Accessing Classroom
You can access the Adobe Connect room your instructor has set up via a link within your Moodle course. If it is not immediately apparent, your instructor will clarify which link to click.
You will access a login page once you click the link. You do not need to input a username and password. You only need to select the Enter as a Guest option and input your full name. Then, simply click the Enter Room button and you will enter the Adobe Connect meeting.
Audio Setup Wizard
The Audio Setup Wizard guides you through the setup and automated tuning of audio device settings. If the audio does not work properly, the wizard offers help with troubleshooting tips.
First, you will need to choose the way your computer connects to the audio in your Adobe Connect meeting. For instance, if you plan to use a headset with a microphone, plug the device into your computer. Click Meeting and then Audio Setup Wizard to check audio settings.
The wizard guides you through four steps that test your speakers, select a microphone, and optimize the audio. You may see a Flash Player settings box asking for permission to use your camera and microphone if you have never used Adobe Connect before. Selecting Remember will skip this prompt in the future. If you don’t plan to speak in the course, the host may not enable your audio. Therefore, you may not get a chance to use your microphone even if it works. Use the Help button at any point if the audio does not work as expected.
Speaker Icon Button
Your speaker icon will become green if your speakers provide sound from the meeting. To mute the audio from the meeting, click the green speaker button or click the drop-down arrow next to the speakers. Mute My Speakers eliminates all sound from your speakers.
The speaker drop-down menu also has an option to Adjust Speaker Volume within the meeting. Use this option if you prefer louder or softer audio, although you may need to adjust the master volume settings on your computer as well.
Microphone Icon Button
Your instructor may allow you to use the microphone during the class to allow you to speak in the classroom. When this happens, a microphone icon will appear in your menu bar next to the speaker icon button to alert you that you have had Voice Rights Granted. Click the white microphone icon to enable your microphone so you can speak in the meeting; the microphone will become green. Your microphone is live once the icon becomes green; at this point you are broadcasting sound in the meeting.
Click the green icon so that the image changes to show a line through the microphone to mute yourself. Use your best judgment in the meeting with regard to the mute button; likely, you will want to keep yourself muted any time you are in the meeting and not speaking. This is most courteous to your fellow classmates, as your microphone is likely powerful enough to broadcast all ambient noise in your surroundings.
Raise Hand/Status Icon Button
The Raise Hand icon allows you to electronically raise your hand in the meeting, alerting your instructor that you have a question. Simply click the Raise Hand icon to activate this option.
To use the other status icons in Adobe Connect, click the drop-down arrow next to the Raise Hand icon and select an icon from the following options: Agree, Disagree, Step Away, Speak Louder, Speak Softer, Speed Up, Slow Down, Laughter, and Applause. The appropriate icon will then appear next to your name in the attendees pod list, which allows other room attendees to see your status.
If you select an option above the line such as Agree or Step Away, your status remains until you choose Clear Status. If you choose an option below the line such as Speed Up or Applause, your status automatically clears itself after a few seconds.
Help Button
The Help button is located to the far right of the menu bar, which contains links to a number of resources, including troubleshooting tips, Connect basics, and keyboard shortcuts. A link to Check System Status is also available. A page appears with a report on the Adobe Connect system. If you think the system does not work, you can verify if any known issues that exist.
Attendees Pod
This pod lists attendees by role—host, presenter, or participant— and allows you to see who has speaking rights (indicated by a microphone to the right of the user’s name) and when someone is speaking. Hovering over a user’s name allows you to open a private chat with that user.
To change your view of this pod and see the status of the users in the meeting, select the box on the right with the icon of the head and shoulders of a person. This displays information about any participant who has a raised hand, agreed, disagreed, or stepped away status.
Click the Pod Options button in the top right corner of the pod to change how your name appears in the meeting; select Edit My Info. A new box will appear with a field for you to edit your name. Select OK to save.
Chat Pod
The chat feature allows multiple windows in a single pod, tiled across the bottom of the pod. Initially, you will only see a chat labeled Everyone, and as you add additional chats, they will appear to the right of your Everyone chat. You may open a separate chat window for each user or have one chat addressing a role (i.e., hosts or presenters).
By using the Pod Options button in the top right corner of the chat pod, you can elect to show time stamps in the chat, change your chat color, or increase the text size in the chat. For easy reading, choose a size 12 or 13 font for chatting.
Simply enter text in the long rectangular field to type a message in the chat pod; to publish your text to the room, click the enter or return key, or select the button with the chat bubble. The window blinks yellow when you receive a new message in a chat window, but does not give an audio alert.
Use the Pod Options button in the top right corner of the chat pod to see other chat options. Click the Start Chat With option to begin a private chat with any hosts, presenters, or other attendees in the meeting; select the group or person with whom you would like to chat privately. Click Text Size or My Chat Color to change your text size or chat color; select one of the available options. Clicking Help will direct you to the Adobe Connect resource page on chat in meetings.
Share Pods
Your instructor uses this pod to share any content within the class. Unless an instructor has given you a presenter role, you will only have access to view what is being shared in a share pod. There are two exceptions: A shared PowerPoint presentation or a screen share.
