Technical Requirements for CCBC Online Courses

Students taking an online course at CCBC are required to provide their own Internet access. An email account is also required.

* Internet Access: 28.8 K dial-up modem (minimum); cable modem or DSL preferred
* Processor: 200 MHz or faster
* Memory: 128 MB RAM; 2 GB free hard drive space

NOTE: These are the minimal requirements for taking an online course. Please refer to your course syllabus for any additional course-specific hardware requirements.

* PC: Microsoft Windows 2000 Second Edition, Windows XP, Windows Vista operating systems
* Mac: Macintosh OS X operating systems

Your web browser is the program (such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla, or your Internet Service Provider’s screen) that allows you to access the Internet. The web browsers listed below have been tested and validated for use with WebCT/Blackboard CE 6. Other browsers may have compatibility issues with CE 6 and are not supported. To determine your current browser version, open the Help menu at the top of the browser screen and select About.

If you typically use your Internet Service Provider’s window to access the Internet, for your online course we recommend that you use instead one of the supported browsers below. To do this, first connect to the Internet through your ISP as usual, then minimize the window (do not close it!) so that you are still connected to the Internet. Click on the Start button at the bottom of your screen and go to the list of programs to open one of the supported browsers listed below. If you do not have a supported browser, click here to download a new browser.

Supported Browsers for Windows:

* Internet Explorer 6.0 SP1; 6.0 SP2; 7
* Netscape 7.2
* AOL 9.0
* Mozilla 1.7.x
* Firefox 1.0.x, 1.5.x, 2.0 (SP1 Hotfix 2)

Supported Browsers for Mac:

* Mozilla 1.7.x (OS X only)
* Firefox 1.0.x (OS X only)
* Safari 1.2, 1.3, 2.x; and 2.x for Intel x86 platform

No matter which browser you’re using, it must be configured to work properly with CE 6. Many of the problems that students encounter, such as login failures or course tools not working properly, can be traced to browser configuration. Your web browser must be configured so that:

* Java and JavaScript are enabled
* Cache is set to reload the page each time
* Cookies are enabled
* Pop-up blockers are disabled

WebCT/Blackboard can quickly check your system configuration before you begin your classes. The first time you go to the login entry page, click on the Check Browser button. If any features are not set properly, it will tell you how to fix them. When everything is configured properly you will be ready to log in and begin your classes.

The best way to troubleshoot any potential browser issue is to go to the Browser Tune-up page at http://www2.blackboard.com/tuneup. Scroll down to numeral 2 and click Start the Browser Tune-up. This will identify your operating system and browser, and take you to a page that gives step-by-step instructions on how to configure each item in your browser.

NOTE: Certain courses may have browser requirements unique to them. Please refer to your course syllabus for any course-specific browser requirements.

Java is a program that allows many of the tools in WebCT/Blackboard to function. You may already have one or more versions of Java on your computer. In CE 6, it is critically important that you:

* have a WebCT-compatible version of Java installed
* remove any other versions of Java
* enable Java and JavaScript
* turn off any automatic updates of Java

NEW FOR SPRING 2008: Java version 6 (also referred to as 1.6), which comes installed on most new PC's, is now validated for use with CE 6. If you have a PC with Java version 6, you will no longer have to replace it with version 5. Version 5 will still work, but it's important to have only one version of Java on your PC.

To find out which version of Java you’re running, click on the Start button, then click Settings and Control Panel. Look for Java on the list and double-click it. Click on the About button for details. Either version 1.5.0 or version 1.6.0 is acceptable for CE 6. If you do not have one of the recommended versions, click here and scroll down to the Java - Get It Now link to download a free copy.

Mac Users: The Mac OS X operating system comes with the correct version of Java installed.

Having more than one version of Java on your computer has been found to cause problems in WebCT/Blackboard. You should remove any versions of Java other than one of the recommended versions. Click on the Start button, then click on Settings and Control Panel. Double-click Add or Remove Programs and delete any previous versions of Java.

Once you have installed the recommended version of Java and removed other versions, you must make sure that Java and JavaScript are enabled. See the directions above under Browser Configuration to complete the Browser Tune-up and to perform the steps for your browser.

NOTE: It is possible that new versions of Java will be released in the future before they have been validated for use with WebCT. To ensure smooth operation, it is important that you do not download any newer versions before they have been validated, and that you have turned off automatic Java updates as follows:

1. From the Start menu, click Settings and Control Panel.
2. Double-click Java (or Java Plug-in).
3. Click the Update tab.
4. Make sure the checkbox next to Check for Updates Automatically is unchecked.
5. Click Apply.
6. Click the "X" to close the Java Plug-in Control Panel window.

Pop-up blocking programs must be disabled or uninstalled when you’re working in CE 6. While these programs serve a useful purpose in blocking unwanted advertisements, they also prevent many of the WebCT/Blackboard tools from working, especially the Mail, Discussion and Quiz tools.

You may have installed a pop-up blocker on your PC. In this case, locate the program on your hard drive and follow the vendor’s instructions for disabling or uninstalling it.

If you’re not sure what might have been installed on your PC, open My Computer, double-click on the Hard Drive, and double click on Program Files. Look for programs with “pop-up” in the title; some popular programs are Pop-up Stopper, Pop-up Defender and Pop-up Zapper. Disable or uninstall any such programs.

There also may be pop-up blocking tools bundled with some ISP software, browsers, and anti-virus and security software. If you’ve removed all known pop-up blockers but you’re still unable to open a link in a WebCT/Blackboard course, make sure that any pop-up blocking tools and firewalls have been turned off. Some common software packages that contain pop-up blocking tools are listed below. Use the browser’s Help menu, or contact your Internet Service Provider for assistance.

* McAfee Internet Security Suite
* Norton Internet Security
* Google Toolbar
* Yahoo! Toolbar
* MSN Toolbar
* America Online
* Earthlink
* Internet Explorer
* Netscape
* Mozilla
* Firefox
* Safari

Some courses in WebCT/Blackboard CE 6 may require software plug-ins for viewing media files, PowerPoint programs, etc. Click on the links below for free downloads if your course requires any of these programs.

Adobe Acrobat Reader
MS PowerPoint Viewer
Windows Media Player
RealPlayer
QuickTime
Shockwave
Flash

Viruses can infect your computer and interfere with the operation of CE 6. You should have an anti-virus program installed and kept up-to-date. Some popular anti-virus programs are McAfee VirusScan and Norton AntiVirus. Click here for more information.

NOTE: Anti-virus programs such as McAfee and Norton may have pop-up blocking tools that are not detected by the WebCT/Blackboard Browser Check. Open your anti-virus program and make sure that any pop-up blocking feature or personal firewall is turned off or disabled.

Spyware, adware, and other "deceptive software" can infect your PC through the Internet and interfere with WebCT/Blackboard courses. There are detection and removal utilities that you can download. Or, the solution may be as simple as switching to a different browser; most deceptive software programs affect only Internet Explorer. Click here for more information.

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