NetSupport DNA provides schools with network and IT management, classroom management (optional) and a built-in safeguarding module to help maintain a safe learning environment and meet the latest Government requirements.
The solution is a LAN-based product and therefore schools have peace of mind that their safeguarding data is stored locally and securely and only the school can access it. Furthermore, the tools can only be used in a school setting and so a student PC at home has no means of communicating with or from school devices and teachers do not have the ability to interact with students’ devices at home.
The Keyword and Phrase monitoring tool scans the school network for any safeguarding keywords (in any language) being typed, copied or pasted. The event is then captured (available as a log, screenshot of the screen, webcam image of the user or a screen recording, according to severity level and which of these the school activates – features are not available for devices used at home) and provides a full background to the safeguarding event.
How does the screen video recording work?
Much like a CCTV system that has a rolling hard disk, there is a rolling 60 second capture of screen which is only held in the system memory on the student’s PC and is not committed to file unless the keyword is triggered. This means there is no footage visible to anybody and its automatically deleted as it goes round in an encrypted form. Only if a critical keyword is triggered, would that then be converted into a viewable file of 60 seconds of raw footage.
How does the webcam capture work?
When a critical safeguarding keyword is copied, typed or searched for across the school network, schools can turn on NetSupport DNA’s webcam capture feature (this feature is turned-off by default) to capture an image of the user (not a recording or video) who has triggered the keyword. Since the solution is currently only running on a LAN (Local Area Network), the feature can only apply within the school, not at home.
How does the screenshot work?
A simple screenshot of the user’s screen is taken so designated safeguarding staff can check the context of the keyword in question.
Staff can also choose whether to exclude certain applications from monitoring to reduce the occurrence of false alarms. So, for example, if students are using PowerPoint or Excel, these could be omitted from monitoring – allowing staff to focus on more high-risk areas.