NESC was awarded their first Distance Learning and Telemedicine grant. The grant updated many of the aging H.323 video teleconference endpoints (installed in 2001) and MCU services throughout much of the NE MN educational network (K12 and Higher Education).
“NORTHEAST SERVICE COOPERATIVE (NESC) requests this funding to expand and upgrade the existing distance learning network amongst our 14 primary and secondary schools.
This year’s plan includes sites that were not able to participate in 2008 RUS DLT submission. These sites can also greatly benefit and are in need of similar use and deployment of distance learning and telemedicine technology. Similar to last year’s sites, they have retired their 9 year old video equipment and are in need of new equipment in order to participate with other districts in the use and exchange of distance learning.
The telecommunication system plan greatly leverages all of the now installed core technology that was made possible by last year’s 2008 RUS DLT grant award. As a result this year’s grant is substantially less in request and focuses primarily on site edge equipment and online curriculum. Additional equipment licenses allow us to meet the increased capacity requirements to support the new sites within our shared infrastructure.
Key elements of this years plan;
1) Expands and leverages existing installed core video technology funded in 2008.
2) Continues to focus heavily on extremely cost effective Vidyo webcam based interactive video technology with the additional port and user capacity.
3) Expands to include a new multimedia encoding server to enhance centralized regional video distribution of all participating district multimedia resources via Adobe Flash.
4) Continued focus on the use of the highly successful Compass Learning Odyssey as a curriculum resource tool for learning.”