LMS
MoodleCloud Expands BigBlueButton Web Conferencing Options
MoodleCloud, a hosted service for the open source Moodle LMS, is giving schools the ability to purchase more user licenses of BigBlueButton as an add-on to the service. MoodleCloud itself ranges in price from free (for up to $50 users) to about $760 per year for Moodle for School sites serving up to $500 users. (Larger plans are also available.)
BigBlueButton is an open source web conferencing system for sharing real-time "audio, video, slides, chat, desktop and polls" in online classes. The service, which was started by Blindside Networks in 2008, has been available free for up to six users through MoodleCloud. Now up to 30 users per site will be able to use those features.
"Moodle's mission has always been to help educators improve learning with open, accessible tools to use as they wish," said Moodle Founder and CEO Martin Dougiamas in a prepared statement. "Together with our good open source friends at BigBlueButton, we have, to date, been able to offer up to six free users to access high quality web conferencing system in the MoodleCloud sites. Requests for more BigBlueButton users indicate that educators and learners are effectively using the full video, audio, whiteboarding and presentation support in their MoodleCloud sites. So we are pleased to offer the BigBlueButton add on option for all Moodle for School sites."
With the new option, Moodle for Schools users can purchase, in increments of six users, up to 30 seats. Licenses start at about $230 ($300 AUS). To access the add-on option, users log into their portal and click "Upgrade your plan and purchase add-ons."
Additional details can be found at moodlecloud.com.