This study describes interaction patterns observed during a pilot project that explored the use of web-conferencing (WC) software in two undergraduate distance education courses offered to advanced high-school students. The pilot program replaced video-conferencing technology with WC software during recitations, so as to increase participation in the program from schools systems unable to afford the equipment that the established model required. We report on the experiences of 16 high-school students who had enrolled in this pilot through survey, focus group, and quantitative log data. Despite technical challenges that the participants and teaching assistant encountered, students in the pilot demonstrated they were able to succeed in this alternate format. Implications for the design of online group work are discussed.