Skype!

I have used Skype personally and professionally for over a year. We use Skype to visit with our son and his family in Texas. It's great to see and hear our grandsons!!
I have used Skype to "attend" meetings of the Leadership Team of Ozarks Writing Project. That saved me a drive to and from Springfield, but I still was present at the meetings. AMAZING to me as a learner in the wonderful world of technology!!
I'm thinking that the same concept would be great in the classroom - attend meetings and lectures without the cost of travel. Co-teaching (sharing expertise) via Skype would benefit our students. Giving instruction via Skype to other remote areas would allow students to "attend" class. The difficulty of homeschooling students at the high school level would decrease for students and teachers with the use of Skype. I think I could go on for an hour or more.
My students attended a live talk and question session with the author Tim O'Brien via webcast last year. It was a big deal involving the auditorium and special attention from our incredible tech, Mike Gones. It was unexpectedly an amazing eye opener for most of the students and a great motivator for the novel we were studying. With Skype, this could be a regular event without all the woo hoo!
Looking at the site Cindy provided for us listing authors who Skype, I am encouraged that this could actually happen in our classroom THIS YEAR!!!!!!