www.skype.com

Description:
Skype has been around the block.  This video conferencing software is a free download and makes use a simple webcam that you can get for just $50 (or less if you are a great shopper).  Skype can do audio only or full video.  You do need broadband to use it well but not immense.  If you run into bandwidth issues, try going audio only or audio only from one side of the call.  You can call multiple people at once but if you want a 3+ way conference call, you lose the video feature.  You can run multiple Skype sessions at once but it can get a bit confusing.  Your firewall and filtering administrator will need to open ports if you are not in Littleton Public Schools.  If you are in LPS, go for it because we've done this already!

Ideas for use:
Use for conference calls with a remote classroom in your sister city.  Contact a teacher in the partner school and agree to assign a similar project during the same period of time.  Whether the students collaborate or not, you can use Skype to allow the two classrooms to connect for kids to share their reports with eachother.  If you have laptops (like the EeePC) that have integrated webcams, you could even partner students among different schools to collaborate on a learning project.  The Skype becomes their personal conference call system.

Considerations:
Skype does require an email account, so if you want to do this, be sure to communicate with parents.  Outside LPS, this could cause network congestion issues, so check with your IT department before you jump in.