System and method for managing multi-media conferences using group segmentation

A conference management system that is capable of managing one or more panels within a teleconference. The conference manager is capable of receiving commands for the purposes of configuring one or more panels and, during a teleconference, activating various panels at various times. In particular, the conference manager is configured to add participants in a teleconference to a panel. The conference manager is also configured to activate a panel, which has the effect of unmuting the audio and video media of the participants previously identified as members of the panel. The conference manager can be further configured to restore the conference to its previous mode, such as a lecture mode in which a lecturer participant is identified as a permanent speaker such that activating and deactivating a panel does not result in the lecturer being muted. Muting treatments other than activating a panel can also be applied to the teleconference.