like users to be able to participate in "meetings", with the following functionality:

• chat (optionaly voice chat/videochat)
• virtual blackboard (collaborative drawing)
• screensharing (so one of the users can present material like pictures to other users)
• ideally Flash or Java applet based (so users wouldn't have to install any additional software - but this is not a requirement, as long as setup wouldn't be too cumbersome)

I guess there are no free solutions, so I'm looking for a paid one. It would be best if users didn't have to set up separate accounts to participate in meetings. Perhaps they could just click on a link with the meeting id.

I googled a little and looked at Adobe Connect Pro. Are there any alternatives that you can recommend?

Answer 1

Influxis also has some Flash based meeting software apps and gives you the source code, so that you may extend them, if you are interested in that.

http://influxis.com/applications/

Answer 2

Checkout BigBlueButton http://www.bigbluebutton.org/

BigBlueButton is an active open source project that focuses on usability, modularity, and clean design -- both for the user and the developer. The project is hosted at Google Code http://code.google.com/p/bigbluebutton/

Answer 3

It's not hard to create one with only JavaScript. Then the user really doesn't have to install anything, unlike with Flash or Java.

A pretty good tutorial is here, and additionally Ajax: The Definitive Guide has a good tutorial around Ch. 20 ish.