M.Sc. (Computer Science) / A video conference is an interactive meeting between two or more locations, facilitated by simultaneous two-way video and audio transmissions. People in a video conference, also known as participants, join these video conferences for business and recreational purposes. In a typical video conference, we should properly identify and authenticate every participant in the video conference, if information discussed during the video conference is confidential. This prevents unauthorized and unwanted people from being part of the conference and exposing any confidential information during the video conference. Present existing video conferencing systems however, have problems in this area, resulting in some risks. These risks relate precisely to the lack of facilities to properly identify and authenticate participants, making it possible for unwanted/unauthorised participants to join the conference or masquerade as another participant. It is especially a problem, when facilitators or organisers are the only participants that know the authorised participants, or participants allowed in a video conference. In this dissertation, we review the risks that are present in video conferencing, and create a security system, (called BioVid) that mitigates the identification and authentication risks in video conferences. BioVid uses a Speeded-Up Robust Features or SURF-based face recognition approach, to identify and authenticate any participant in a video conference. BioVid continuously monitors the participants to check if masquerading has occurred and when it does detect an unauthorised participant, it informs the Service Provider. The Service Provider can then deal with the problem by either kicking the participant or asking the other participants to vote the unauthorised participant out of the video conference.

The rising rate of the autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has resulted in challenges for teachers in public schools, concerning the delivery of evidence-based practices for superior outcomes. Thus, school districts are in need of professional learning options that can be efficiently and effectively delivered to improve the procedural fidelity of interventions. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effectiveness of using telepractice to teach autism teachers how to contrive motivating operations to teach manding to students with ASD. By utilizing multiple baselines across participants design, four autism teachers in public schools received intervention support through an online module along with video models as well as direct performance feedback from autism specialists via video-conferencing. The primary dependent variable was the percentage of correct responses from the instructional procedures of task analysis, and the secondary measure was the subsequent rate of student mands. Data were analyzed both visually (i.e., through the study of behavioral patterns) and statistically (i.e., analysis of effect size). Results indicate that telepractice increased accuracy of both teacher and student target responses.

The target of master's thesis is implementation solution of communication VoIP technologies and connection recording system and CRM system in order to saving costs for company INTERNET TRADING s.r.o..

La phase aiguë de la pandémie de COVID-19 a imposé une réduction des contacts face à face lors des soins traditionnels post-partum. La situation pandémique a alors mis en évidence l’utilisation de la vidéoconférence comme forme de soutien novatrice et complémentaire aux pratiques déjà implantées pour soutenir les femmes allaitantes. Considérant le manque de connaissances quant aux effets de la vidéoconférence sur l’expérience d’allaitement, le but de cette revue rapide était de synthétiser les données probantes sur les effets du soutien à l’allaitement par vidéoconférence lors de la période post-partum à domicile sur l’expérience d’allaitement de mères de nouveau-né à terme. Employant la méthode en sept recommandations d'examen rapide de Cochrane (2021), six études comportant des interventions de vidéoconférence ont été incluses et une seule d’entre elles présente des résultats statistiquement significatifs sur l’intensité des allaitements. Les effets sur l’exclusivité et la durée de l’allaitement lors du soutien par vidéoconférence se sont avérés équivalents aux soins usuels actuellement offerts lors du retour à domicile. Bien que les effets soient comparables au soutien face à face, les taux d’allaitement demeurent inférieurs aux cibles mondiales visées. À la lumière des trois constats découlant de la revue rapide, de futures études pourraient permettre d’explorer les effets d’un soutien proactif par vidéoconférence, et ce, basé sur un cadre théorique. En somme, les résultats obtenus ont permis la formulation de recommandations pour la recherche, la formation et la pratique à dessein de favoriser l’expérience positive d’allaitement et ainsi l’exclusivité, la durée et l’intensité de l’allaitement. / The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has imposed a reduction in face-to-face contact during traditional postpartum care. The pandemic situation then highlighted the use of videoconferencing as an innovative form of support and complementary to the practices already established to support breastfeeding women. Considering the lack of knowledge about the effects of videoconferencing on the breastfeeding experience, the aim of the rapid review was to synthesize the evidence on the effects of breastfeeding support by videoconference during the postpartum period to home on the breastfeeding experience of mothers with term newborns. Using the Cochrane (2021) seven-recommendation rapid review method, six studies with videoconferencing interventions were included and only one of these showed statistically significant results on breastfeeding intensity. The effects on the exclusivity and duration of breastfeeding during videoconference support have been shown to be equivalent to the standard care currently offered upon return home. Although the effects are comparable to face-to-face support, breastfeeding rates remain below target global targets. Considering the three findings resulting from the rapid review, future studies could explore the effects of proactive support by videoconference based on a theoretical framework. In sum, the results obtained allowed the formulation of recommendations for research, training, and practice to purposely increase the positive breastfeeding experience and thus the exclusivity, duration, and intensity of breastfeeding.

