Frequently Asked Questions

For Schools

How time consuming is Hopecam?

We love the idea of a child being able to video conference into class everyday but we understand that this might not be feasible for all teachers. On average children in our program connect about once or twice a week while homebound or in-patient at the hospital. Once "active" treatment has ended and the child is able to return to school we find that they still miss a lot of days due to treatment side effects and doctors appointment - in these cases the parent and teacher usually coordinate a time to connect. 

I have a Smartboard in my classroom, connected to my computer, how does this work?

Smartboard can be great for the entire class to see the student, if this is the style of connection you have chosen. If you want the student to be able to see what you do on the Smartboard, we suggest using a spare computer.

The video conferencing App isn’t working, what do I do?

First, contact your school’s technology specialist. It could be that network settings for your school prevent the video conferencing app from working, or you need special permission. Involve the technology specialist in what you are trying to do and see if they can help you. If the video conferencing app still does not work, give us a call. We can put you in touch with our tech support staff and other technology specialists who have had success connecting. 

Some parents did not sign the permission slip, now what?

Always call the parents first and have a personal conversation with them. Explain the situation and the circumstances under which the class is using a web camera. Often parents misunderstand the purpose and goal of connecting. If it continues to be an issue, we may have to adopt a different style of connecting or strategically place the web camera.

The times that the family wants to connect, does not work with my class schedule, what do I do?

Hopecam only works if all parties involved are flexible and agree on a schedule that works for the teacher and the family. The Hopecam staff has experience negotiating schedules and styles of connecting and we are happy to help.

We need permission from the other parents in the class in order to use a web camera, what do we do?

Hopecam has a sample permission slip and a letter to parents that we are happy to share with you. Please feel free to edit and adapt it as you see fit and add your own letterhead.

What do I do with the equipment once the child has returned to school?

If the equipment belongs to Hopecam, send us and email and let us know that you are ready to return the equipment. We will either pick up the equipment or send you a shipping label.