Distance and Online Learning

• An online course is delivered via the Internet rather than in a traditional classroom in a building. 
• Students "attend" an online course at a time that is convenient for them rather than at a regularly scheduled class time. 
• Students in an online class are responsible for scheduling their own "class time" each week. Motivation and self-discipline are essential for success in an online course. 
• Learning material in an online course is generally presented by means of textbooks and articles, online documents, and audio-visual materials. 
• Whether in a traditional classroom setting or online, the instructor organizes, prepares, and manages the presentation of course materials; crafts assignments to help students grasp and apply the material; assigns due date and monitors student progress. 
• Students in an online course interact with their instructor and other students in the class via email, discussion forums, and chats, rather than face-to-face discussions. Students use their reading and writing skills more predominately than their speaking and listening skills.
• As in a traditional classroom, students in an online class are evaluated by means of assignments and exams. 

•  In most cases, yes. Students are expected to purchase a textbook(s) for most online courses. You can check what text is required for your online course(s) at the Oakton Bookstore at either campus or online. Be sure the course section number matches your online course section number. For example,"0C1".

In some cases you do. 

• If you wish to take English or mathematics courses, you will need to take Oakton's placement tests. For further information and a schedule of testing dates, contact the Testing Center.
• If you have already completed the prerequisite for an Oakton English or mathematics course in another college, you can submit a transcript or send verification that you completed the prerequisite before you register. Out of district students needing Oakton Math and/or English placement exams, please contact the Online Learning Office, onlinelearning@oakton.edu, 847-635-1970. 

If you have questions about the placement test requirement, contact the Advising Services department. 

• If you need to talk with an academic advisor, contact Academic Advising Services at 847-635-1741 or email.
• If you need more information about course content, call or e-mail the instructor.
• If you need information about your bill, call the cashier at 847-635-1639.
• If you need information about obtaining the books and materials for your course, call the Online Learning office, 847.635.1970.

Every effort has been made to make Oakton Online courses as technologically accessible to the widest variety of students as possible. Students need to have access to a computer and an Internet connection and any additional hardware/software as specified for a particular course. Students who don't have a computer can use computers available in the open labs on either campus. 

Using D2L Brightspace

Before enrolling in an online course please visit the System Check page; this page will verify your browser version, browser settings and display settings on your computer.

Recommended Hardware/Software Requirements

Students enrolled in online courses have the convenience to access their courses anywhere, anytime. To have a rich learning experience, free of technical issues; it is recommended that online students have access to a computer with the following hardware and software requirements:

Screen Size

• A minimum of 1024x600

Operating Systems

• Microsoft® Windows® 7 or newer
• Mac OSX 10.6 or latest
• Linux chrome OS

Mobile Operating System Native App Support

• iOS 7 or newer
• Android 2.3 or latest

Computer Speed and Processor

• Use a computer 4 years old or newer
• 1 GB of RAM
• 2 GHz processor
• 40 GB of Hard drive

Internet Speed, Software, and Email

• Broadband, wireless high-speed Internet connection such as DSL or cable
• Have an email account
• Internet Browser, such as Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome
• Basic software applications (Microsoft Office). If you don't want to purchase Microsoft Office, as a student with Oakton email address or any educational institution email address, you can download Microsoft Office 365 for free.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader
• Up-to-date Antivirus program

Assistive Technology Software

• Kurzweil 3000 (for Windows or Mac. Reads the Web for Chrome or Firefox. Has other great features)
• JAWS (for Windows 7 and newer. Works with the latest versions of Microsoft Office, Google Docs Internet Explorer 11, Edge, Firefox  & Google Chrome)
• NVDA (for Windows 7 and newer. Supports for latest version of Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft office)
• VoiceOver (for Mac. Use VoiceOver to read text on Mac. Can be used to edit seamlessly in Grade 2 Braille. It provides greater control while using a Mac)

Recommended Browsers

Note: These are the minimum browser requirements needed for using D2L Brightspace.

For Tablet and Mobile
Tablets and mobile devices such as smart phones should have the latest native browser. Be aware that many features of D2L Brightspace will not function fully or in some cases at all on tablets and mobile devices so students should not expect to be able to complete a D2L Brightspace course without access to a PC or Mac.

*Note:

• If you are using Safari, you should disable its pop-up blocker when using D2L Brightspace. To disable the pop-up blocker, click Safari in the menu bar and uncheck Block Pop-Up Windows. Failing to disable the pop-up blocker may prevent you from completing some tasks in D2L Brightspace, such as composing discussion board messages. If you continue to have problems try using the Firefox web browser which can be downloaded for free at www.mozilla.com/firefox.
• Ensure that your browser has JavaScript and Cookies enabled.
• For desktop systems, you must have Adobe Flash Player 10.1 or greater.