Information and communication technology (ICT) has dominated our lives and the way we learn in such a way that, without it, our way of life becomes obsolete. This study explored challenges experienced by tutors in facilitating teaching and learning through the use of videoconference (VC) technology in an open and distance learning (ODL) environment. These challenges are exacerbated by the fact that most tutors, although highly qualified, do not have teaching methodologies with their qualifications at the time of their employment as tutors. It is believed that if these challenges could be given attention, VC technology would serve as an effective facilitation tool for bridging the distance in teaching and learning. Based on qualitative research approach, this study followed a qualitative phenomenological research design. Qualitative data was collected from individual semi-structured interviews with specific VC tutors; tutorial observations based on tutorials offered in the VC environment; and focus group interviews with students who attended tutorials through VC technology. Informed by the Community of inquiry (CoI) theory, the study answered the following main research question: “What are the experiences of tutors in applying instructional methodologies during VC tutorials?” The findings indicate lack of skills and reluctance in applying various active facilitation methods by VC tutors, insufficient technology training intervention by the ODL institution under study, technical challenges of VC technology in teaching and learning, and lack of monitoring systems during VC discussions. The findings further featured various factors that contribute to tutors’ ability in promoting interactivity during VC tutorials. In conclusion, this study clearly indicates that instructional methodologies used in VC tutorials cannot contribute to a meaningful teaching and learning, and thus make interactivity absent throughout VC sessions. Based on these findings, and suggestions for further research, the study therefore recommends acceleration in tutor training on exploitation and integration of VC technology with various suitable teaching methodologies. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Didactics)

The present thesis explores how interaction is initiated in multi-party meetings in Adobe Connect, 7.0, with a particular focus on how co-presence and mutual availability are established through the preambles of 18 meetings held in Spanish without a moderator. Taking Conversation Analysis (CA) as a methodological point of departure, this thesis comprises four different studies, each of them analyzing a particular phenomenon within the interaction of the preambles in a multimodal environment that allows simultaneous interaction through video, voice and text-chat. The first study (Artículo I) shows how participants solve jointly the issue of availability in a technological environment where being online is not necessarily understood as being available for communicating. The second study (Artículo II) focuses on the beginning of the audiovisual interaction; in particular on how participants check the right functioning of the audiovisual mode. The third study (Artículo III) explores silences within the interaction of the preamble. It shows that the length of gaps and lapses become a significant aspect the preambles and how they are connected to the issue of availability.  Finally, the four study introduces the notion of modal alignment, an interactional phenomenon that systematically appears in the beginnings of the encounters, which seems to be used and understood  as a strategy for the establishment of mutual availability and negotiation of the participation framework. As a whole, this research shows how participants, in order to establish mutual co-presence and availability, adapt to a particular technology in terms of participation management, deploying strategies and conveying successive actions which, as it is the case of the activation of their respective webcams, seem to be understood as predictable within the intricate process of establishing mutual availability before the meeting starts.

