• Microsoft Teams is recommended for administrative and business meetings.
• Zoom is recommended for instructional purposes.

The wide array of features offered by these services can accommodate nearly any video conferencing need.

This FAQ is intended to help you select the correct service for your needs and find resources to get you up and running.

1. Where can I compare the features of the available services?
   • A table comparing the features of the available video conferencing services can be seen below by clicking on the "+"

     Video Conference Feature Comparison

     Synchronous Communication

     Please note that Zoom is the preferred tool for instruction at UWM. Microsoft Teams is the preferred tool for administrative and non-instructional activities. 

       Comparison of Synchronous Communication Tools  

     Features	Microsoft Teams	Zoom
     UWM Support	Supported for office and administration primarily	Zoom is the officially supported video conferencing service for instruction at UWM.
     Integrated With Canvas LMS	Yes (meetings only)	Yes
     Max Simultaneous Webcams	49 on screen	49 on screen*
     Max. # Simultaneous Audio	49	49
     Max. # Participants	300	300
     Multiple Moderators	Yes	Yes
     Supported Browsers	Chrome, Firefox, Safari, IE Chromium	Chrome, Firefox, Edge Chromium, Safari
     Plug-in Required	No	No
     Mobile App Available	Yes	Yes
     Desktop App Available	Yes	Yes
     Chat Feature	Yes	Yes
     Chat with everyone	Yes	Yes
     Chat with individuals	Yes	Yes
     Share White Board	Yes	Yes
     Polling	Yes	Yes
     Hand Raising	Yes	Yes
     Session Scheduling	Yes	Yes
     Can Record Session	Yes	Yes
     Recording Format	MP4 Video	MP4 Video
     Recording Downloadable	Yes	Yes
     Phone Conferencing	Yes	Yes
     Share/Download Files	Yes	Yes
     Screen Sharing Capabilities	Yes	Yes
     Breakout Rooms (Group Work)	Yes	Yes
     Remembers Content	Yes	No**
     Browser Based (no download required)	Yes	Yes (App recommended)
     Captioning	Yes (automated, experimental)	Yes (text, manual entry)
     Students can Create a Session	Yes	Not currently
     Suitable for HIPAA	Yes (Contact the Help Desk)	Yes (Contact the Help Desk)
     For support	Get support online or contact the UWM Help Desk	Get support online or contact the UWM Help Desk

     *Requires desktop client and depends on the computer's CPU strength. Older computers may not be able to display 49 participants on one screen.

     **Content does not remain in session but is saved with session recording.

     Live Streaming

     Both Mediasite and Microsoft Teams Live are supported by Classroom Services.

       Comparison of Live Streaming Tools  

     Features	Mediasite	Microsoft Teams Live
     Canvas Integration	Yes (by request)	No
     Max. # Simultaneous Webcams	3+1 screen share	1+1 screen share
     Max. # Simultaneous Audio	1	1
     Max. # Participants	250	10,000
     Multiple Moderators	N/A	Yes
     Supported Browsers	Chrome/Firefox/Edge/Safari	Chrome/Edge (Chromium)/IE
     Plug-in Required	No	No
     Mobile App Available	Not needed	Yes
     Desktop App Available	Not needed	Yes
     Chat Feature	No	Yes (Internal only)
     Chat with everyone	No	No
     Chat with individuals	No	No
     Q&A during event	Yes	Yes
     Share White Board	No	No
     Polling	No	No
     Hand Raising	No	No
     Session Scheduling	Yes	Yes
     Automatic start/stop	Yes	No
     Can Record Session	Yes (Automatic)	Yes (Automatic)
     Recording Format	MP4 Video	MP4 Video
     Recording Downloadable	Admin Only	Yes
     Phone Conferencing for Presenters	No	Yes
     Phone Conferencing for attendees	No	No
     Share/Download Files	Admin only	Yes
     Screen Sharing Capabilities	Yes	Yes
     Breakout Rooms (Group Work)	No	No
     Remembers Content	N/A	N/A
     Browser Based (no download required)	Yes	Yes
     Live Captioning	No	Yes (experimental)
     Students can Create a Session	No	Yes
     HIPAA Compliant	N/A	N/A
     Can entire event be run online?	No	Yes

     Note: Mediasite can only be used to stream events happening at UWM, and must be coordinated by Classroom Services. Contact Classroom Services for further information.

     *If you are interested in running a live stream Zoom webinar for up to 500 people, please contact the UWM Help Desk.

      
2. Where can I learn more about the approved video conferencing platforms, or attend training classes for the platforms?
   • Live training sessions for Teams are held regularly. For details and a complete schedule, see: online training offerings
   • A library of training materials for instructors using Zoom can be found here.
     
     
3. How should I organize a video meeting with other UWM employees?
   • Teams meetings are recommended for most video meeting needs. You can schedule a Teams meeting either by using the Teams app or by using Microsoft Outlook.
     
     
4. What service should I use if my meeting has external (non-UWM) participants?
   • Both Teams and Zoom meetings can be joined by external participants. No UWM account is required.
   • You can invite any email address to Teams meeting. The address will receive a link to join the Teams meeting online.
     
     
5. What should I do when the contents of my meeting are confidential, especially FERPA- or HIPAA-related?
   • Use Microsoft Teams for meetings where sensitive information will be present, such as FERPA or HIPAA data.
   • Teams supports “end-to-end encryption” which protects all of the contents of your meetings from viewing by outside parties.
   • UWM has entered into a legal agreement with Microsoft that certifies the security of meeting contents on Teams, including meeting all FERPA and HIPAA security requirements.
     
     
6. My meeting needs to have many simultaneous videos. What platform should I use?
   • Both Teams and Zoom support up to 49 simultaneous video feeds from meeting participants.
     
     
7. My meeting needs to have breakout rooms. What platform should I use?
   • Both Teams and Zoom support breakout rooms with comparable features.