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Hello all,

The 11+-year-old Sony partnering system in my language lab's multimedia classroom is no longer repairable (no replacement parts available, even used) and had to be removed.

I am trying to come up with a low-cost solution to replace this system that will allow instructors to assign random pairings and maintain student anonymity.  

Is anyone familiar with the pros and cons of using Skype vs. Google Talk or some other free program?
The PCs' OS is XP and they are equipped with headphones and microphones. (I plan to set up an account for each computer station with a mnemonic username and password.)

I would be very grateful for any suggestions and advice.

Thank you.
Barbara Baraff

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