I'm not trying to come off as an expert on this, but i do work with a lot of such content-- embedded & live video at many different sites-- sports and news related, while both gambling and daytrading daily-- and at forums in those communities have seen the litany of help requests like yours over the years.
1. There are many 'culprits', but I purposefully avoid troubleshooting a particular site because:
A. After spending time getting the particular fix, browser, etc.; it may then / still not allow watching similar content at another site
B. it's not rocket science-- why should one have to go so far out of one's way / spend so much time overcoming the shortcomings of others.
2. You will receive here multiple righteous, possibly differing solutions-- I do it in such a way so as to avoid never having to encounter this problem again at any other site + avoid juggling browsers-- any glitch or delay can co$t me.
Also keep this in mind: various reasons i will give may not apply to you, but may well apply to some in your student base.
QUICK METHOD
Firstly-- Do not use IE, but--obtain "an IE engine" alternative browser, I recommend:
FlashPeak SlimBrowser [url=http://www.maxthon.com/download.htm] Maxthon 1.xx NOT v2!! Avant
Now browse to the site, everything should be ok. If not, and/or for long, boring and meandering explanations keep reading.
LONG VERSION
Again, let's reiterate that there are always various ways to skin a cat, most differing solutions offered are NOT wrong.
Basically, the older & more un-updated Windows, Browser, Windows Media Player, Flash & Shock, Java, etc. the less problems of this ilk surface.
Not only each major OS release, but each patch update for above-mentioned components can bring arbritrary security restrictions & invasive settings changes that break interfacing / compatibility.
Poignantly, other browsers that utilize the IE engine remain very accessible while even more secure YET avoiding its typical shotgun loaded with buckshot approach:
upon encountering access issues on IE7/8, immediately open a competing browser that utilitzes its engine to see for yourself.
W/ more stubborn cases, the additional steps of creating-- in IE options-- very permissive Trusted Zones settings and adding the site in question to them may be necessary.
Always add in this format: *.siteaddress.com to cover all possible subdomains AND take note of instances like Elvandil mentioned-- where a different website streams the content-- add it as well.
You may need to repeat above method with WMP, firewall & any other installed security app that blocks questionable content / sites-- spy / ad / malware / content blocker, family/parental controls, etc.
In your browser, go to its settings / options and ensure:
that both its popup / ad / flash / multimedia / cookie(Aaways allow session cookies, at least for that site) / java / script blocking is not duplicated / reversed by that of other app-- from toolbar to spyblocker to firewall to WMP to Flash Manager...try disabling blocking for the site.
Flash errors of all types are due to(& not necessarily for the reason the message states):
website does not recognize latest version(avoid upgrading the whole number-- say 9.x to 10.x esp. with beta / non-final versions):
restrictive settings for other things like site / popup / java / script / cookies / multimedia, flash, application behavior, etc.
Flash settings-- right-click a flash object OR go here:
http://www.macromedia.com/support/documentation/en/flashplayer/help/settings_manager.html to access them
buggy flash install-- go here:
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=tn_14157&sliceId=1 download, right-click / select Run as Admin, "with all browsers & internet-using apps temporarily closed, fire up Task Manager and insure all such instances are closed"
always try to download installer, right-click / select Run as Admin, "with all browsers & internet-using apps temporarily closed, fire up Task Manager and insure all such instances are closed"
Windows Media Player has tons of settings to be fiddled with.
If you insist on using IE itself, there are so many settings in so many different Options Tabs, that we could spend weeks back and forth troubleshooting.
WARNING THE FOLLOWING CAN CAUSE ADDITIONAL ISSUES IF NOT DONE RIGHT You most likely don't have any missing codecs...ALTHOUGH:
installing
K-Lite Mega Codec Pack does not hurt because it will repair any damaged / missing windows codec / wmp components, settings, file associations. Use Custom Install / Lots of Stuff / then individually select whatever components are not pre-checked or only partially shaded, in a later Tab: Create File Associations for WMP, select main Video & Audio Formats boxes...and as well some obvious extra options that can / should be selected. After main install routine
It may seem i'm fixated on IE engine to the detriment of other formats. No, i have all others installed(Google Chrome, Opera, various Mozilla, Safari)...in particular-- Opera10, Chrome, Orca, Flock, Safari are nice...but they each/all have serious drawbacks.
Most importantly though: some sites i work with insist on IE exclusively or don't render / appear as well on others.
So, things like fiddling with reported agent string / rendering as IE / etc. are not viable options.
And even more so because-- any other browser that uses different formats / locations for bookmarks / history / cookies / auto fill-complete for things like address & search bars, web forms, etc. becomes a real drag: losing one's browsing work / research placeholder, wasting time, and/or creating additional syncing tasks.
PS slightly unrelated-- avoid AOL site...lately, its presence as browser Home Page or in Session Restore can crash or hang interminably browser opening.