mystic, being somewhat tech dysfunctional, I'd go for the simplest application, with skype used to bridge just two locations, the main one where the meeting was being conducted per se, and the secondary for folks to join in. I think having a number of different stations would cause confusion, maybe intermittent disconnects, etc. The skype bit would have to be unobtrusive or it would take over the meeting, which at best relies on informality and conversation that everyone can hear. The simpler the better, I'd suggest, with a trial session or two to see how it works, and if it is worth continuing. Boy, am I beyond my skill set! My sister, an author, has been guest speaker at various book clubs by skype and it worked pretty well. It does take one person at each location who is extra skype adept to tend "the beast."