The present thesis explores how interaction is initiated in multi-party meetings in Adobe Connect, 7.0, with a particular focus on how co-presence and mutual availability are established through the preambles of 18 meetings held in Spanish without a moderator. Taking Conversation Analysis (CA) as a methodological point of departure, this thesis comprises four different studies, each of them analyzing a particular phenomenon within the interaction of the preambles in a multimodal environment that allows simultaneous interaction through video, voice and text-chat. The first study (Artículo I) shows how participants solve jointly the issue of availability in a technological environment where being online is not necessarily understood as being available for communicating. The second study (Artículo II) focuses on the beginning of the audiovisual interaction; in particular on how participants check the right functioning of the audiovisual mode. The third study (Artículo III) explores silences within the interaction of the preamble. It shows that the length of gaps and lapses become a significant aspect the preambles and how they are connected to the issue of availability.  Finally, the four study introduces the notion of modal alignment, an interactional phenomenon that systematically appears in the beginnings of the encounters, which seems to be used and understood  as a strategy for the establishment of mutual availability and negotiation of the participation framework. As a whole, this research shows how participants, in order to establish mutual co-presence and availability, adapt to a particular technology in terms of participation management, deploying strategies and conveying successive actions which, as it is the case of the activation of their respective webcams, seem to be understood as predictable within the intricate process of establishing mutual availability before the meeting starts.

Cette recherche a pour objet l’étude des comportements des utilisateurs d’une plateforme de visioconférence poste à poste. Les utilisateurs de la plateforme sont deux groupes de tuteurs et leurs étudiantes ; le groupe de tuteurs est constitué de tuteurs en formation (de futurs enseignants en formation universitaire professionnalisante) et d’enseignants de FLE utilisant les outils du web 2.0. Cette recherche a pour cadre l’enseignement du FLE à destination d’un groupe d'étudiantes américaines de l’université de Californie Berkeley donné de janvier à mars 2010 sur une plateforme d’apprentissage vidéographique synchrone. La plateforme VISU, a été développé suivant une démarche originale, la conception d’une plateforme destinée a l’enseignement/apprentissage des langues. La particularité de ce projet réside dans le fait qu’un équipe de chercheurs et de développeurs ont accompagné les tuteurs et les étudiantes lors de cette expérimentation afin d’améliorer l’utilisabilté de VISU d’une séance sur l’autre. À travers une analyse de deux tâches dans les configurations qui placent un tuteur devant deux étudiantes, deux tuteurs devant deux étudiantes et un tuteur devant une étudiante, et d’une micro-analyse portant sur la transmission des consignes, nous tentons d’observer le discours et la mimo-gestualité témoignant de leur expérience utilisateur au contact de la technologie utilisée. Nous étudions également l’utilisation qu’ils font des différents outils textuels de communication, des ressources présentes sur la plateforme, ainsi que celle de la caméra. Nous discutons les résultats qualitatifs en vue de mettre au jour leurs comportements d’utilisateurs d’une plateforme en cours de construction. La méthode s’appuie sur la triangulation des données. Aux échanges en ligne du corpus multimodal est appliquée une analyse de la mimo-gestualité, ainsi qu’analyse de discours et des interactions. Des entretiens, des questionnaires et les perceptions des étudiantes et des tuteurs viennent éclairer l’analyse de leur vécu et de leur ressenti. Ce travail de recherche tente donc à travers la description de la communication pédagogique synchrone de mieux comprendre les différentes pratiques, principalement discursives et mimo-gestuelles, des tuteurs et des étudiantes engagés dans une formation en ligne. / This research studies the behavior of users of a desktop videoconferencing platform VISU (designed to deliver online courses), through the multimodal pedagogical communication of two groups of teachers: trainee tutors and experienced teachers based in different locations who taught French as a Foreign Language to a group of students from UC Berkeley in 2010. A team of researchers and developers worked together with the tutors in this experiment to improve the usability of the platform, which was under construction during the course of the study. In understanding the experience of users while using the tool, due to the performance limitations of the tool under construction, a new method of analysing data was devised in which user behavior was studied through discourse analysis, mimogestuality and the usage of tools including chat and webcam. Specifically, we analysed the usage of different tools (text based tools) as well as the webcam’s effects on user behavior. Then, through a micro analysis of the pedagogical instruction, we identified the role of these different communication tools used by the tutors in conveying the meaning of the task to be carried out. Interviews, questionnaires and perceptions of students and tutors were gathered to inform the analysis of their experiences and their feelings. This research therefore attempts, through the description of the synchronous teaching communication, to better understand the different practices, mainly discursive and mimo-gestural, of tutors and students engaged in the multimodal learning. In addition, a key significance of this study is that it demonstrates the value of considering user experience (UX) in studies involving language learning through technology. At the same time, it also indicates the value of including discourse analysis and mimogestuality in user experience research involving interactive pedagogical tools.

