An improved videoconferencing system and method are provided for
connecting a host to a plurality of participants. Unlike other
videoconferencing methods and systems, the videoconferencing system and
method of these preferred embodiments allow each of the parties of a
videoconference to benefit from the interaction between the host and the
selected participant without limiting the number of participants that can
join the videoconference. The host and participants can interact with the
videoconferencing system by issuing voice commands or DTMF signals to a
voice response unit or by using a computer to access the
videoconferencing system directly or indirectly though a network such as
the World Wide Web.