Technical Requirements
Internet Access
Students taking an online course at SAU are required to provide their own Internet access. Internet access should be a high speed connection such as cable modem or DSL preferred.
Browser Requirements
Your web browser is the program (such as Internet Explorer, Mozilla, or your Internet Service Provider’s screen) that allows you to access the Internet. The web browsers listed below have been tested and validated for use with Blackboard 7.3. Other browsers may have compatibility issues and are not supported. To determine your current browser version, open the Help menu at the top of the browser screen and select About.
If you typically use your Internet Service Provider’s window to access the Internet for your online course, we recommend that you use instead one of the supported browsers below. To do this, first connect to the Internet through your ISP as usual, then minimize the window (do not close it!) so that you are still connected to the Internet. Click on the Start button at the bottom of your screen and go to the list of programs to open one of the supported browsers listed below. If you do not have a supported browser, click here to download a new browser.
Supported Browsers
- Internet Explorer 6.0 and 7.0 (XP only)
- Mozilla Firefox 2.0 and 3.0 (XP, Vista, Apple)
Computer Hardware
- Processor: 233 MHz processor or faster
- Memory: 128 MB RAM
- 1.5 GB of available space on the hard disk
- CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
- Keyboard and a mouse or some other compatible pointing device
- Video adapter and monitor with Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution
- Sound card
- Speakers or headphones
Note: These are the minimal requirements for taking an online course. Please refer to your course syllabus for any additional course specific hardware requirement.
Operating System Requirements
- PC: Windows XP or Vista
- Mac: Macintosh OS X or later versions
Browser Configuration
Many of the problems that students encounter, such as login failures or course tools not working properly can be traced to browser configuration. Your web browser must be configured so that
- Java and JavaScript are enabled (Make sure to download and install Java Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 15.)
- Cache is set to reload the page each time
- Cookies are enabled
- Pop-up blockers are disabled
Pop-up Blockers
Pop-up blocking programs must be disabled or uninstalled when you’re working in Blackboard. While these programs serve a useful purpose in blocking unwanted advertisements, they also prevent many of the Blackboard tools from working, especially the Mail, Discussion and Quiz tools.
You may have installed a pop-up blocker on your PC. In this case, locate the program on your hard drive and follow the vendor’s instructions for disabling or uninstalling it.
If you’re not sure what might have been installed on your PC, open My Computer, double-click on the Local Disk, and double click on Program Files. Look for programs with “pop-up” in the title; some popular programs are Pop-up Stopper, Pop-up Defender and Pop-up Zapper. Disable or uninstall any such programs.
There also may be pop-up blocking tools bundled with some ISP software, browsers, and anti-virus and security software. If you’ve removed all known pop-up blockers but you’re still unable to open a link in a Blackboard course, make sure that any pop-up blocking tools and firewalls have been turned off. Some common software packages that contain pop-up blocking tools are listed below. Use the browser’s Help menu, or contact your Internet Service Provider for assistance.
- McAfee Internet Security Suite
- Norton Internet Security
- Google Toolbar
- Yahoo! Toolbar
- MSN Toolbar
- America Online
- Earthlink
- Internet Explorer
- Netscape
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
Plug-ins
Some course in Blackboard may require software plug-ins for viewing media files. PowerPoint programs, etc. Click on the links below for free downloads if your course requires any of these programs.
Applications/Software Programs
Students taking an online course should have the following software programs installed:
- Microsoft Word or a Rich Text Format word processing program
- Adobe Acrobat Reader (for reading PDF files)
- Apple Quicktime or Microsoft Media Player (for accessing video files)
- PowerPoint or MS PowerPoint Viewer (to view PowerPoint slides)
