Introduction
This page lists the various web-conferencing features most requested on the four web-conferencing tools supported at Biola. Some feature restrictions may change as service providers adapt and remove restrictions due to various circumstance ( e.g. the COVID 19 pandemic).
Web-Conference Feature Comparison
| Feature Category | Specific Feature | Canvas (BigBlueButton) | Google Meet | WebEx Meetings | Zoom (free Basic version) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Host/Join Method | Audio-Only | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio & Video | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Browser-based Sessions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Computer Software-based Sessions | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Conference Call (Call In Hosting) | No | Yes* | No | Yes | |
| Dial in by Phone | Yes. Note: But you must first start the process by joining on a computer | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Recording** | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Webinar | No | Internal (Biola)***: Up to 100,000 External: No | No | No | |
| Collaboration | Breakout Rooms | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Chat | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| File Share | Presentation Files Only | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Length of Meeting | No Limit | No Limit | 24 Hr. | 40 min. for 3 or more participants | |
| Polls | Yes | No Note: You can use a 3rd party app for taking the poll and send the poll link in the Google Meet chat. | Yes | Yes | |
| Q&A | No | No Note: You can present a Google Slides presentation that can facilitate this. | No | Yes | |
| Screen/Specific App Share | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Whiteboard | Yes | No Note: You can create a Google Jam (whiteboard) at jamboard.google.com, share the link to your students. | Yes | Yes | |
| Function & Limits | Closed Captioning | Manual via stenographer | Yes - Automatic | Manual via stenographer | Manual via stenographer Automatic - 3rd party API Integration |
| See Participants Consecutively | Unknown Note: Depends on user's hardware. | Unknown Note: Depends on user's hardware. | Up to 25 consecutively Note: Depends on user's hardware. | 49 per gallery page with ~20 gallery pages. Note: Depends on user's hardware. | |
| See Shared Content & Participants | Yes | Yes (less intuitive) | Yes | Yes | |
| User Limit | Up to 100 participants | Up to 250 participants | Up to 1,000 participants | 100 participants |
* You can start the meeting without a computer, but you must have scheduled the meeting in advance on a computer.
** Please be aware that HIPAA laws may affect your use of this function.
*** Webinar feeds may be delayed and do not allow participant interaction.