In order to participate
in a STEP e-Course, you will need a personal computer
with a minimum 56 K Internet connection (for Mac users,
a minimum operating system of Mac OS X is necessary).
For your best online course
experience, we recommend the following:
-
A high speed internet
connection (some students have found 56 K dial-up
modems too slow)
-
For Windows computers,
a Windows 2000, XP, or Vista operating system
-
A properly configured
browser (more details below)
"Concourse" (formerly
called WebCT) is the software used to deliver STEP e-Courses.
The version Notre Dame uses is Concourse Vista 8.0, and
the Concourse (WebCT) Browser Validation List lists the browsers
that are validated for Vista 8.0.
Browser specifications
are established by Concourse. Browsers not listed may
or may not work satisfactorily.
There are several settings
stored in your browser which need to be specifically configured
for use with Concourse. A check for whether your browser
settings need to be changed, as well was instructions
for doing so, are available from the Check Your Browser tool. The Orientation period
for each course includes time to verify your browser is
configured properly for use with Concourse, and we provide
assistance as
needed with the instructions given from the Tune-Up page.
A 56 K modem or faster Internet
connection is required to view the streaming video.
You will need Windows Media Player to view the video in some courses. If you do
not have Windows Media Player installed on your computer,
click on the link to the Windows Media Player web site to download the latest
version of Windows Media Player for your operating system.
If you already have Windows Media Player installed, clicking
on the link will assist you in upgrading to the most current
version for your operating system.
As with most Microsoft products,
Microsoft periodically issues recommended patches for the
Windows Media Player. To periodically check for updates,
visit the Microsoft Windows Update site. To automatically receive bulletins
and/or downloads for updates, PC users can enable this feature
from their computer's Control Panel by opening the System
folder and selecting the Automatic Updates tab.
- Fix for :
- First try the following steps:
- From My Computer or the Start menu in Windows, go to the Control Panel and select Java.
- Next, click on the “Advanced” tab
- Expand the “Java Plug-in” section
- Uncheck the “Enable the next-generation Java Plug-in" checkbox
- Click “Apply”
- Click “OK”
- Close your browser if it is still open
- Open your browser. It is necessary to restart the web browser for it to take effect.
- Access the Impatica file again
- For more options, please visit this Impatica help page.
- Fix for
- First try the above steps to uncheck the “Enable the next-generation Java Plug-in" checkbox.
- If that does not help, please visit this Impatica help page for assistance downloading a different version of Java.
*Attention
Mac OS X users: Some Windows Media files may not
play correctly on Mac OS X computers without downloading
the Flip4Mac player (free) from the Microsoft web site. After
downloading the free player, the course streaming video plays correctly in
the Safari browser.
In
order to view the CD-ROMs, a Web browser is needed.
A media
player is also required. While most media players can accommodate
the video portion of the CD-ROMs, we recommend Windows Media Player.
*Attention
Mac OS X users: Some video files may not play correctly
on Mac OS X computers without downloading the free DivX
codec from the QuickTime Components page or the DivX web site.
If STEP refers your case
to the ND Help Desk, you may be asked by the
ND Help Desk to save and run one of the following tools:
If you have any questions
regarding your computer capabilities, please submit an online
Problem Report (copy and paste this URL into your web browser:
www.nd.edu/%7Estepnd/e-courses/step-problem.html), or call
STEP toll-free at 1-866-425-7837(STEP) or e-mail us at stepnd@nd.edu.
