When creating an online course or any sort of demonstration, you may need to capture your computer screen. We’ve narrowed it down to a few of the best screencasting applications to help you build your online course a little easier.

1. ScreenFlow for Mac users, easily records your screen and features great video editing options when you need to create a professional video for your online course. ScreenFlow is user friendly and a relatively inexpensive option for screen recording as $99 per license.
2. With Screencast-O-Matic, you have the option to record through your browser with one click or through the downloaded application. Screencast-O-Matic is free for Windows or Mac users.
3. Camtasia creates a simple process to capture and edit what you record. Easily record your PowerPoint presentations, upload your videos to the web, and export into various formats. Camtasia costs more at $299, but is one of the best screen capturing tools for Windows or Mac.
4. Screenr is a web-based screen recorder that makes it a breeze to create and share your screencasts around the web. Just click the record button, capture your screen and voice, and share the link. Screenr is completely free and compatible for Windows and Mac users, with no install!
5. CamStudio is able to record all screen and audio activity on your Windows computer and create bandwidth-friendly streaming flash videos. You can add high-quality screen captions and annotations, all for free.

These are just 5 of the many screen recording applications available. Although there are tons of great paid software programs, there are just as many free versions. Be sure to explore your options and find the one that best fits your needs.