WebCT Class Bulletin Board Instructions

    At the current time, the best Internet browser to see and use this class bulletin board is Microsoft's Internet Explorer or Mozilla's Firebird and Netscape.  You can check your browser's compatibility with the bulletin board by using the "browser check," a link on the right side of your login web page.  If your browser is not compatible, it is recommended that you use Internet Explorer for this part of the course.  Internet Explorer comes on all Windows based computers, so there should not be a compatibility problem, or extra expense, to use this class board.

    This "browser check" will also let you know if you have JAVA installed.  JAVA is a necessary free software program that must be installed to run this bulletin board.  If you do not have this program installed, there is a link later in these instructions that will direct you to the Sun Microsystems site (JAVA) where you can download and install this program.

When you first choose the link to the bulletin board from the Assignments page, you will see this page.  Select Mesa Community College.
When you select the Mesa Community College link to go to the bulletin board, the next page will look like this.  Select the Log In link.
The next screen will ask for your MCC e-mail username and password.
Once you have logged in, select your course bulletin board by clicking on the course name.  This name may not be the name of your specific section number, as 3 sections will be in the same bulletin board. The next screen you will see is below.

When you choose Create Message, the first editor that will appear is basically a "text only" editor, and since this is an English course that requires correct formatting of your writing, like indenting paragraphs, underlining titles of books, etc., you are not to use this editor.
When you select the HTML Creator editor, a JAVA program will launch the editor below.  If you do not have JAVA installed on your computer (most computers nowadays come with JAVA preinstalled), and this editor does not launch, then you must download and install JAVA so this editor will work.  You can download JAVA from the JAVA download site:  http://www.java.com/en/download/index.jsp This JAVA editor is a new program to WebCT and the main screen sometimes does not completely appear.  If the bottom of the editor does not appear, wiggle the slide bar on the right, and it will appear.
Basically I want most of your assignment writing completed in MS Word and then copied and pasted to this editor.  MS Word gives you more editing tools, and you can check the word count, spelling, etc. much easier.  When you finish all your editing, copy the writing in word and paste it in to this editor.  Put your last name and the assignment title in the subject line, and then select Post to add your assignment to the bulletin board. Class forum replies to other student's assignments can be written directly in to the JAVA editor.
Be aware that when you are on the bulletin board, and in a specific section (like BB1-Introductions) that you automatically see the first 10 entries.  To see entries that you have not read, you can click on the Unread button on the far top far right of the window.  Or, to see the second ten (page 2), click on the button at the bottom right of the window, and the second 102 will appear.  Click again, and the third page comes up, and so on.