| FAQs for Wimba |    |
This section addresses Frequently Asked Questions about Wimba. The information is divided into three main areas: Administrative, Technical and Developer.
| Administrative Questions | Technical Questions | Developer Questions |
Where will the audio recordings be located within Blackboard?
Voice Communication tools are available in one of three areas within Blackboard:
- Syllabus
- Course Documents
- Assignments
Your instructor will direct you to the appropriate course content area. Once you are in that course content area, you will select the title of the audio resource your instructor has provided for you and click on the URL link just below the name of the audio resource. Clicking this link within Blackboard will launch the voice communication tool.
How do I get an e-mail address?
You can get a free email address from Yahoo.com. Once you have an email address, send it to your instructor.
Why won't the Flash tutorials work?
The tutorials were created as Flash files. You will need to install the Macromedia Flash Player.
How do I get a Wimba account?
Contact your instructor. If you are logging into to Wimba in order to access your course's audio resources, you will need a user ID (email address) and a password. You will need to let your instructor know what your email address is so he or she can create your Wimba account.
My class is accessing Wimba audio resources directly from within Blackboard or from within a course web site, do I need a Wimba account to access those audio resources?
No. If you access the audio resources from within Blackboard or a course web site and you do not have to log into Wimba to access the Wimba audio tools, you do not need a Wimba account. If your instructor requires you to log into Wimba at: http://austincc.horizonwimba.com/austincc/ then you will need a Wimba account.
Do I need a microphone? If so, where can I get one?
If you are going to be recording responses to your instructor, you will need a microphone. There are several cost effective headset microphones available. Stores such as Office Depot, Radio Shack, Best Buy, Target, etc. have a variety of options, many of them are under $20.
How do I log into Wimba?
You log into Wimba at: http://austincc.horizonwimba.com/austincc/. You will enter a User Id (email address) and a Password. Your instructor will inform you what your Wimba user ID and password are. After you have logged in, you will need to change your password.
A Security Warning Page was displayed when I attempted to play a Wimba audio resource. What should I do?
Select Yes to allow your system to play the audio resource. If you select No, the Java applet will not open and no audio will play.
When I linked to a Wimba audio resource, an authentication screen appeared. The top area asked for a Screen Name and the bottom half asked for a User ID and Password. What should I do?
1. Type your name in the Screen Name field.
2. Click the Submit button located on the top half of the screen. By typing your name in the Screen Name field, you will receive proper credit for completed assignments.
How do I change my Wimba password?
1. Click on Password in the Personal Information section (upper left) of the Wimba Manager or Main Page.
2.
Type in your Old Password, your New Password and Confirm your new password by typing it in the third text field.
3.
Click Submit and your new password will be updated.
4.
Test it by logging out of Wimba and logging back in.
The Voice Tool does not work for me, what can I do?
You can check that your browser is correctly configured by running our Diagnostic tool. If your system passed the diagnostic tests successfully but you are still unable to display an audio player applet, you may have entered NO when the Security Authentication Dialog Box appeared. If so, you will need to log off your computer and log back on to reset this. Always click on YES when you see this dialog box in the future. If the audio still does not play, contact your instructor or submit a contact form.
Will the audio play if I have pop blockers enabled?
This depends and you may get mixed results if your pop up blocker is enabled. It is recommended to disable your pop-up blockers before accessing Wimba audio resources.
My computer crashes when I use Wimba's audio tools. What should I do?
1. Check RAM. Wimba audio resources require a system that has a minimum of 256 MB of Random Access Memory (RAM). Make sure all other programs are closed when you access Wimba.
2. Check Browser. The browser version should be IE 5.X or above, Netscape 7.X or above, Mozilla 1.4 or above, Firefox 1.x or above. Any version below these and your Wimba audio resources either will not work or will not work optimally. Also, note that AOL and Opera are NOT supported. If you use these, do not access the Voice Tools from within the AOL or Opera browser.
3. Check
the OS. The operating systems supported are: Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows ME or Windows 98SE. The Mac OS versions which are supported are 10.2 or above. If you are using an older operating system, Wimba's audio tools either will not work or will not work optimally.
What type of Browser should I have?
See the Check Browser section above. For more information, see to the technical requirements for Wimba.
How much RAM do I need to operate Wimba?
See the Check RAM section above. For more information, see to the technical requirements for Wimba.
What type of operating system do I need?
See the Check OS section above. For more information, see to the technical requirements for Wimba.
How can I listen to archived audio chat sessions within Voice Direct?
1. Click on the downward pointing arrow in the upper left corner of the Voice Direct screen.
2. Select View Archives
3. Archives are listed in Year, Month, Day order. Go to the day of your audio chat session and select your Voice Direct session. Each person who participated in the chat session and recorded an audio message will be listed within the session. Each audio recording is recorded separately and appears as a distinct audio file. In addition, all of the text messages sent during the audio conference are archived and can be referenced as well.
