This is the Orientation Page for all of my Distance Learning Classes. Please read the entire page and follow the step-by-step instructions to complete your orientation. Thanks!

I will be teaching DL College Algebra for the spring 2011. All orientation for these courses must be completed by the first week of classes.                                                                                                                                                                                                  My mailing address is:                          My phone number:
                                                                                                            To: Austin Community College                  512.223.3286
                                                                                                                                   Attn: Paul M. Wright
                                                                                                                                   1212 Rio Grande
                                                                                                                                   Austin, TX 78701

Step 1 of the orientation process: Please submit the following information:
Name:
Which Distance Learning Course are you enrolled in?
What is your student ID number?
Email Address that you check at least once per day:
What is your daytime phone number?
What is your evening phone number?
What is the best phone number to contact you? (This will not be released without your permission)
What is your mailing address?
Have you attended ACC before? Yes
No
What is your declared major?
Are you currently taking classes at another university? Yes
No
If so, how many credit hours?
Please list other mathematics Courses you have taken and their outcomes.
Do you have high speed internet access? Yes
No
Students often request a phone list of students in their class to provide a peer support connection during the session for study groups, special projects, etc. If your instructor agrees to provide a class directory, please indicate what information (if any) you agree to have listed. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO RELEASE ANY INFORMATION. The information is only distributed to your class. Daytime number
Evening Number
Email Address
Mailing Address
No information may be released
Where do you have computer access?
Which Testing Center will you want to use for all of your exams?
Step 2: Next, read the technology requirements below:

    Operating system: Windows 2000, Window XP, Windows Vista, MacOSX 10.4, MacOSX 10.5
    Browser: Internet Explorer 6.0 (XP Only), Internet Explorer 7.9, Firefox 2, Firefox 3.5.2, Safari 3.1
    Internet connection: Cable/DSL, T1, or other high-speed for multimedia content; 56k modem (minimum) for tutorials, homework, and testing.
    Memory: 64 MB RAM minimum
    Monitor resolution: 1024 x 768 or higher
    Plug-ins:You need certain plug-ins and players from the MyMathLab Browser Check (found inside your course)
    Adobe Reader 9.1  (free)
    A graphing calculator (TI-83 recommended), or graphing software such as Winplot (free)

Step 3: Please access the link below for your particular course and very carefully read the syllabus. The first quiz will contain questions
             on  the orientation portion of the course, including the syllabus.

MATH 1314 College Algebra  26723 DIL 051

Course ID for MATH 1314 is wright36748

Exam schedule:

Exam I:   March 4-8, 2011         Written Homework 1
Exam II*: March 25-31, 2011    Written Homework 2
Exam III: April 17-24, 2011    Written Homework 3
Final Exam:  May 4-9, 2011    Written Homework 4


Step 4: Take a few minutes to go through Distance Learnng 101. There is also a recommended student resource page on the distance learning website.
The address is http://dl.austincc.edu/students/resources.html. 
Then if you are enrolled in one of the above listed courses, please examine the following sites and become familiar with how to navigate within them. 
Should you have any questions, please feel free to email me at pmwright@austincc.edu . To access information regarding your particular course,
use the links above.

Pretest Reviews
Learning Labs
 Testing Centers
Course Compass
ACC Home
ACC Math Dept

Step 5: In order to access MyMathLab, you must be registered at www.coursecompass.com  
1st two weeks of textbook for free!
Pearson Publishing Company is again providing electronic access to the first
part of the textbooks for MATD 0370 and MATH 1314  for students enrolled in one of these classes. 
(These are in PDF files. You need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print them.) 

This will enable students who do not purchase their books by the first day of
class to keep up with the work in the class until they can buy their books.
These portions cover about the first 10% of the course -- about two weeks of a
16-week class. No additional materials will be available on this website, so
students must purchase their books by the time they need additional chapters.The
link to access the first 2 chapters for all 4 courses is

http://www.austincc.edu/mthdept2/text/

The passwords are:
for MATH 1314:    acc1314
Step 6: Part of your grade for the course will involve class participation. The Discussion Board
in coursecompass will be our main method of communication. It is very important that you make use of the
Discussion Board and one of the best sites I have found that explains the uses and abuses of the Discussion Board
comes from one of my fellow D.L. faculty members, Marcus McGuff. Please take some time to read the guidelines
he has posted. I will participate in a manner similar to what he describes on his webpage.

Ok, I think you and I might be ready to get started on the course. Good luck. Check the announcements
page in coursecompass at least once every couple of days for any new updates or information.
Paul M. Wright