GDPR‑compliant virtual classroom for EU EdTech
Web and mobile apps for online classes in Europe
This project was developed under NDA, so all brand and product names have been anonymized.
Client
Our client is a company that creates online learning services for the European market. They work with language schools, K–12 schools, and companies that want to train their staff.
Project idea
Online classes are growing fast in the EU, but many platforms suffer from big problems. They have high no-show rates, which means many students are missing their lessons. Both teachers and students have to use multiple separate tools — one for video calls, another for lesson materials, and others for communication. This is confusing and makes lessons hard to manage.
The client wanted to create a convenient online platform, integrated with all the essential tools for real-time collaboration in virtual classes, and offer it to schools, universities, and other educational institutions through a subscription model.
Key project objectives
Make it easier for students and teachers to join and complete lessons
Reduce the number of students who miss lessons or forget to attend
Keep all user data and class recordings safe and stored in Europe for privacy and compliance
Make sure everything works well on both computers and mobile devices
Support different languages and time zones, since the users are from different countries
Make it safe for underage students, including getting permission from parents
Services we provided
To help our client achieve their goals, we needed to deliver these services:
Design and develop web and mobile applications for students and teachers, as well as an admin panel
Deliver a high-quality minimum viable product (MVP) in 4 months, within a budget agreed with the client
Implement core features such as secure authentication, class scheduling, one-click lesson joining, live video and audio, interactive whiteboard, group breakout rooms, chat, reminders, and detailed class recording
Ensure full GDPR compliance for all user data and lesson recordings, including EU-based storage, parental consent management for minors, and strong data protection throughout the product
UI/UX design
User flows
We started by mapping out all user flows and roles to make navigation clear and easy. Using mind maps, we planned out each pathway for teachers, students, admins for both desktop and mobile.
Admin flow
Concept
For UI, we gathered mood boards featuring images of inclusive digital classrooms, clear iconography, and friendly, approachable illustrations.
After reviewing the options with the client, we moved forward with a style that balanced professionalism and friendliness and made a concept aligned with the style.
Accessibility
Accessibility was a priority across the project. We designed every screen with large touch targets, high-contrast colors, and support for keyboard navigation. Interactive features, like the whiteboard and chat, are fully usable with screen readers.
Onboarding
Clear tips and visual cues guide teachers and students through their first actions, such as joining a class, checking the schedule, or setting up consent for recordings. All steps can be navigated with a mouse, keyboard, or touch, so onboarding is smooth for any device.
Branding
The logo represents a pile of books and the platform's name in a handwritten font. The accent colors include blue, purple and pink to attract users' attention and create a joyful atmosphere.
Key features
Sign up / Log in
Users sign up and log in with their email or Google account. Single sign-on lets teachers and students join the classroom securely with one click, without remembering multiple passwords.
Class scheduling
Teachers can set up lessons and send invitations in advance. Students see their timetable with automatic timezone adjustments, so everyone joins at the right local time.
Live video classroom
Lessons happen with real-time video and audio for up to 25 participants. Students and teachers join the class room with just one tap.
Interactive whiteboard
Both teachers and students can draw, write, and share ideas together on a digital whiteboard during lessons. Changes appear instantly for everyone.
Breakout rooms
Teachers can split the class into small groups for discussions or teamwork, and then bring everyone back together to share results.
Reminders
The system sends smart reminders by email and mobile push notifications before each lesson. This helps students remember their classes, reducing missed lessons.
Recording with consent
Lessons can be recorded, but only after all participants give clear permission. All recordings are securely stored in Europe.
Chat and reactions
There’s a built-in chat for class conversations, as well as emojis and quick polls for instant feedback and higher engagement.
Parental consent for young users
For students aged 13–16, the platform includes an extra step to collect and manage parental permission for legal and safety reasons.
UI-kit
We also created a UI-kit with all design elements, ensuring that future development and scaling of the platform remain consistent, efficient, and easy to maintain.
Development
Frontend
We chose Next.js for the frontend because it allows us to build fast, scalable web applications with excellent SEO support and easy internationalization, which is important for our multilingual EdTech platform.
Backend
Node.js was selected for the backend due to its high performance with real-time data processing. For mobile development, we chose React Native to create cross-platform apps for both iOS and Android using a single codebase, making development faster and easier to maintain.
Database
For databases, we used PostgreSQL because of its reliability, scalability, and strong support for complex data relationships, which perfectly fit the needs of a dynamic, growing educational platform.
Real‑time collaboration
To make live lessons work smoothly, we used special technology called WebRTC that lets people see and hear each other instantly over the internet. On the platform, up to 25 people can join a class at the same time, and the connection stays quick and responsive — usually with less than a third of a second delay — even for mobile users or those with slow internet.
Features like live chat, emoji reactions, quick polls, and small groups for discussions use WebRTC to keep latency extremely low, so there are no delays on the platform.
We created the whiteboard using HTML Canvas, a web tool that lets people draw and write on a shared screen. We made sure everyone's whiteboard updates appear right away for all users by using WebSockets and Redis — technologies that allow information to be shared in real time.
Security and compliance
Strong authentication is provided by Auth0, supporting both school/work accounts and personal sign-ins to ensure only authorized users access the platform. All user roles have strictly limited access, and sensitive actions like starting a recording are logged and auditable for transparency.
Real-time data transfer is protected through secure WebRTC and WebSockets connections. Our backend services run on secure, modern frameworks with automated monitoring, frequent backups, and regular security audits, adding extra layers of protection.
All data, including class recordings and personal information, is stored securely in the EU using encrypted databases and storage solutions like PostgreSQL and Supabase. We made sure that recordings only start after everyone clearly gives their permission. For students aged 13–16, we built in extra steps to collect and manage parental consent.
Accessibility
Our platform meets standards like WCAG 2.2 AA (international accessibility rules) and EN 301 549 (European accessibility guidelines). This means strong color contrast, keyboard-only navigation, subtitles for videos, and a high-contrast mode.
Integrations
We integrated several best-in-class services for key tasks:
Twilio for live video and lesson recordings
Auth0 for secure logins
Supabase to safely store files and data in the EU
Stripe to manage payments and subscriptions
GA4, Sentry, and LogRocket to track usage and fix problems
Firebase to send reminders and push notifications
Challenges
Complex ecosystem
Results
We released the first version of the virtual classroom platform after a focused 16-week sprint, followed by beta testing with select schools and corporate clients across Europe. After successfully meeting all compliance checks, our web and mobile apps went live and became available for open use.
Thanks to scalable infrastructure and rigorous monitoring, video latency remains under 300 ms, ensuring real-time collaboration even at peak loads. Join rates for classes have increased by 8–15 percentage points, with no‑show rates down by as much as 27%. The platform runs smoothly and securely, and we continue adding features and new languages while the client grows their user base.
Ready MVP in 16 weeks
Timeline
3
Frontend developers
3
Backend developer
2
React Native developers
1
DevOps engineer
2
UI/UX designers
1
Project manager
