E-Learning FAQ

Site Basic FAQ

• I've checked the FAQ and FAQ Table of Contents but I still have a question about the site, who can I ask?

• If you have a question that you need answered you'll find a variety of Customer/Technical Support options available. Click the Contact Us link at the top right of any page.

• I found a possible error with site functionality, is there a way I can report it?

• Click the Contact Us link at the top right of any page.

• How do I know if I'm ready to take a course, or if I'm fully prepared?

• To get more information on the summary and intended audience for a specific course, select the course link to view the Course Detail page. You'll find a brief summary of the course and more.

• What are the minimum hardware and software requirements for taking courses?

• You can review the list of Hardware and Software Requirements here.

• Are there any additional software requirements for taking courses?

• Courses may require additional plug-ins for viewing. To get more information on plug-ins click the FAQ link from any page. On the FAQ Table of Contents page click Important Downloads in the Getting Started sec

• How do I access a lab?

1. Open the desired course.
2. In the course table of contents, click the title of the desired lab lesson. (Lessons that consist of a lab have titles that are prefixed with Lab:.)
3. Click the topic that is represented by a beaker icon.
4. In the course content pane, click the Launch button to start your lab.

• How long is a lab session?

• This will depend on the specific lab; however, typical labs last about one hour.

• Is there an expiration date to the labs?

• The labs are available for you to take at any time, and as often as you desire for the duration of your subscription.

• What are the lab system requirements?

• Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher
• Connection through port 443 is needed. Check with your network administrator to see if this port is available, or if you are accessing from home, read about opening ports in Windows XP here.
• When you launch the lab, the lab system will step you through any configuration changes you need to make. For some labs, if the ports cannot be opened on your system, you will be offered tunneling software to install, which enables labs to use port 80, a standard port for web traffic that is open on most networks.
• When launching certain labs, you may be prompted to install the VMRC Active X Control, which will be offered to you within your browser at the time of launch.

• Can I take lab training using cable modem service or modified browsers (AOL, @Home, RoadRunner)?

1. Minimize your modified browser window, but do not end your browser session. It is important that the modified browser be kept running.
2. Begin a new browser session using Internet Explorer.
3. Log on to the E-Learning site.
4. Click the link to your lab.

• How do I take the labs if I am behind a firewall or using a proxy?

• If you access the Internet from behind a proxy server, you may not be able access certain labs. This affects AOL and Gateway.net users who use a modified browser and those who access labs from behind a corporate firewall. Modified browser users should use either Internet Explorer (6.0 or higher) or Netscape Navigator (7.1 or higher). Users behind a corporate proxy server can access labs through a commercial ISP account.

• What should I do if I still have a question about my lab?

• If you cannot access your lab, or are experiencing problems, please contact our technical support department.

• What's a Browser?

• Web browsers are software applications that locate and display Web pages. One of the most popular browsers is Microsoft Internet Explorer. It's a graphical browser, meaning it displays graphics as well as text. In addition, most modern browsers can present multimedia information, including sound and video, though they require plug-ins for some formats.
• Internet Explorer isn't the same as Windows Explorer, a file management tool for Windows users.

• Which Browser am I Using?

• To discover which browser you're using:

1. Go to the menu items across the top of the browser window.
2. Select the support menu item.
3. Select about... to see the browser name and version.
4. If you're using a browser other than the full release of Internet Explorer, look for menu options similar to Support>>About. Microsoft E-Learning refers to all browsers that aren't the standard version of Internet Explorer as modified browsers.

• There are many Web browsers, but quite often, they're just customized (modified) versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer that other companies legally distribute.
• We call these customized versions kit browsers, custom browsers, or modified browsers. After Microsoft released their code, several ISPs (Internet Service Providers) modified the code slightly and released these versions to their customers. These versions are perfectly legal, and generally okay to use, except when you're using Microsoft E-Learning. Some examples of modified browsers are @Home, BellSouth, and AT&T WorldNet.
• If you find that your browser is not working properly, please go to the Microsoft site and download a full release browser version. When you're using Microsoft E-Learning, use a standard browser. When you're through with your Microsoft E-Learning session, close the standard browser and open your custom browser to access the Internet

• Browser Settings

1. Accept browser cookies.
2. Enable JavaScript on your Web browser.
3. Refresh browser at every page visit.

• Browser Settings: Security and Browser Cookies

• Your browser must be set up to accept browser cookies.
• To accept cookies and turn off the notification feature in the standard browsers:
  
  Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher:

1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options.
2. In the dialog box, select the Privacy tab.
3. The default selection, Medium, allows cookies to be stored.
4. Select OK to close the dialog box.

