Browser Plugins

The following plugins are software applications you can download and install for your Windows or Macintosh computer. These applications will be extensions to your WebBrowser. It is not required that you download every plugin in the list below, but if you find that you are not able to view content in your online course, it is likely that you need one of the plugins. To begin, you should at least have: Macromedia Flash Player, Windows Media Player, the Quicktime Player and Adobe Acrobat Reader. Lastly, you may have the correct plugin, but not the correct version. Before beginning to take an online class, you should have the latest version of the plugin that will install on your computer. Please see additional information about plugin versions at each of the manufacturer websites listed below.

Macromedia Flash Player

Many browsers have the Macromedia Flash Player already installed. The current version of the Macromedia Flash Player is 7. To test if you have Flash Player 7, click this link - haveFlash.swf. If you can view the content, you have the plugin. Click on the back button of your WebBrowser to return to this page.

Download the Flash Player by going to this page and clicking the link Macromedia Flash player under "Download Free Players."

Windows Media Player

This plugin allows you to playback video in windows media format. Some examples of movies created in this format include the Online Teaching and Learning Series from the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona.

Download Windows Media Player.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Adobe Acrobat Reader allows any user to be able to read .pdf files. These files are a popular document format on the web today. It is quite likely that your elearning instructor will have materials posted in this format. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Quicktime Player

The Quicktime Player is another popular video format. Many movie trailers are created using Quicktime compression. Download the Quicktime player.

Macromedia Shockwave Player

The Shockwave Player is a less popular player and you should install this only if your instructor provides content that requires it. If you do not have the player installed and you go to a page that does not load properly, you will get a message that asks you to install the Shockwave Player.

Download the Shockwave Player by going to this page and clicking the link Macromedia Shockwave player under "Download Free Players."

Macromedia Authorware Player

The Authorware Player is even less popular than Shockwave. You should install this only if your instructor provides content that requires it. If you do not have the player installed and you go to a page that does not load properly, you will get a message that asks you to install the Authorware Player.

Download the Shockwave Player by going to this page and clicking the link More Players under "Download Free Players." Click the link Shockwave Player for the installation.

Real Player

The Real Player is yet another streaming video format. Most often websites will require either the Windows Media Player plugin be installed or the Real Player plugin. If you run into content the requires the real player, you can download it here. Click on Free Download and then click on Download Free Real Player.

Java Plug in

The Java Plug in required to run the Blackboard chat is java 1.4. If your instructor uses the Blackboard chat, make sure to arrive to the chat early. If you do not have the proper version of the plug in installed, you can download it from Blackboard.

Microsoft Office Viewers

You should have a copy of Microsoft Office for your studies in online learning. If you do not have a copy, but still need to view content created in Microsoft Word, Powerpoint or Excel, download a viewerfor the application of choice.

-- SueMcGinnis - 13 Mar 2005

• haveFlash.swf: Requires Flash Player 7 to view.