Teleforum participant screening

One or more tangible computer-readable storage media encoding computer-executable instructions for executing on a computer system a computer process comprising:

• connecting a participant to the multi-mode conference in a listen-only mode;
• receiving a request for active participation in the multi-mode conference from the participant;
• in response to receipt of the request for active participation, bridging the participant into a private screening sub-conference;
• receiving, via the private screening sub-conference, information relating to the participant's requested active participation to the multi-mode conference responsive to a prompt;
• and
• in response to the receipt of the information via the private screening sub-conference, placing the participant in a queue to await authorization for active participation in the multi-mode conference, the queue including at least one other participant previously screened in another private screening sub-conference;
• detecting the selection of the participant from the queue;
• and
• establishing a connection between the participant and the multi-mode conference based on the detection of the selection.

A multi-mode conference system comprising:

• one or more control interfaces configured to:
• connect a participant to the multi-mode conference in a listen-only mode;
• receive a request for active participation in the multi-mode conference from the participant;
• in response to receipt of the request for active participation, bridge the participant into a private screening sub-conference;
• receive, via the private screening sub-conference, information relating to the participant's requested active participation to the multi-mode conference responsive to a prompt;
• in response to the receipt of the information via the private screening sub-conference, place the participant in a queue to await authorization for active participation in the multi-mode conference, the queue including at least one other participant previously screened in another private screening sub-conference;
• detect a selection of the participant from the queue;
• and
• establish a full-duplex connection between the selected participant and the multi-mode conference based on the detection of the selection.