The NATO DEEP eAcademy team is testing a new solution for the BigBlueButton (BBB) platform that enables hosting meetings with simultaneous interpretation in multiple languages. Thanks to a dedicated plugin supporting multiple audio channels, participants can independently select the language in which they wish to listen to the lecture or discussion, without disruptions and with minimal delay. This solution will significantly facilitate participation for an international audience and will also allow the organisation of multilingual international events without the need for additional systems.
The NATO DEEP eAcademy team has also begun testing the latest version of BBB 3.0, marking a step forward in the evolution of our online classrooms. The upcoming upgrade promises to deliver a much more engaging, flexible, and user-friendly experience for both learners and instructors. Key features are as follows: (1) smarter whiteboard – a new, smoother whiteboard tool for drawing, annotating, and collaborating in real time. (2) better chat experience – edit, delete, reply to, and react to messages, making it easier to keep discussions organised. (3) built-in quizzes & polls – more engaging ways to check understanding directly inside the session. (4) improved learning dashboard – cleaner insights and Markdown support for notes and content formatting. (5) quality-of-life enhancements – small but impactful changes like “away” indicators and improved moderation tools. For most participants, the transition to BigBlueButton 3.0 will feel familiar yet noticeably more polished. The tools you already know will work seamlessly, but you’ll also notice richer chat interactions, smoother whiteboard collaboration, and more opportunities to engage through polls and quizzes. BigBlueButton 3.0 represents not just an upgrade in technology but a step forward in creating more dynamic and interactive online learning environments. We’re excited to bring these improvements to our instructors and learners, and we’ll keep the community updated as testing progresses.