I recorded a message but when I play it back, no sound comes out. What should I do?
This could be a problem with the configuration of your microphone.
1. Run a diagnostic on your system at: http://austincc.horizonwimba.com/austincc/diagnostic/main the last two portions of the diagnostic test verify that you can play an Wimba audio recording, and the last test verifies that you can Record a message.
2. On the Diagnostic record screen, there are three icons: Record, Play and Stop. Click the Record icon and record a sample message. When you are finished, click Stop. To listen to the recorded message, select Play. If you hear your message, then your microphone is working. If you don't hear your recording, then your microphone is not working.
3. If you ran the diagnostic test and your microphone is not working, check to make sure the mini-microphone jack is plugged into the correct outlet on your computer. (It is the outlet with the small microphone on it.)
4. If you have a PC, in the bottom right of your desktop on the task bar, there is a Volume Control. Right click on the Volume Control.
5. Select the Open Volume Control option. The Volume Control dialog box will be displayed.
6. Make sure none of the Mute checkboxes are checked. If they are, uncheck them.
7. Select Options in the upper left corner of the screen.
8. Select Properties.
9. Select the Recording button in the Adjust Volume section. Several checkboxes will be displayed. Make sure both the Line In and Microphone boxes are checked. Also, check the MIDI, WAVE and CD Audio options.
View an on-line audio tutorial on how to configure your microphone .
Note: you can also check your audio, volume and microphone properties by selecting the Sounds and Audio Devices icon from the Control Panel.
My name does not appear in the right hand section of the Voice Direct audio chat conference. What should I do?
It is generally recommended to close Voice Direct and re-access the conference.
The applet acts like it is playing but no sound comes out.
This almost always indicates a problem with the speakers. It's probably something simple: the speakers aren't plugged in correctly, etc.
The applet seems to record but nothing gets recorded.
- First, make sure that the problem is not your speakers. It may be that you are indeed recording, but you can't hear what you recorded. Obviously, if you can hear other sounds from your computer, the problem is not your speakers.
- Make sure your microphone is connected correctly.
- Make sure your microphone switch is turned on.
- Check your microphone settings. Under Macintosh, make sure that the correct microphone is selected as the input source. (Macs have a built-in microphone and may also have an external microphone.)
What is the Java Console and how can I get it?
The Java Console is the output log of the events that occur in the Java applets. If the applet has a problem, the Java Console most likely contains the error code.
The first step in determining how to get the Java Console is determining whether you use Sun's Java 2 plug-in. If you have JavaScript activated, you will see below whether you have the Java 2 plug-in installed.
- Java 2 users
- When you load an applet for the first time, a little icon like this
or this 
should appear in your tray (in the bottom-right of the screen). Double-click this icon to see the Java Console. - MacOS X users
- To enable the Sun Java Console, open the Java Plugin Settings panel. You will find it in Applications→Utilities→Java→Java 1.4.2 Plugin Settings [for Safari] or Applications→Utilities→Java→Java 1.3.1 Plugin Settings [for everything else]. However, the content of the Java Console goes by default in the System Console available in Applications→Utilities→Console.
- Windows/IE users
- Choose View → Java Console. If you do not see this choice, you must enable the Java Console
Note that if the Java Console has less than about fifteen lines, it is likely that one of the following has occurred:
- You did not get the Java Console following use of the applet (you must open a page with the applet if it is to write to the Java Console), or
- You mistakenly concluded that you do not have the Java 2 plug-in, but you actually do. In that case, you must follow the instructions above for Java 2 plug-in.
To copy the Java Console, highlight everything and copy it, then paste it where you want. (Normally you will want to paste it into an e-mail to technical support.) Under Windows, the copy key is Ctrl+C and the paste key is Ctrl+V. Under Macintosh, the copy key is Apple+C and the paste key is Apple+V.
Which audio formats are supported for uploading audio?
Audio formats supported for Oral Assessment Builder are:
- MP3: Mpeg 1, layer 3 at 44 kHz stereo,
- PCM/WAV 16bit at 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, and 44 kHz mono or stereo,
- Ogg Speex (NOT Ogg Vorbis) at 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, and 44 kHz mono or stereo,
- GSM/WAV at 8, 11, 16, 22, 32, and 44 kHz mono or stereo.
I use a pop-up ad blocker; does this impact the Voice Tools?
Yes, some pop-up add blockers may prevent your browser from opening some windows containing Voice Tools. For instance, some the Voice Direct archive window cannot be opened with the drop-down menu. Therefore, it is recommended to disable the pop-up add blocker software when you use Voice Tools.
Can I use Voice Tools behind a firewall?
Yes, Voice Tools passes through almost all corporate and personal firewalls.
Why does the applet take longer to load the first time?
What takes time is the downloading. Once the applet has been loaded, the browser caches it so that you don't have to download it again.
What is a signed applet?
