Distance Learning

Distance Learning Requirements

You must have access to a computer with Internet connectivity that you can use frequently and work on for an extended period of time.

Supported Web Browsers for Release 8.0

Listed below are the supported operating systems and browsers for use with the Blackboard Academic Suite. The Academic Suite is a Web-based application and other browsers and operating systems may work well; however, the listed configurations are the only configurations that are tested and supported by Blackboard.

Browser

Windows XP

Windows Vista Desktop

Mac OS
 10.3

Mac OS
10.4

Mac OS
10.5

Internet Explorer 6

Compatible

Not Tested

Not Tested

Not Tested

Not Tested

Internet Explorer 7

Compatible

Certified

Not Tested

Not Tested

Not Tested

Internet Explorer 8

Compatible

Compatible

Not Tested

Not Tested

Not Tested

Firefox 1.5

Not Supported

Not Supported

Compatible

Certified

Not Tested

Firefox 2.0

Certified

Certified

Not Tested

Certified

Compatible

Firefox 3.0

Certified

Certified

Compatible

Certified

Compatible

Safari 2

Not Tested

Not Tested

Not Tested

Certified

Certified

Safari 3

Not Tested

Not Tested

Not Tested

Compatible

Certified

Useful Information

• All configurations marked as Compatible have undergone a limited engineering analysis to test areas of the Blackboard Academic Suite that may have browser issues.
• Internet Explorer 8 is only supported in Standards Mode.
• Firefox 1.5 is not supported for Blackboard Academic Suite Release 8.0 and above. It is recommended that Firefox 1.5 users upgrade to Firefox 3.0 to access the latest security patches and Mozilla support.
• The WebDAV client in Windows Vista is still not fully functional and causes incompatibilities with the Blackboard Content System.

Connectivity

• For best results use a high speed Internet connection. Dial up access is acceptable but not recommended for test taking.
  Never use wireless connections for test taking.

Recommended Software

• Microsoft Word (if using Microsoft Works or WordPerfect, save files as "Rich Text Format - rtf")
• Check with your instructor to see if additional software or access codes are needed.

Other Recommendations:

• Install anti-virus software such as Norton Anti Virus [http://www.syymantec.com/downloads/] or McAfee [http://us.mcafee.com/] on your computer.
• Download and install Java 1.4.2 (http://www.java.com).
• Disable any "pop-up blocker" software that you have installed on your computer.
• Set your screen resolution at 1024 x 768 pixels, for optimum viewing.

For Best Results with AOL:

• Connect to the Internet using AOL version 4.0 or higher.
• Minimize AOL window.
• Launch a supported browser (see the table above).