Online College Education Network
(OCEN)
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 equivalent of Netscape 4 or Internet Explorer 4 or
better. The latest Internet Explore browser is available for free from
Microsoft
and the latest Netscape browser also available for free from Netscape.
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 8 Basic Player (download)
Macromedia Flash Player (download)
Macromedia Shockwave Player (download)