Week 2 - On-line group work

Started the morning off well by completing the on-line task for the day and getting ready for my on-line tutorial. Last week I was told the sound issue was not due to my PC but the tutors and so I did not worry over the weekend. How wrong was I? My system does not work on sound or video software. I therefore sat through an entire on-line tutorial not knowing what was going on. As it was group work, we are expected to contribute. Being normally a good contributor and participator the experience was awful and I'm now sat in tears in the office. Ok, this may be an extreme reaction but for me on-line teaching was my way back to normality and now its just another obstacle to tackle with my voice. Even if I had had the right equipment an hours discussion on line would not be possible for me. Its just so hard to make people understand about the voice.
My thoughts on the tutorial:

1. If you don't have the equipment you cannot participate.
2. Disengagement
3. Isolation
4. Exacerbation at not being able to join in still through a medium I thought would enable me not disable me.
5. When an other member of the group reaches out to you as they know you have no idea what is going on - it is a life line :-)
6. When I was asked 'Clare do you have something to offer', and the conversation continued without allowing me to participate I felt anger and saddness. I did have something to offer but I just couldn't get it out there quick enough or in the right medium.
7. You do feel very lost when you cannot hear the discussion of the group.
8. Totally and utterly despondent - disengagement with the subject in its entirety.
9. When people did start to type material it was messy and illogical. I suggested structure but we moved off that very quickly. I cannot work without structure. I was even more amazed when our task is to produce an argument around the theme 'on-line learning should be compulsory' without the other side being discussed. As a lawyer I cannot fathom how or why this should be done. 
10. I have also wondered about not being disturbed during an on-line tutorial. In a classroom you are there and cannot be interrupted. At home I have many distraction, the phone, e-mail and the animals not to mention the post man!

All in all I can say that I am heading down to lunch despondent and disheartened.