Modified Wednesday, December 05, 2007 Distance Learning System Requirements
  • Internet Web sites are dynamic. The most popular sites are constantly being updated with new information and new features. Because Internet technologies are constantly changing, the most popular browsers, Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator, are updated periodically to give you the best use of the Internet. You should download the latest browser from Microsoft or Netscape to make sure your system is operating effectively. Note: Internet Explorer is recommended for use with Blackboard courses.
  • Caution AOL Users: If you are an AOL customer and you use the AOL browser, you may have difficulty using Blackboard for Internet courses. If you do, you should install Internet Explorer and use it to connect to your course. To install and use either Internet Explorer or Netscape, follow the next step.
  • If you have not update your browser recently, click here to download the latest browsers, either MS Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. If you are not certain which version you have, click on the "Help" menu at the top of your screen. Then click on the "About Explorer" or "About Communicator" to see your version. As of Friday, September 07, 2001, the latest reliable browsers are either Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1 or Netscape 4.78.
  • To make sure that your screen resolution is best, you should minimize all of your open programs by clicking on the "minus" button in the upper right corner of all open programs until you return to your opening desktop screen (the one with icons on it) and then click your right mouse button on any space on the screen (not on an icon). On the menu the appears, click on "Properties." Then click on the "Settings" tab at the top of the Display Properties dialog box.
    • If you are using a 15-inch monitor, your "desktop area" should be set at 640 x 480 with the highest "color palette" setting that your system will support.
    • If you are using a 17-inch monitor, your "desktop area" should be set at 800 x 600 with the highest "color palette" setting that your system will support.
    • If you are using a 19-inch monitor or larger, your "desktop area" should be at the largest setting (1024 x 768) unless you like larger images on the screen. If so, choose 800 x 600. In any case, use the highest "color palette" setting that your system will support.
  • To view the latest version of of the pages on any online site, hold down the Shift key and click on Reload if you are using Netscape or hold down the Control (Ctrl) key and click on Refresh if you are using Internet Explorer.
  • If you have disabled Javascript or style sheets you will not be able to fully appreciate an Internet Web site's design.
    • With Internet Explorer, click on Tools/Internet Options/Accessibility to make sure you have not checked any boxes.
    • With Netscape, click on Edit/Preferences/Advanced to make sure that you have checked these boxes:
      _ Automatically load images
      _ Enable Java
      _ Enable JavaScript
      _ Enable style sheets
Tips for Printing Online Documents
  • Internet Web sites often display their pages in frames. A navigation or table of contents frame is often placed on the left side of the page (screen) with links to other pages within the Web site. The content pages are usually displayed on the right or center section of the screen. To print a copy of any page, follow these steps:
    1. Click in any white space in the frame on the right side of your screen (or in the content area that you wish to print) and then click on the Print button near the top of your Internet browser screen. If you prefer, click File on the menu bar. When the File menu appears,
      • click "Print" if you are using Internet Explorer.
      • click "Print Frame" if you are using Netscape.
    2. When the Print dialog box appears, click the OK button to print the text in the frame.
Blackboard 5.5 Login Tips
When you enter the Sandhills Distance Learning site, you will have two options to login to your course: "Login" and "Course Catalog," as shown in the graphic below.

Login Options

LOGIN OPTION
If you choose the "Login" option, you will be prompted for your user name and password. Once you provide those, you will enter your course site. On this site you will see a blue banner across the top of the screen. On this banner will be displayed small images giving you links to the Sandhills Community College home page, Distance Learning Support, and the Distance Learning home page. You will also see tabs that will link you to your courses, announcements, and the course catalog. Some users of Blackboard would prefer to remove this banner and provide more viewing space for the course itself. In this case, you should choose the "Course Catalog" option.

COURSE CATALOG OPTION
If you choose the "Course Catalog" option, you will be prompted for your user name and password. Once you provide those, you will see the Course Catalog with links to Distance Learning courses and On-campus Courses. Click on the type of course and semester and then scroll down the screen to locate your course. You may need to scroll to the bottom of the screen to choose the second or third page of the catalog. Then click on the title of your course, and you will enter your course site. You will no longer see the banner at the top of the screen but only the title of your course in very small print. You will still have access to Distance Learning Support through the "Support" tab at the top of the page in your course.

Modified Wednesday, December 05, 2007