You have completed the Cancer Quest online and have designed your own individual Quest using Carcinogen Quest: The Process. It's now time to collaborate with students elsewhere in the United States or abroad to develop a more global perspective on your local conclusions.

This Video Conference Quest is designed to instruct you in the process of configuring a computer with a video camera, microphone and speakers (headphones). Consider this task from an experimental standpoint. Preparing for a Video Conference requires instructions, trial and error testing and patience. This video and audio streaming system will allow you another mode of addressing the Cancer Quest challenge by researching information through collaborations. Completing this Video Conference Quest will position you to contact other classrooms, or individuals, who can be brought together into a Cancer Quest Consortium. There are opportunities here for becoming a clearinghouse of Cancer Quest data and establishing an Internet site that features ongoing research from different areas, but first let's get connected and operational!

-What do I absolutely need in the way of hardware to video conference? I'm not rolling in cash you know.

Definitely an Internet ready computer. That's a joke, but it's hard to make a phone call without a telephone.

-Do I have to have a Web camera and speakers, or headphones to run a video conference?

No, actually both the Yahoo! Messenger and NetMeeting software that we suggest you use allows you to "talk" to other collaborators through a text CHAT feature. You could conference with only the software and your computer. The choice will be yours and we will show you the options and let you decide how you wish to operate your system.

-If I do want to use a Web camera, is there one you suggest?

We don't endorse any particular product line, but I can give you a link to let you examine different Webcam models that might meet your needs and budget. There are Webcams of all sorts. Most are color. Some have built in microphones, if your computer is not so equiped. The Webcams connect through an USB port, so make sure your computer has one. They come with instructions and software to quickly configure them to your machine. Definitely check the hardware requirements for the camera to be sure that your computer is compatible. Try this link for a start. Go ahead we'll wait until you return. The Logitech Camera Family

See anything you like? Now you have an idea what's out there and you can shop prices or other brands with some specifications that will meet your needs.

-Ok, let's say I want to use a Web camera, but I also want sound. What now?

There are quite a few ways to deal with is problem. We'll give you some options again and let you decide what suits your situation.

First, your computer has to have a sound card. Check the hardware requirements for the equipment options we offer and make sure they are compatable with your card. Most of this peripheral hardware works with any sound card unless your computer is ancient. Can't help you there, but keep moving forward in this process, it'll all be revealed as we continue.

Your computer may have a built-in speakers and microphone. If this is the case, you'll be able to configure them with Yahoo! Messenger or NetMeeting when you install the software. It could all be that simple!

If you don't have built-in speakers then let's talk output compensation. Obviously speakers are an easy find. Any Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, or computer store will have lots of brands and prices to meet your needs. Just plug them into your sound card and the Yahoo! Messenger or NetMeeting software will get you up and running.

You could use headphones for sound. They plug into your sound card and allow you private listening. They also come with microphones attached to the headset, which gives you another option for sending a voice signal if you again want a more private conversation. Here's a link that will let you examine some different types of headsets, if you are interested. Plantronics Headsets

I'm sure you noticed that some of the cameras you examined come with built in microphones. This allows a more open conversation with anyone around the camera being able to talk, and if your sound is coming through speakers, you have a conference setting that is almost ideal. You do have to caution your participants that the camera microphone picks up other sounds in the room and to remain quiet unless they are speaking.

-If I have the equipment to run a video conference where do I get the software that will bring all of this together?

This next part is where the experimentaion comes in. We have provided for you in the following information and links, the two best software packages and advice available on the Web to make you operational. Take it a step at a time and be patient. It all may happen quickly for you, or there may be glitches. Be persistent and logical! It will work and you can do it.

The simplest way to connect for video conferencing is through the free Yahoo! Messenger. It is the interfacing software that will allow you to connect to your collaborators. Click on this Yahoo! Messenger link and go to the Download page. Here you will be able to Download the appropriate software for your particular computer. The Yahoo! folks have Messenger software for both PCs and Macs, whereas the NetMeeting software can only run on a PC. Once you've downloaded Yahoo! the software, simply open it and follow the instructions. Everything is self-contained and easy to understand. You'll find the HELP section in the installed Messenger quite adequate to solve any problems you may encounter. There are a lot of bells and whistles with the Messenger, so stick to the basics first and add extras later. You'll be operating in a few minutes.

The industry standard for video conferences has been Microsoft's NetMeeting. This free software package has some extras, such as a whiteboard, that are not found in the Yahoo! package, but the software only runs on PCs and is a little trickier to configure. We'll let you be the judge of what is best for you, so you may wish to try both packages if you operate a PC. If you run on a Mac the choice is obviously simpler, but working through the NetMeeting Tutorial will enhance your understanding of the video conferencing process. You may want to consider it.

There are many tutorials available on the use of Microsoft's NetMeeting. We have provided several Netmeeting tutorial links below and your first task is to go to each of them and read them carefully. Follow the instructions and download the free NetMeeting software. Install the application on your computer and learn how it works from the tutorial directions. Your proficiency with NetMeeting will be a function of its use time. You can configure it to computers in a LAN system and talk from one computer to the other in your classroom for practice and experimentation on audio and video adjustments. Go to the links now and take your time.

A. Tutorial Pack-Collaborating with Others Using NetMeeting from Microsoft

Learn how to enhance collaboration by using the interactive features of NetMeeting, such as application sharing, audio/video conferencing, and file transfer. Share visual information by using the whiteboard feature, or engage in a real-time online discussion by using the chat feature. You can use the downloadable 12-page tutorial to help you make the most of this online communication tool: Step-by-step instructions, glossaries, tips, and annotated illustrations of Microsoft NetMeeting show you how to effectively share information by using different mediums, regardless of physical distance.

From Smart Computing Magazine come the articles below to help you understand and correct any problems or unanswered questions you may have about videoconferencing. This magazine explains "In Plain English" how computers work and what to do if they don't.

These days, life runs at the speed of your Internet connection. Here's the latest on the vast potential of real-time communications to get you up-to-speed on voice and video interaction.

Instant messaging is one of the hottest tickets on the Web these days, in some cases even incorporating sound and video. This article will fill you in on the basics and give you a run down of five services and their features.

All audio and video communication through a PC requires a camera for capturing sights and a microphone for picking up sounds. Installing these items to a PC is supposed to be a pretty straightforward process, but it doesn't always work out that way.

Here's a short list of common setup problems, along with expert advice on what you can do about them.

C. BioHealth Link Cancer Quest Consortium Collaborative

After you are configured for video conferencing you need to begin the search for a collaborative. Who will be interested in my project, how do they find me, and me them? There are sites on the Internet that post the details of projects in search of collaboration. Global Schoolhouse Project Registry maintains an international bulletin board of collaborative projects. Here is the listing for the BioHealth Link Cancer Quest Consortium. Use Global Schoolhouse to find projects of a similar nature and to post your project design for access by other people in search of a collaborative.

D. Teacher Internet Resources for Online Projects

Check out this list of possibilities for locating a variety of cooperative cohorts.

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We hope that this page has been helpful to you and that you are well on the road to operating your own Cancer Quest Video Conference and Consortium.