BigBlueButton is a virtual classroom platform designed specifically for online teaching and learning. It combines real-time audio and video communication with interactive tools that allow teachers to present material, encourage participation and manage classroom activities.
Unlike general-purpose video conferencing applications, BigBlueButton places educational workflows at the centre of its design. Teachers can move between presentations, group discussions and collaborative exercises without requiring students to switch applications.
Sessions can be recorded for later playback, and the platform integrates with learning management systems including Moodle and Canvas. The server runs on Linux, with students and teachers accessing classrooms through a web browser.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Real-time audio and video conferencing with configurable microphone and camera controls.
- Multi-user interactive whiteboard with drawing, annotation and presentation tools.
- Upload and present documents, slides and other teaching materials during live sessions.
- Breakout rooms for small-group discussions and collaborative learning activities.
- Live polling tools for gathering responses and checking student understanding.
- Public and private chat with moderator controls and pinned messages.
- Collaborative shared notes that participants can edit during a session.
- Screen sharing for software demonstrations, presentations and guided instruction.
- Record classroom sessions and make recordings available for later playback.
- Live captions and transcription facilities for improving accessibility.
- Learning Dashboard for reviewing participation and engagement during classroom sessions.
- Moderator tools for managing participants, approving guests and restricting selected activities.
- Hand-raising and presenter-request workflows for managing classroom discussion.
- Configurable audio processing, including noise suppression and microphone filtering.
- Built-in timer for managing classroom exercises and timed activities.
- Responsive interface with navigation tools designed for desktop and mobile browsers.
- Integration with learning management systems through supported APIs and plugins.
- Customisable interface and plugin architecture for extending classroom functionality.
Website: github.com/bigbluebutton/bigbluebutton
Support:
Developer: BigBlueButton Inc.
License: GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0
BigBlueButton is written in JavaScript and TypeScript. Learn JavaScript with our recommended free books and free tutorials. Learn TypeScript with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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