Virtual+ Services is Usked's built-in virtual meeting feature, used to connect client(s) and service provider(s) from different locations in one (happy) place.

How does it work? Here's a quick tour!

Alternatively, you can access all upcoming Virtual+ meetings you are assigned to each day by visiting your Virtual+ Lobby. The link to this page can be found by going to Your Account > Your Virtual+ URL. This link acts as a key to access all of your meetings, so it should only be shared with caution.

Simply click on the URL and you'll be taken to your Virtual+ lobby. From there you can choose which virtual meeting you'd like to join next. If there are already participants in the meeting you'll see the participant count for the meeting from this page. 

Only upcoming meetings for the current day are displayed in the Virtual+ lobby. The meeting will only show up ten minutes before the scheduled start time of a Virtual+ request and will be available until an hour after the scheduled end time.  

NOTE: If you have shared your Virtual+ URL (intentional or not) with other people and would like to prevent them from using it you may regenerate the link by going to Your Account > Your Virtual+ URL and selecting Regenerate Virtual+ URL.

What devices and browsers can be used to access Virtual+?

Other browsers and devices may work as well, but are not actively supported by Usked.

When using a mobile phone to connect to Virtual+ experience is best when there are 3-5 or less participants on the Virtual+ meeting and when using a newer phone. Due to limited CPU power the experience degrades significantly with each added participant.

What do I need to connect to a Virtual+ meeting?

1. Supported device (see above)

2. Internet connection

3. Virtual+ link for the request or Virtual+ URL to access your Virtual+ Lobby

4. Built in or external webcam and microphone (if you want others to be able to see/hear you)*

NOTE: Please make sure to close any applications or browser windows that are accessing your webcam prior to joining a Virtual+ meeting.

*You can still join a Virtual+ meeting without a working webcam or microphone connection and see/hear others, but others will not be able to see or hear you. 

How do I know which assignments are Virtual+ assignments? 

From the web portal you'll see a V+ icon for any Virtual+ assignment. 

When can I access a Virtual+ meeting? 

You can join a Virtual+ meeting up to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time of the assignment and can access the Virtual+ meeting for up to 1 hour after the scheduled end time of the assignment. Users will automatically be kicked out of a Virtual+ meeting if it has been over an hour past the scheduled end time or if they are in the meeting alone for more than 15 minutes. 

What controls are available?

Self view controls     

1. Hide the sidebar

This arrow will collapse the sidebar, including your self video stream and other controls, so you can only see the other video stream(s).

2. Mute video

This camera icon will turn off or on your video stream. 

3. Mute audio

This microphone icon will turn off or on your audio stream.

4. Switch camera*

This swapping arrows icon will make your video stream output switch to another camera connected to your device. You can press the button again to switch back to the original camera.

5. Change video scaling mode

This scale switch icon will change the video scaling mode from the default (cover mode) to contain mode. In cover mode you'll see a cropped version of the video stream, which allows for a larger video. In contain mode you'll see the full video but it will have black bars around it. You can click or tap on the icon again to revert back to the default cover mode. 

6. Update layout

This grid icon will open a dialog box with options for customizing your layout. For more about available default layouts and how to customize your own, click here. 

7. Speech to text**

This text bubble icon will turn the speech to text feature on or off. When this feature is enabled your spoken words will convert to written text in the chat. You can press the button again to disable speech to text.

8. Go Full screen

This picture icon will make the Virtual+ meeting full screen. You'll be able to press the button again or press Esc to return to regular screen.

9. Share your screen (more below)

This screen icon will trigger screen share options so you can share your screen with others in the Virtual+ meeting.

10. Lock the room (more below)

This lock icon will lock the Virtual+ room. New participants will not be able to join once the room is locked. You'll be able to press the button again to unlock the room.

11. Change name***

By clicking on your name tag you'll be able to change your displayed name at any point during the V+ meeting.

*This feature is only available if more than one camera is detected.

**This feature is experimental and currently only works in Chrome browser.

***Change name option only available on screens that are 650 pixels tall or more.

Sharing your screen

If you prefer not to share your entire screen, you can pick a specific application window, or browser tab only to share by using the options shown below:

Screen share is not supported on phones or tablets. You can view only one shared screen at a time.

Locking a room 

Once all necessary parties have joined the Virtual+ meeting you can prevent additional participants from being able to enter the room by locking the room. To lock a room simply click on the open lock icon from your self view controls. 

Once a room is locked you'll see the lock close and the icon will turn red: 

To unlock the room again simply click on the closed lock icon. Once a room is locked you'll see a closed lock icon from your Virtual+ lobby as well:

Other Participant View Controls

1. Enable/Disable Hero view*

This tab will shift this stream into hero view, so you can see it as the largest stream

2. Mute audio

This speaker icon enables you to turn the audio on/off for your connection to this participant's stream. 

3. Mute video

This eye icon enables you to turn the video on/off for your connection to this participant's stream. 

*Hero view - In the below example Ayana has been made the hero by clicking on the hero tab in the other participant controls. Note: By default, when a screen is shared it will become the hero.

Chat Feature in Virtual+

Participants can use the chat feature in Virtual+ to send written messages to each other during a Virtual+ meeting. Simply type in your text and select Send. 

Here are a few things to note about the chat feature:

• All chat messages can be viewed by all participants, regardless of when a participant joins the meeting.
• All chat messages are saved in the Virtual+ Log for that request. 
• The Chat stream can be hidden by clicking on the stream from the other participant control panel. To unhide the Chat stream simply click on it again. When the Chat stream is hidden you'll see an unread message count if any messages come in while it is hidden.
  

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Virtual+ be accessed from the Usked app? 

No, Virtual+ can only be accessed by opening the Virtual+ link in a supported web browser on a supported device. 

How many users can join a Virtual+ meeting at once? 

The organization will determine how many users can join a Virtual+ meeting.  Each participant can select up to 17 video streams, plus a screen sharing stream, to watch.

Can I change the size of the video boxes? 

Yes! Visit here for how to edit a layout and change the size of any of the video boxes within that layout. 

Can I see the Virtual+ links for assignments in my calendar via the iCalendar URL?

Yes, once you've connected your Usked assignments to your calendar via the iCalendar URL (more on how to do that here) you'll be able to see the Virtual+ link in the calendar event notes for Virtual+ assignments. 

What do I do if I'm having issues joining a Virtual+ meeting?

See this troubleshooting guide specific to Virtual+. If you aren't able to resolve the issue using the steps found here, please reach out to your point of contact at the organization you use Usked through.