INTRODUÇÃO: Distúrbios mentais, neurológicos e de uso de substâncias estão dentre os principais contribuintes para a morbidade e mortalidade prematura no mundo. Mesmo onde existem cuidados de saúde mental e tratamentos eficazes, muitas vezes eles não são acessíveis para aqueles que mais precisam, principalmente por causa da desigualdade na distribuição de serviços e recursos humanos dentro de um país. Devido aos avanços contínuos nas tecnologias de informação e comunicação e a disseminação crescente da internet na sociedade, o cuidado de saúde mental à distância via webconferência, denominado telepsiquiatria, tornou-se uma ferramenta promissora para o atendimento psiquiátrico. OBJETIVOS: O presente projeto visou avaliar a eficácia e a aplicabilidade do acompanhamento psiquiátrico ambulatorial por webconferência em ambientes clinicamente não supervisionados, comparando esta nova forma de acompanhamento com o cuidado padrão (presencial) em relação à evolução clínica (gravidade da depressão, estado de saúde mental, medicação, e recaídas), à satisfação com o tratamento, à relação terapêutica, à adesão ao tratamento (faltas e taxas de abandonos), e à adesão à medicação. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo clínico randomizado e controlado. Pacientes entre 18 e 55 anos, com depressão leve ou com quadro estabilizado, internet banda larga em casa, e em tratamento no Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas das Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IPq- HCFMUSP) foram alocados aleatoriamente em um grupo experimental ou controle. Enquanto o grupo controle recebeu consultas psiquiátricas mensais de forma presencial no IPq, o grupo experimental realizou consultas mensais com o psiquiatra por webconferência. Uma amostra de 107 pacientes foi recrutada. De forma aleatória, 54 pacientes foram colocados no grupo controle e 53 no grupo de webconferência. Não houve diferenças significantes entre os grupos com respeito aos dados sociodemográficos na avaliação inicial. Durante o acompanhamento, 950 consultas foram concluídas, 489 (51,5%) delas por webconferência. Além disso, 277 consultas de avaliação foram realizadas. No início, depois de 6 e 12 meses, a gravidade da depressão, o estado de saúde mental, a satisfação com o tratamento, a relação terapêutica, e a adesão ao tratamento e à medicação foram avaliados. RESULTADOS: A gravidade da depressão diminuiu significativamente ao longo do acompanhamento de 12 meses em ambos os grupos. Os grupos diferiram significativamente em relação ao desenvolvimento da gravidade da depressão ao longo do período de seguimento, com melhores resultados para o acompanhamento por webconferência. Além disso, houve 4 recaídas no grupo controle e apenas uma no grupo de webconferência. Quanto a estado de saúde mental, a satisfação com o tratamento, a relação terapêutica, a adesão ao tratamento, e a adesão à medicação não foram encontradas diferenças significantes entre os grupos. Contudo, depois de 6 meses, o número de abandonos foi significativamente maior no grupo controle (18,5 vs. 5,7%, p < 0,05). A satisfação com o acompanhamento por webconferência foi alta tanto para os pacientes como para os psiquiatras. CONCLUSÕES: O acompanhamento psiquiátrico por webconferência foi tão eficaz e viável quanto o acompanhamento presencial com respeito à evolução clínica, a satisfação dos pacientes, a relação terapêutica, adesão ao tratamento e à medicação. Esses achados apontam o potencial da telepsiquiatria estender a assistência psiquiátrica à população de lugares remotos e até então sem acesso ao atendimento especializado / INTRODUCTION: Mental, neurological and substance-use disorders are major contributors to morbidity and premature mortality worldwide. Even where mental health care and effective treatment exist, they are frequently not available to those in greatest need, mainly because of the unequal distribution of services and human resources within a country. Due to continuous advances in information and communication technologies and the growing spread of the Internet in society, remote mental health care via videoconferencing, called telepsychiatry, has become a promising tool for psychiatric attendance. OBJECTIVES: The present project aimed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of psychiatric outpatient care via videoconferencing in clinically unsupervised settings, comparing this new form of attendance with in-person standard care regarding to clinical outcomes (severity of depression, mental health status, medication course, and relapses), satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence (appointment compliance and dropouts), and medication adherence. