OStatic

Open source software encourages learning, the exchange of knowledge and information, and project improvements that rely as much on its users, and its developers' colleagues, as it does the developer. It's not unlike education. Ideally, learning is a continuous cycle of taking in, processing, and giving back, with modifications.

It's puzzling, then, that the adoption of open source software has been relatively slow, even in higher education. However, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education, open source course management software is starting to gain a foothold.

The web is exploding with new media, and more and more people are interested in open source tools for delivering and consuming webcasts, videocasts, webinars, streaming audio, podcasts and more. The good news is that the open source community has responded with all the tools you need to create and consume video- and audio-based rich media at no cost to you. In the world of commercial software applications, the proprietary equivalents can cost you thousands of dollars. Here are 15 great, free, open source tools that can make you a broadcaster.