Online College
Education Network
(OCEN)
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Technical Requirements
In a traditional setting such as a classroom, one needs paper and the appropriate writing tools to be equipped for learning. Online college courses require different communication tools that are necessary in distance learning.
In order to take a course online you must have the following technical requirements.
- Windows or Mac based platform (this may depend on the type of course you take)
- Internet and e-mail Access
- 56K modem, cable modem or a DSL connection is recommended
- Screen resolution of 800x600 or better
Web
Browser
You should have the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, or Apple Safari. There are other browsers, but these are the main ones.
Adobe Acrobat Reader
You will need Adobe Acrobat installed on your
computer. This program allows you to read certain
types of documents. If you do not already have
it you can download it for free from Adobe.
Sound card and Speakers are required for certain courses.
General Software Recommendations
It is recommend that students use either MSWord
or WordPerfect and save documents as a RTF (Rich
Text Format) for papers and assignments. These
programs are great for sending documents across
different computer platforms. Check out the
specific recommendations about the type of software
needed for your online college courses.
Supported Browser Plugins
If your course material includes audio, video
or flash files, you may need to download browser
plug-ins to access these materials. Plugins
are software tools that extend the capabilities
of your browser. By having this you can view
many different multimedia elements offered on
the Web. Without the proper installation of
plug-ins some class material may not display
properly.
Plug-in Types
RealPlayer Basic Player (download)
Adobe Flash Player (download)
Adobe Shockwave Player (download)