An applet is a small computer program that runs inside a web browser. Because the program is often downloaded over the Internet, your web browser watches over the applet to make sure it doesn't do anything unusual. For an extra measure of security, Voice Tool applets are digitally signed, meaning that no one can forge Voice Tool's identity or alter an applet coming from the Voice Tools server.
Why do I get security warnings?
Voice Tools automatically downloads and installs all the software needed to run on your computer. In particular, Voice Tools download onto your computer a signed Java applet that has special permissions. Whenever applets with special permissions are downloaded on your computer (by Voice Tools or anyone else), you get notified with a security warning window. The security warning window indicates that the applet indeed comes from the Voice Tool server and not some third party that is pretending to be the Voice Tool. Nevertheless, you must still grant the computer permission to download and run the applet on your computer. If you don't choose "yes" or "grant", then you will not be able to hear or compose messages in Voice Boards. You can check "Grant Always " to avoid these security warnings in the future.
How can I avoid static while recording?
Obviously, you should record using a good quality microphone in a quiet setting. In addition, you should place the microphone a little below your mouth rather than right in front, otherwise the microphone will record the pressure of your breath.
Enabling the Java Console in Internet Explorer (under Windows)
In Internet Explorer the Java Console is turned off by default. To turn it on:
- Choose Tools → Internet Options.
- Choose the Advanced tab.
- About the fifth item down is "Activate Java Console". Make sure it's checked.
- Confirm (Ok) the settings and close the configuration window.
- Close all browser windows, then re-execute the browser.
- You should see View → Java Console now. (Reproduce the error, then get the Java Console. You must reproduce the error because it was lost when you closed the browser.)
Why does Wimba recommend Safari on the Mac?
On the Mac, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla, and Netscape use Java version 1.3.1. This version of Java is no more activelly supported by Apple. However, Apple's Safari browser uses Java version 1.4.2 that is latest version of Java. This version is actively supported by Apple.
Nothing here fixed my problem
Complete the on-line Contact Help form.
You must include the following information:
- your browser
- your operating system
| Voice Direct | Voice Email |
| Voice Board | Oral Assessment Builder |
| Voice Authoring | Administration |
To access a Voice Direct conference session, students are prompted to either enter a screen name or to type in a user ID and password. Which one should they use?
It is recommended that students type their first and last names in the screen name (top part of the user authentication screen) and click on the submit in the upper half of the screen.
Are the Voice Direct sessions audio only?
No. Each student has the ability to type text messages as well as send audio messages.
Can I archive Voice Direct chat sessions?
Yes. There are two ways to archive Voice Direct sessions. The first way is to have each Voice Direct conference session automatically archive as soon as it is launched. You can set this up by checking the automatic archive checkbox from the Voice Direct Options screen. Another way to archive a session is to select Start Archiving from the pull down menu in the upper left corner of the Voice Direct conference (arrow pointing down).
Can I listen to an entire archived chat session from beginning to end?
No. Each voice recording from each participant is stored as a separate audio file. You would need to listen to each of the individual recordings separately.
Can I regain control of the microphone during a chat session?
Yes. It is important to communicate to students how important it is for them to click on the X in the lower right corner of the Voice Direct conference screen. This will release the microphone for another student. If a student does not give up control of the microphone, you can highlight that student, right click on their name and select Give Microphone from the pull down menu. Select the name of the student who you want to have the microphone.
Some students are not able to access a Voice Direct chat session or they are not able to send audio, what can they do?
The first thing to do is to verify that they have successfully conducted a diagnostic test on their system. If their system passed the diagnostic, do they have a microphone? If so, they may just need to close and then re-access the Voice Direct conference.
How can my students record new audio blogs and how can they reply to existing blogs?
Students can record new audio blogs by selecting New in the upper left corner and then selecting the round record icon. They need to type a topic. To reply to an existing audio blog, the student will need to hightlight the audio blog he/she wants to reply to and then select Reply. The subject is automatically copied into the reply message. The student will then select the record icon in the upper right corner.
An audio voice recorder icon is displayed instead of an audio player icon. What should I do?
This is a common mistake. After you type in a name for the voice announcement in the MID field, and after you record your message, you need to select the Play a message link below the MID text box. This will display the audio player icon within a web page and not the audio recorder.
How can students reply to my email messages with recorded audio?
You need to make sure the "Allow reply" checkbox is checked when creating or editing your Voice Email.
Can students access oral assessments directly from within Blackboard or from within a course web site?
No. If you want to create oral assessments, students will have to log into Wimba at http://austincc.horizonwimba.com/austincc to access those assessments. They can not be linked to directly from within Blackboard or from within a course web site.
Do I need to create users and groups within Wimba if students link to Wimba's audio resources from within Bb or from with a course web page?
It depends on the audio resource. Students must have a Wimba account for Oral Assessments. They do not need a Wimba account to access a Voice Board, Voice Authoring announcement, Voice Email or Voice Direct conference.