When the instructor shares a PowerPoint presentation, he or she may “unsync” it to allow you to review the presentation at your own pace. If the instructor does this, you will receive controls within the share pod to move the presentation forward or backward, play any audio in the presentation, and play the presentation slides automatically.
The instructor may give you the capability to share your screen with the rest of the class. If so, you will see a box appear at the bottom of the Connect meeting asking you to agree to share your screen. You have the option of sharing your entire desktop, a single application, or a single window. Your instructor may also request control of your screen to provide aid. You may choose to allow that control or not.
Note: If you will be using screen-share features, you will need either the desktop application or the browser add-in. The Adobe Connect Desktop Application can be downloaded here – https://helpx.adobe.com/adobe-connect/connect-downloads-updates.html. Desktop Application usage instructions can be found here: http://kblearn.wpengine.com/adobe-connect-desktop-application/
Breakout Sessions
If your instructor moves you to a breakout session, you will notice a black box that appears in the top right corner of your meeting window titled Breakouts, which explains the breakout session. You will notice that you have been granted presenter sharing rights and audio rights within that breakout session.
You can contact the meeting host by typing a message in the field provided at the bottom of the attendees pod. This field reads Send message to host; you will type and send your message the same way as you do in chat. This pop-up message will alert the host of your question or concern.
You will have the ability to share content from your own computer with the other participants in the breakout room, either via uploading it or using the Share My Screen tool. When you share content in the share pod, participants see your pointer move in the share pod window. Participants have the ability to view all activities you perform in a shared window, application, or document.
Share Your Screen
1. Click the Share My Screen button in the share pod.
2. In the Start Screen Sharing dialog, choose how you would like to share your screen:
a. Desktop: Share all applications on your desktop.
b. Windows: Choose specific, already open windows to share.
c. Applications: Share one or more applications along with related windows.
3. Click Share after selecting your desired option.
4. An Adobe Connect icon appears in your system tray (Windows) or your toolbar (Mac and Linux) while you share your screen. Click on this icon to view a menu where you can stop sharing or access other available options.
Note: If you choose to share your entire desktop, reducing the number of applications running that use bandwidth will provide a better experience for the attendees.
Share Documents
1. Click the right arrow beside Share My Screen and select Share Document.
2. Click Browse My Computer to select a file from your system. In the browse dialog, locate the PowerPoint (PPT or PPTX) presentation you would like to share and click Open. The program automatically uploads and converts the file.
3. The file will appear in the share pod after being converted. Use the Next and Previous controls to navigate through your presentation.
Note: You can also follow these steps to share other supported file types, including image files (JPG or PNG), video files (FLV), flash files (SWF), and MP3 audio files. The following file extensions are not supported in Share My Screen or Share Document function: DOC, XL and CSV.
Students may use and control audio and webcam sharing within breakout rooms. You can find directions on how to use audio above. You can click the webcam icon in the menu bar to access your webcam. Adobe Flash may prompt you for permission. After granting permission, a webcam video preview appears. If you are happy with the preview, click Start Sharing to share your video with all participants.
Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions
| Problem | Solution |
| I cannot join the meeting. | 1. Enter the meeting as a guest user by entering your first and last name in the guest field. 2. Click the help link on the meeting login page. This takes you to the test meeting connection page, where you can verify that your computer meets all necessary requirements. The page will give you further instructions if you do not pass the test. 3. Make sure your browser’s pop-up blocker is not blocking your meeting window. 4. You may be using a proxy server. To resolve this in Internet Explorer, select Tools > Internet Options > Advanced tab. Then enable the setting “use HTTP 1.1 through proxy connections.” Then, clear your cookies, close all browser windows, and attempt to re-enter the meeting. |
| I cannot hear any audio. | 1. Verify that your computer speakers are turned on and your computer’s volume is set at an audible level. 2. Check to ensure you have not muted the meeting audio (check that the speaker icon is still green). |
| I cannot speak in the meeting. | 1. Verify that you have been granted speaking rights (check if the microphone icon appears in you menu bar at the top). 2. Select the audio setup wizard to determine microphone functionality. |
| I have been granted rights to speak, but no one can hear me. | If you have trouble sharing your voice, try the following:1. Make sure your computer microphone is not muted. 2. Run through the audio setup wizard. Select Meeting > Audio Setup Wizard. The wizard guides you through five steps to tune your computer for optimal VoIP. You may have elected to deny the Flash Player access to your computer’s microphone. To verify this, right-click in the meeting window and choose Settings to view your Flash Player settings. Choose Allow in the dialog box. |
| The host is sharing his or her screen, but it is fuzzy. | If you have trouble seeing a host’s screen, try the following:1. Click the Full Screen button on the top of the share pod. 2. View the full resolution. Go to the pod options menu in the top right-hand corner of the pod, and select Change View > Zoom In. |
| A student dropped from class. | 1. Verify your Internet connection. 2. Check if the meeting host has closed the meeting. |
| The audio is echoing. | 1. Verify that you have muted your microphone. 2. Check if you have two sessions open at the same time. |