Computer/Software Requirements

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Course Requirements

- Hardware Requirements
- Software Requirements
- Internet Service Providers (ISP)
- E-mail Accounts
- Streaming Audio/Video
- Computer Access on Campus

GETTING TECHNICAL HELP

Technical assistance is available on a limited basis.  Students who have technical computer problems can leave a message at the CCC Tech Help Bulletin Board Forum Web.

Or call (714) 241-6304 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS  - (Top)

Please feel free to jump ahead to an area of preparation that is of immediate interest to you.  There are a number of things you will need to ensure to make taking an Internet based course an enjoyable and rich learning experience at Coastline Community College.

All students need to sign-up or access a reliable Internet Service Provider (ISP).

Hardware Requirements - (Top)

     Minimum PC Hardware Requirements

        IBM compatible including all Pentium PC's
        Windows XP operating systems
        24X CD-ROM Drive or faster
        256 MB of RAM or more
        20 MB free hard drive space
        Modem: 56 kbps modem
        Sound card and speakers

Software Requirements - (Top)

Microsoft® Word 2003 and Windows XP.

Install or upgrade the most recent browser that supports functionality such as Java, JavaScript, and frames. Your browser should also allow you to turn "cookies" on.  We recommend Netscape Navigator 7.0 or Internet Explorer 6.0 or greater.

Need to install the RealPlayer for PC, or RealPlayer for Mac from RealNetworks in order to play any course audio/video material (a free version of player software available for download).

Internet Service Providers (ISP) - (Top)

If you are planning on working on your online course from home, you'll need to obtain Internet access for your home computer through a
commercial Internet Service Provider (ISP). There are a variety of companies providing this service for costs that typically range from
$15-20/month. Earthlink, AT&T, GTE, Pacific Bell, AOL are some examples.

Note: It's very important that you sign up with a service provider as soon as possible. Set up time may take as long as 2-3 weeks and you will
need to have this in order, and tested, before the course gets well underway! (Although, in theory, with a credit card and properly working
computer it should only take an hour or so to establish your account. The service provider will talk you through the steps over the telephone.)

E-mail Accounts - (Top)

Every student needs an individual e-mail account. You will not be able to use accounts belonging to other students because of the confusion this causes.

You must have an E-mail address prior to starting the class as a number of issues need to be communicated directly to you. Your E-mail address is established when you sign up with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for your home computer. Check with your ISP if you do not know what your E-mail address is. If you already have an E-mail account, you may use this address for this online course.

(You may also acquire a free e-mail account from a variety of sources, if you need to, such as "Hotmail". These free sites post ads on their services as a way of supporting the services they provide. If you are accessing your course from a library site, campus site or "borrowing a computer" for your course this may be helpful to you.)
 

Streaming Audio/Video - (Top)

Some courses make use of video or audio materials that may be viewed or listened to on your computer. The process of sending this
audio-video file in near real-time is called "streaming". Streaming does NOT require you to wait for the whole file to arrive, or to be stored on your local hard drive before you can view it. However, you do need a small software program (called a plug-in) in order to watch or hear this file.

Of course you also need a multimedia capable computer with speakers and a sound card installed. Usually you need a 33.3-56k speed modem and a fast processor (at least 133 mhz) to watch the video in near real-time. Otherwise it looks like a slow moving slide show as the pictures are transferred over the Internet to your computer).

The streaming software program we use is called "RealPlayer" and it is free to students. To get Realplayer you need to visit the Real Networks software site and download the file. The company does not charge for the basic player, but they would like to sell you a better, enhanced version of the player for a modest charge. The enhanced player is a good deal, and it has extra features. But, the free player will also work just fine for viewing the video/audio files on the Coastline site (especially if you are on a tight budget).

Follow the directions when you go to the site for the RealPlayer download. A small file will be transferred to your computer, then you will need to expand (install) the file on your computer to make it run properly. Be sure you make a note of the folder/location that the file is being transferred to so that after the download you may click on the file to activate the player on your computer. Once the file self- installs it will pop-up automatically every time you click on a RealVideo file that is a part of any Web site. This includes lots of other sites besides Coastline's that are using this streaming format. Since it is one of the most popular streaming audio/video formats on the Internet, it is well worth the effort to install the software for lots of media clips you will find on the Web. These clips are usually accompanied by the "RealVideo" icon to indicate they are a viewable file. See examples on our Web pages.
 

Computer Access on Campus - (Top)

For students who do not have access to a computer at home, at school or at work, can use the Information Commons located at the Garden Grove Center/1st Floor Room 103 to do your course work (Garden Grove Blvd. & Euclid, in Garden Grove).

In some cases, students may need to enroll in a computer lab course (1.5-3.0 units).  Please check the Coastline College class schedule on the web at: coastline.cccd.edu.  Headsets are provided at each PC computer station in order to listen to any course audio/video examples without disturbing other lab users. 

For days and hours of operation, please check the Information Commons located under "Products and Services" at coastline.cccd.edu