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Welcome to eLearning at Sowela

HOW TO ACCESS BLACKBOARD:

To be able to access the Blackboard® site, each student must have a USERNAME and PASSWORD. Instructors assign the usernames and temporary passwords for all new users of the Sowela Blackboard site.

Usernames follow this naming protocol:

sw + first initial + last name + last 2 digits of  the user’s Social Security Number

For example: Sowela student John Deaux, whose SSN is 123-45-6789, would have a username of swjdeaux89.

Temporary passwords are the same as usernames, so John Deaux’s temporary password is swjdeaux89.

Once students log in for the first time, they should follow these steps to change their passwords from the temporary one to something more private:

1. Go to http://lctcs.blackboard.com

2. Log on

3. Click the “Personal Information” link on the left side of the Welcome page

4. Follow the directions to change the password

NOTES TO BLACKBOARD STUDENTS:

  • Email your instructor as soon as possible after you register for a webclass. Identify yourself (first and last name) and the class webclass(es) have enrolled in.  Ask for information on how to get started with the coursework.
  • If your computer runs on a Windows® platform, to ensure stable access to your Blackboard course, you should only use a stand-alone version of Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher. (See download link below.) Do NOT use the Internet Explorer browser that comes packaged within AOL.
  • If you are using the Windows Vista® operating system, you may encounter a few other problems. If you do, contact the eLearning Coordinator for a workaround solution or try using a Mozilla Firefox® browser (See download link below.)

MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

If you’re using a PC:

  • Windows 2000, XP
  • 800 x 600 screen resolution
  • Browser: Internet Explorer 6.0; Netscape 7.0
  • Plug-Ins: Latest Shockwave Player, Latest Flash Player, Latest QuickTime Player

If you’re using a MAC:

  • OS 10.1/10.2
  • 800 x 600 screen resolution
  • Browser: Safari 1.2; Netscape 7.0
  • Plug-Ins: Latest Shockwave Player, Latest Flash Player, Latest QuickTime Player

If you use AOL to access the internet, we strongly recommend that you:

  • Do NOT use the Internet Explorer browser that is part of AOL. Download a separate, stand-alone (FREE) version of Internet Explorer or Firefox (see links to download sites)
  • Sign on using AOL. Then minimize it (do NOT end your session or close it out) and open a stand-alone version of your Internet Explorer or Firefox browser. Close out AOL only when you are finished with your online session.


FREE BROWSERS, PLUGINS, AND VIEWERS
To take full advantage of all the features in this course, be sure you have the right technology at your fingertips. This includes a good Web browser and appropriate plug-ins.

Browsers:
The Web and the tools used to publish on it are changing every day. If you are using an older version of a browser that cannot handle advanced features of HTML, then some portions of this course may not work for you.

We recommend that you use the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.  These are FREE downloads:

Internet Explorer® 7.0 (LINK:  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/downloads/ie/getitnow.mspx)

Mozilla Firefox® browser (LINK:  www.mozilla.com)

Plug-ins, Players and Viewers:
Browsers also use plug-ins and other helper applications to help them display Web documents. If you encounter an element (such as video or animation) that requires one of these helpers, you may see a message that your browser isn't equipped for that content type. Viewers are required to display certain file formats, such as a PowerPoint slide show. These are common plug-ins, players, and viewers that are used on the Web in general, and that may also be used in this course. We recommend that you download all of them.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is free, and freely distributable, software that lets you view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files.  (LINK: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html)

Apple QuickTime player is for viewing video in Apple's QuickTime format. Works with over 30 audio, video and image formats.  (LINK: http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/)

Microsoft PowerPoint Viewer 97 is for viewing and printing PowerPoint presentations. Download this if you do not already have PowerPoint installed on your computer.  (LINK: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=048dc840-14e1-467d-8dca-19d2a8fd7485&DisplayLang=en)

Adobe Shockwave and Flash is for viewing interactive content in various Macromedia formats.  (SHOCKWAVE LINK: http://sdc.shockwave.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?) (FLASH LINK: http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash)

Real Player is for streaming audio and video content. (LINK: http://www.real.com/player/index.html?src=downloadr)

For opening compressed ZIP files, please download the FREE version of WinZip (LINK: http://www.winzip.com/index.htm).

FOR ASSISTANCE:

Contact the eLearning Coordinator, Desiree Devereaux
Email: desiree.devereaux@sowela.edu
Cell phone: 337-540-9416
OR
Log on to your Blackboard coursesite, click on the “Help Desk” link for 24/7 real-time assistance.

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