Audio problems include occasional echo which requires the muting of microphones at each site. This means the microphone must be un-muted before a person at that site can be heard. When the remote site mic is opened, the host or other sites should mute their mics. This means you will not always be able to carry on a conversation between sites at the same pace that you could in person. Be aware that discussion by students is often difficult to hear at other sites.
Students seem to speak softer if they know they are being heard elsewhere.
They sometimes lose their train of thought when asked to speak up. If remote site students cannot hear what is happening, they may begin their own conversation. The majority of technical problems occur and are resolved during the pre-class test period. The most frequent problems are those which impair the quality of the audio or video. The facilitator will keep the instructor informed as to what is happening, the prognosis, and the options.