KB1338 - Equivalent Features of Zoom and Teams

This article compares features in Zoom to equivalent features in Microsoft Teams.
It may help VCC users to transition to using MS Teams for video meetings or in their online learning environments.
(Developed by CTLR Instructional Associate Emily Simpson.)

Feature Zoom Microsoft Teams Equivalent Video
Creating a recurring Class Meeting Zoom Scheduler Use Teams calendar to CREATE MEETING. If you use old Teams calendar, use the Class meeting template. If using New Teams calendar, create a meeting and adjust the settings to the permissions you want. Create a recurring meeting so you only need one link for students for the term.  
You can enable this option to "allow people to edit their name" so they can change their display name under Meeting Options > Participants.

Verification! Under Meeting settings, “More Options”, “Meeting Access”, choose “Require unverified participants to verify before joining meeting.” We think this will ensure students can use the chat, participate in polls, download chat files, etc.		 VCC Tutorial on creating Class meeting (old Teams calendar)
VCC Tutorial on creating meeting (new Teams calendar)
Adding a co-organizer Co-host To add a Co-organizer, they must be an attendee who is already invited. Open the meeting event in the calendar and select “meeting options” – then go to “roles” and add co-organizer and/or presenter. Watch adding a co-organizer tutorial
Lobby (admitting attendees) Waiting Room Use the Teams meeting Lobby to admit attendees (students) when you’re ready (if setting is on). Lobby settings (written instructions) and how to turn off lobby once meeting has started (under Controls).  You can also lock your meeting from other participants joining. Watch tutorial
Screen Sharing Share entire screen, window, or app Share desktop, window, Whiteboard or office app. Teams has presenter modes and Live share feature. PowerPoint Live Share requires significantly less network bandwidth than typical sharing and allow you to see all your presenter notes while attendees just see slides.  Turn “private view” on to prevent attendees from going ahead in your slides. Watch Tutorial on Live Sharing
Breakout Rooms Create and manage breakout rooms during meetings Use the Breakout Rooms feature to assign participants manually, automatically or allow participants to choose.
You can create/edit breakout rooms in advance or in meeting:
  • When you Create the breakout room, go to settings, before you OPEN the rooms. Turn on setting that people can return to main meeting from breakout room.
    (Click to open image in a new window)
  • Open the rooms. Students will automatically be put in a room in 10 seconds, or can click to join manually.
  • If you enable timer, timer will count down and automatically close rooms, bring students back.
  • Meeting organizer sees chats in each breakout room, but participants will only see their room chat.
 Watch Tutorial
Engagement Features (polls, reactions) Reactions, raise hand, and Polls Use reactions, raise hand, and choose embedded polls app like Mentimeter or Polls (not as  nice/reliable as Zoom polls). Mentimeter in Teams displays/interacts really well but need to create Menti in advance. *Unverified guests may have problems participating in polls. May be better to share external URLs for Menti, Kahoot or Padlet polls. Watch VCC Tutorial for Polls and Mentimeter
Annotation Annotate Tools Participants can annotate, but only in “share screen” mode (not window), and organizer must turn on annotate. The organizer/presenter can annotate in “Live PowerPoint” share or in “Screen” share. Watch Tutorial
Whiteboard Zoom Whiteboard Microsoft Whiteboard provides a collaborative work space. Can prepare in advance or start during meeting. Many templates available. Can open in browser window while you stay in Teams meeting. Can only export as image.  DOES NOT have pages like Zoom whiteboard. Watch Tutorial
Recordings & Transcripts Record to cloud, then upload automatically to Kaltura Recordings saved to your OneDrive > Recordings folder for 120 days; can be uploaded to MediaSpace and then embed into Moodle. *eLearning Support is working on an integration for Jan 2026. When you start recording/transcription, all participants will be muted/cameras off until they give consent. **Unlike Zoom, you cannot record JUST the speaker and slides.
*You can record breakout room sessions. Recordings are saved to the Organizer’s one drive, however participants in a particular breakout room have to be the one to start the recording.		 Watch Tutorial
Chat Can upload a screenshot, file from Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or computer NO DIRECT MESSAGING within a meeting like Zoom. You can direct message an employee outside the meeting window in the Teams app. You can’t direct message a student, nor can a student direct message an instructor unless there is a Teams class channel created. Can upload “cloud files” or “from device”. IF you share a file from OneDrive location students do not have permission for, it creates a read-only copy that participants can download and edit. Note that externals/unverified guests cannot download files. Watch tutorial (VCC LinkedIn)
Attendance Meeting attendance report Review or download the attendance report (.xls file) for your Teams meeting. Watch tutorial
Live Captions Closed captions Individuals can turn on captions. During meeting, go to “more”, “language and speech”, “show live captions.”
On a MAC, under “language and speech”, click “turn on RTT for this call”.		 Watch captions tutorial
Video Spotlight and Focus mode Spotlight and Focus mode You can spotlight a video for everyone in the meeting, up to seven video feeds. You can use focus mode or show your students how to do it to improve their view options. Watch Tutorial Focus mode
Screen control Screen control If you change a student’s role to “presenter” and they screen share, you can “request control” of their screen. If they “give control”, you can navigate. This can also be done in regular meetings where everyone has the same permission levels. Watch screen control tutorial
Sign Language Interpreters Pin mode Teams has a specific sign language view that individuals can turn on. Sign Language View provides more predictable, high resolution video, and static meeting experience that allows users to prioritize up to two other signers’ videos for larger placement on center screen.
For both participants who are Deaf Hard of Hearing and Sign Language interpreters, please follow these steps:
  1. Go to "... More" in the meeting panel
  2. Select ⚙ Settings > Accessibility
  3. Turn on Sign Language mode.
  4. Select if you are a Signer (participant) or Sign Language Interpreter.
  5. Close the accessibility panel. You should see a hand icon after your participant name to indicate this work. These settings will be remembered at future Teams meetings unless you change the settings
Participants can also use the spotlight mode in addition to this.		 Video about Sign Language Mode
Audio Troubleshooting   Try these resources: https://www.rrc.ca/its/help-resources/teams/microsoft-teams-audio-support/  

 

Roles in Teams Meeting

  • Organizer: Full control, including managing breakout rooms, muting participants, and changing meeting options.
  • Co-organizer: Shares many of the organizer's permissions, such as muting participants, managing the meeting, and controlling breakout rooms.
  • Presenter: Can share content, manage Q&A, and assist with facilitating the meeting.
  • Attendee: Limited to participating in the chat and viewing shared content, without control over the meeting. If someone is not an attendee

Expiration date – 120 days of video recording.
Can automatically watch video recording because invited.

TEAMS regular meeting default setting is PEOPLE IN MY ORG AND GUESTS can bypass the lobby and EVERYONE can present.

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