Though I agree learning with video is a powerful tool in many ways, these permanently installed telepresence systems seem to be overly expensive and an inefficient way to spend school funding.

For example, we use a virtual classroom utility that integrates with our LMS and the built-in camera/microphone of the users' computers or those plugged in. This provides for a mobile experience and the cost is limited to the software level.

I often see telepresence articles advertising permanently installed solutions that are only capable of video streaming. The Virtual classroom model we adopted at the university I work for offers video as well as slideshows, annotations, screen sharing, website sharing, file transfers, digital whiteboard, quizzes, and more.

We have a couple of rooms fitted with a permanent telepresence solution and the systems never get used. This may be our own fault of not putting them to use, but our virtual classroom solution is widely used both on and off campus. It allows us to free up room space as well.