What is 508 compliance? Also, is ETUDES NG "blind friendly."

Section 508 outlines guidelines for complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) federal law. Yes, ETUDES-NG is quite accessible and compliant, and is getting better with every release.

I am creating modules and section content. I changed the title modules to units. Will modules or units show up on the left navigation bar?

The decision has been made that the default name of the left navigation button will always be "Modules" irrespective of what each instructor decides to call their content modules. This is to ensure consistency from course to course and will be less confusing for students. I.e., content will always be found by clicking on the Modules button.

Do all modules need to contain sections? I only have a little bit of information for one module?

You probably noticed that when you created the module in your practice site that there in no place to add content until you created some sections. So you would have to have at least 1 section for your content.

When I author and publish a module in NG, who will be able to access it? I.e. if someone goes to Google and enters the keywords I designated, will they hit on my page?

This is a secure environment. Only registered students and guests that you add to your course site have access to your materials - no matter what license you choose. Google will not return pages behind these password-protected sites, nor would they be accessible without userid's and password.

The idea of the license is so that your students and visitors to your site know your terms of use of your materials, and if you choose to export and share your content with others, they, too, know how you wish to make your content available to others.

Under Modules I'd like to include modules that don't say Module X for my syllabus: getting started information, instructions on downloading software, and things like that. I want to reserve the labels Module X for the lesson that goes with week X. I'd especially like to include a getting started module before Module 1.

You may want to use the syllabus tool for your syllabus, getting started etc. rather than the Modules tool. This way your syllabus will appear as "syllabus" button on the left hand menu making it more readily accessible to students.

Or another option is to name Module One: "Week 1: Getting Started" under which you have several sections with policies, deadlines, tips on browsers, etc.

What is the meaning of Creative Common License and the Fair Use Exception used in the license section of the Module development?

There is a question mark icon next to the drop down menu where you select a license. Click on the icon to learn about the difference licenses.

Why do we need the Assignment tool when the Module sets up all of the assignments?

The Module tool is for content/lessons, not for assignments. Students cannot author nor submit anything in the modules area. It is strictly for content, resources, lecture notes, etc. The Modules tool does not include a place for students to submit work and neither does it have grading capabilities, due dates, etc.

You really want to keep your assignments out of there and in the Assignments tool where students can type or submit their work as attachments. The Assignments tool allows you to grade student work and return it to them.

1/26/06