• Browser Settings: Enable JavaScript

• Microsoft E-Learning makes extensive use of JavaScript. (Internet Explorer uses ActiveX to implement JavaScript.) JavaScript is a scripting language used by Web designers to design dynamic, interactive Web sites that can display different information to different viewers accessing the same URL.
• You must be sure that JavaScript is enabled in your browser to use Microsoft E-Learning. To enable JavaScript in the standard browsers:
  
  Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher:

1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options.
2. In the dialog box, select the Security tab.
3. Be sure that your Security level is set to Medium. The ActiveX controls that are necessary to use Microsoft E-Learning are set by default in the medium security level. Click Default Level to view the security level slide.
4. Select OK to close the dialog box.

• Browser Settings: Refresh Browser Pages

• To ensure that you're seeing the latest data on Microsoft E-Learning pages, you must set your browser to refresh every time it loads a page.
• To set your browser to refresh every time (in the standard browsers):
  
  Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher:

1. From the Tools menu, select Internet Options.
2. Under Temporary Internet Files, select Settings.
3. Under Check for newer versions of stored pages, select every visit to the page.
4. Select OK to close the dialog box.

• Some of the course content is not displaying.

• Check to see if you have pop-up blocker software enabled on your computer. If you do, adjust the pop-up blocker settings to allow pop-ups from this content.

• Sometimes a Security Information dialog box appears.

Answer 21

• Microsoft recommends that you upgrade your browser to the newest version (Internet Explorer 7) for free at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie. For more information about browsers and Microsoft E-Learning site, read Browser Information on the E-Learning FAQ page

• I use keyboard shortcuts, but some functionality isn't accessible via shortcut combinations.

• You can see a list of the available keyboard shortcuts in the enhanced format courses by taking these steps: launch the viewer, select Help, and then select Viewer Help. Under Topics Covered, choose Accessibility Features. Wherever possible, the courses have been designed to accommodate a variety of accessibility issues. Please note, however, that simulations in Course 2008 and Course 2286 are not available via keyboard shortcuts at this time

• Some of the Flash media will not display in the course I'm taking when I use keyboard shortcuts.

• Microsoft recommends using the latest version of the standard browser (Internet Explorer 7), which you can download for free at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie.

• Some keyboard shortcuts are not working when I use navigation features.

• The Icon view of the content wheel is not accessible via the following shortcuts using the following ALT and CTRL keyboard combinations:

1. ALT+1, ALT+2, ALT+3, ALT+J
2. CTRL+1, CTRL+2, CTRL+4, CTRL+J

• What are cookies?

• Cookies are messages (files) written in your browser by your server. When you return to a Web page, your browser sends the "cookie" information to the server. This information identifies you, and your preferences, making it possible to alter a Web site to your needs. Microsoft E-Learning cookies are temporarily written to your computer's memory (RAM). No cookies will be written to your hard drive.

• Why does Microsoft E-Learning require cookies?

• Microsoft E-Learning uses cookies to ensure the privacy of your account when you enter secure parts of our site. Cookies allow you to login, participate in sessions, and access chat areas. When you quit your browser, the cookie will be erased from memory.

• How do I accept cookies? How do I turn off cookie notification?

• To accept cookies, you must change your browser settings. We also recommend that you turn off the cookie notification in your browser. (When cookie notification is turned on, the browser notifies you every time a cookie is being retrieved.)

• What about my privacy? (Cookies and Privacy)

• Microsoft E-Learning doesn't use cookies to gather information about your Web surfing habits, your interests, or to track down any other information without your knowledge or consent. We respect your privacy and don't provide any information without permission. When registering for a course, you decide whether you want your name sent to vendors selling course-related goods.