In this release we have integrated a  full range of synchronous tools for collaboration and communication, from one of the market leaders within synchronous collaboration and communication on the web, Elluminate (www.elluminate.com). We have also integrated Creaza, which is a software for creating comic strips, animations and videos for the web. In addition to this we have created new tools and further enhanced some of the familiar tools in Fronter. Fronter 82 is also now Shibboleth compliant, both as a Service Provider (SP) and Identity Provider (IDP).

APPOINTMENT LISTS AND OPEN APPOINTMENTS
This is a new tool for efficient scheduling of individual meetings with a group of participants e.g. mentor-student and parent/guardian-teacher consultations. Within the Calendar tool the user can define appointments and invite participants to select the time they want to attend. Fronter automatically manages the meeting logistics i.e. appointments that have already been taken are not available for other participants (First come, first served).

FRONTER INSTANT MESSENGER (FIM) AND CHAT FUNCTIONALITY
A brand new Fronter Instant Messenger (FIM) and Fronter Chat featuring Peer-to-Peer or group messaging, instant notifications and a new easy to use interface. Functionality includes drag-and-drop to invite users to Fronter Meetings, chat history, and simple search for friends. FIM is available in the personal toolbar and Chat as a tool in a Fronter room.
FRONTER LEARNING RESOURCE EXCHANGE
New advanced search function to allow search into external content repositories. Through this search, users can explore a variety of pre-arranged content providers for learning resources and content. The resources can be uploaded and stored in a Fronter room. Administrators can define which schools have access to which content providers.

IMPROVED EDITOR
The editor has now been improved in Fronter. New features include inserting images, sound files, videos and flash files, directly from Fronter or your hard drive.

WEBFRONTER
A brand new version of Webfronter makes it easy to create a website and publish web content directly from within Fronter. With the new functionality “direct edit” users can edit content directly from the webpage. The new Webfronter has an easier user interface, supports RSS-feeds, and comes with several preset design templates. Hosting is included in the new Webfronter, making publishing fast and secure.

MEETING
A new tool for synchronous meetings, featuring video conferencing, talk (voice over IP), application sharing, whiteboard, chat, and more. Meeting is a personal tool and each user can host meetings with up to three participants.

Meeting can be upgraded to support more users via the PlusPack Elluminate vOffice™.

For more on Meeting, read the fact description
LIVEROOM
A feature rich virtual classroom-tool for synchronous learning and collaboration combining live chat, whiteboard, talk (voice over IP), votes, and more. The Liveroom tool can be added to any room in Fronter in order to create a synchronous meeting place or virtual classroom as an extension to all the asynchronous tools already available in Fronter. A Liveroom can have an unlimited number of participants in one session. Liveroom is powered by Elluminate.

Upgrade from Liveroom to the Fronter PlusPack Elluminate vClass™ and access application sharing, synchronised notes, file transfer and much more. Upgrade to Elluminate Live!® Academic Edition™ to gain full administrative access and control.

For more on Liveroom, read more in the fact description.

CREAZA
A new suite of advanced multimedia productivity tools from Creaza fully integrated with Fronter. The Creaza suite includes video editing, sound editing, mind map creation and cartoon creation. Creaza is a Fronter pluspack, and can be added as a room tool.

For more information, read more in the fact description.

SHIBBOLETH
Shibboleth is a SSO (Single Sign On) that allows several Identity Providers and Service Providers (Content providers) to collaborate in a Federation. Using the Fronter Shibboleth module, Fronter can act both as a Shibboleth Identity Provider and as a Shibboleth Service Provider. Fronter is currently a member of the London Grid for Learning (LGfL) Shibboleth federation and is in the process of joining the UK Access Management Federation.

SIF
SIF(Schools Interoperability Framework) is a specification ensuring that pK12 instructional and administrative software applications can share information seamlessly. Fronter now fully supports the framework, making it easy to set up integrations with other SIF-enabled systems. The Fronter solution is based on common objects within the framework, enabling customers to create virtually all structural objects such as groups, roles, corridors and rooms.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
Pages – RSS and news items are now available as dynamic elements on a Fronter Page.
News – New workflow when creating news.
Activity folder – Added time-logging functionality to defined activities.
Absence-module - New and improved reports and exports.
RSS – Full content RSS push.
Search – New content indexing and search engine (Solr), replacing Intellisearch.
 
Admin – GUI, workflow enhancements, and new improved reports.
End of year – New routines are made available for both administrators and room-owners.
Performance - Improved localization code.
New integrations - Support for Pearson Phoenix E1.
Security - Continuous work to raise security measures against present and future threats.
Old ProjectFronter – Discontinued.
 
For a full list of all the tools available on the Fronter platform, see the Fronter tool matrix