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial allocated adult patients between 18 and 55 years old with mild depression or in remission state, treated at the Institute of Psychiatry of the University of São Paulo Medical School (IPq-HCFMUSP), and with broadband Internet access at home into a intervention and control group. Whereas the control group received monthly psychiatric consultations in person at the IPq, the intervention group realized monthly consultations with the psychiatrist via videoconferencing. At baseline and after 6 and 12 months, the severity of depression, mental health status, satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence and medication compliance were assessed. RESULTS: A sample of 107 patients was recruited; 54 patients were randomly allocated to the control group, and 53 to the intervention group. Patients in both groups did not differ with respect to demographic data. During follow-up, 950 consultations were completed; 489 (51,5%) via videoconferencing. In addition, there were 277 assessment consultations. The severity of depression decreased significantly over the 12-month follow-up in both groups. There was a significant difference between groups regarding to the development of the severity of depression throughout the follow-up period, with better results for the attendance via videoconferencing. Further, there were 4 relapses in the control group and only one in the videoconferencing group. There were no significant differences between groups regarding to mental health status, satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence, and medication compliance. Though, after 6 months, the number of dropouts was significantly higher in the control group (18,5 vs. 5,7%, p < 0,05). Satisfaction with attendance via videoconferencing was high among patients as well as among psychiatrists. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric attendance via videoconferencing can be considered applicable for the outpatient care at the IPq-HCFMUSP and as effective and viable as standard care (in person treatment) with respect to clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence and medication compliance. These results indicate the potential of telepsychiatry to extend the access to psychiatric care for remote and underserved populations

INTRODUÇÃO: Distúrbios mentais, neurológicos e de uso de substâncias estão dentre os principais contribuintes para a morbidade e mortalidade prematura no mundo. Mesmo onde existem cuidados de saúde mental e tratamentos eficazes, muitas vezes eles não são acessíveis para aqueles que mais precisam, principalmente por causa da desigualdade na distribuição de serviços e recursos humanos dentro de um país. Devido aos avanços contínuos nas tecnologias de informação e comunicação e a disseminação crescente da internet na sociedade, o cuidado de saúde mental à distância via webconferência, denominado telepsiquiatria, tornou-se uma ferramenta promissora para o atendimento psiquiátrico. OBJETIVOS: O presente projeto visou avaliar a eficácia e a aplicabilidade do acompanhamento psiquiátrico ambulatorial por webconferência em ambientes clinicamente não supervisionados, comparando esta nova forma de acompanhamento com o cuidado padrão (presencial) em relação à evolução clínica (gravidade da depressão, estado de saúde mental, medicação, e recaídas), à satisfação com o tratamento, à relação terapêutica, à adesão ao tratamento (faltas e taxas de abandonos), e à adesão à medicação. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo clínico randomizado e controlado. Pacientes entre 18 e 55 anos, com depressão leve ou com quadro estabilizado, internet banda larga em casa, e em tratamento no Instituto de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas das Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (IPq- HCFMUSP) foram alocados aleatoriamente em um grupo experimental ou controle. Enquanto o grupo controle recebeu consultas psiquiátricas mensais de forma presencial no IPq, o grupo experimental realizou consultas mensais com o psiquiatra por webconferência. Uma amostra de 107 pacientes foi recrutada. De forma aleatória, 54 pacientes foram colocados no grupo controle e 53 no grupo de webconferência. Não houve diferenças significantes entre os grupos com respeito aos dados sociodemográficos na avaliação inicial. Durante o acompanhamento, 950 consultas foram concluídas, 489 (51,5%) delas por webconferência. Além disso, 277 consultas de avaliação foram realizadas. No início, depois de 6 e 12 meses, a gravidade da depressão, o estado de saúde mental, a satisfação com o tratamento, a relação terapêutica, e a adesão ao tratamento e