Distantly related to live reference software

[Zimoski, Tom]

Greetings:

I have a library patron in the tutoring business who is looking for a
software/hardware combo that will allow him and a student

1) to talk to each other (different from type to each other)
2) draw with a stylus on a tablet of some sort, such drawing appearing
on both of their screens

Here's some back and forth that may make his objective clearer:
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Am I right in thinking that you want what you write or draw to
appear on your computer monitor and your student's monitor? Or would the
writing apparatus have it's own display?  Should the student be able to
draw on your drawing?

Tom Zimoski

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Tom,

Yes, to the first question and maybe yes to the third.  The student and
me will be at two different locations and we'll both be logged on to the
Internet and we will each have writing pads with a stylus and a
microphone.  Whatever either of us "writes" on the writing pad will
appear on the screen and we can write on top of each other or beside
each other's writing, just like sharing the same piece of paper.  (There
might be some set up out there that provides for two separate writing
spaces.)

As to the second question, the writing pad is just a surface with no
display.  It's just something to press on that has sensors to know where
you are pressing with the stylus.  It's hooked up to the computer via a
USB port.  All the images appear on the regular computer monitor.  

I was surprised to learn that a writing pad can function exactly like a
mouse, and the computer that it's plugged in to won't know the
difference!  So if I can find a program that has a "whiteboard" for
scribbling notes or whatever it calls that window on the screen, then
even if that program was intended to enable a mouse to trace out images,
then I could also use the writing pad and stylus.

There has to be some program or applet out there to enable this sort of
thing besides the Yahoo messenger "Doodles" IMvironment, which has too
small of a window.  It seems so basic, but who has the product for sale?

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Any suggestions you might give me will be appreciated, including
suggestions about who else I should be asking for help.  Thanks for your
attention.

Tom Zimoski
Reference Dept/Fresno County Library
2420 Mariposa St.
Fresno, CA  93721
Phone: 559-488-2976