Patricia, You have correctly identified some of the benefits and drawbacks associated with video conferencing. There are also the limitations of bandwidth and allowable numbers of participants. If you can overcome those obstacles, having one video conference a month or a quarter and phone conferences in between is a good strategy. Another strategy to increase participation is to send out the agenda in advance and require some type of pre-work to being to the meeting. During the meeting, everybody can address their item and that can stimulate conversation. Dr. Jamie Morley