à medicação foram avaliados. RESULTADOS: A gravidade da depressão diminuiu significativamente ao longo do acompanhamento de 12 meses em ambos os grupos. Os grupos diferiram significativamente em relação ao desenvolvimento da gravidade da depressão ao longo do período de seguimento, com melhores resultados para o acompanhamento por webconferência. Além disso, houve 4 recaídas no grupo controle e apenas uma no grupo de webconferência. Quanto a estado de saúde mental, a satisfação com o tratamento, a relação terapêutica, a adesão ao tratamento, e a adesão à medicação não foram encontradas diferenças significantes entre os grupos. Contudo, depois de 6 meses, o número de abandonos foi significativamente maior no grupo controle (18,5 vs. 5,7%, p < 0,05). A satisfação com o acompanhamento por webconferência foi alta tanto para os pacientes como para os psiquiatras. CONCLUSÕES: O acompanhamento psiquiátrico por webconferência foi tão eficaz e viável quanto o acompanhamento presencial com respeito à evolução clínica, a satisfação dos pacientes, a relação terapêutica, adesão ao tratamento e à medicação. Esses achados apontam o potencial da telepsiquiatria estender a assistência psiquiátrica à população de lugares remotos e até então sem acesso ao atendimento especializado / INTRODUCTION: Mental, neurological and substance-use disorders are major contributors to morbidity and premature mortality worldwide. Even where mental health care and effective treatment exist, they are frequently not available to those in greatest need, mainly because of the unequal distribution of services and human resources within a country. Due to continuous advances in information and communication technologies and the growing spread of the Internet in society, remote mental health care via videoconferencing, called telepsychiatry, has become a promising tool for psychiatric attendance. OBJECTIVES: The present project aimed to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of psychiatric outpatient care via videoconferencing in clinically unsupervised settings, comparing this new form of attendance with in-person standard care regarding to clinical outcomes (severity of depression, mental health status, medication course, and relapses), satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence (appointment compliance and dropouts), and medication adherence. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial allocated adult patients between 18 and 55 years old with mild depression or in remission state, treated at the Institute of Psychiatry of the University of São Paulo Medical School (IPq-HCFMUSP), and with broadband Internet access at home into a intervention and control group. Whereas the control group received monthly psychiatric consultations in person at the IPq, the intervention group realized monthly consultations with the psychiatrist via videoconferencing. At baseline and after 6 and 12 months, the severity of depression, mental health status, satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence and medication compliance were assessed. RESULTS: A sample of 107 patients was recruited; 54 patients were randomly allocated to the control group, and 53 to the intervention group. Patients in both groups did not differ with respect to demographic data. During follow-up, 950 consultations were completed; 489 (51,5%) via videoconferencing. In addition, there were 277 assessment consultations. The severity of depression decreased significantly over the 12-month follow-up in both groups. There was a significant difference between groups regarding to the development of the severity of depression throughout the follow-up period, with better results for the attendance via videoconferencing. Further, there were 4 relapses in the control group and only one in the videoconferencing group. There were no significant differences between groups regarding to mental health status, satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence, and medication compliance. Though, after 6 months, the number of dropouts was significantly higher in the control group (18,5 vs. 5,7%, p < 0,05). Satisfaction with attendance via videoconferencing was high among patients as well as among psychiatrists. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric attendance via videoconferencing can be considered applicable for the outpatient care at the IPq-HCFMUSP and as effective and viable as standard care (in person treatment) with respect to clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence and medication compliance. These results indicate the potential of telepsychiatry to extend the access to psychiatric care for remote and underserved populations