FAQs About WebCT Digital Content

Does an e-Pack have to be used with a textbook?
No, many instructors are using e-Packs independently of a textbook or as supplementary content for their course. It is important to evaluate the e-Pack you are considering to determine if its contents meet your needs. See the product description for each e-Pack or request a copy or demo to get an idea of its contents.

Does it cost an instructor anything to evaluate or adopt digital content?
No, instructors can review or use digital content at no cost, just like an examination or desk copy. To get a complimentary Access Code which will enable you to view your course as a student sees it, please contact your publisher representative. You will need a different WebCT ID for your student account as it is not possible to connect to a course as both designer and student with the same ID.

Please fill out the Faculty Assistant Form to request a fake student account.

Do instructors need to purchase an Access Code?
No, instructors do not need Access Codes in order to use an e-Pack as a designer, but it is often useful to have a student account to be able to view the course exactly as a student sees it. This is particularly useful if the instructor wants to take a quiz as a student.

How do I request a test Access Code?
To get a complementary Access Code which will enable you to view your course as a student sees it, please contact your publisher representative. You will need a different WebCT ID for your student account as it is not possible to connect to a course as both designer and student with the same ID.

Please fill out the Faculty Assistant Form to request a fake student account.

How do I find a WebCT e-Pack?
To see if your textbook has an e-Pack, go to http://www.webct.com and click on Digital Content selecting Instructors on the drop-down menu. At the top of the box on the right, select Search for e-Packs. At the next window do not input too much information to find an e-Pack. The WebCT search engine is very precise and does not suggest or guess if you are off even by a space, let alone a letter. Simply input the author's last name, or the exact title of the textbook, or the discipline. Type in only one search request item.

WebCT ePack Search Form

What steps do I follow to ensure successful e-Pack adoption?

  1. Fill out the Open Campus Planning Sheet on or before the due date for the upcoming semester/session and deliver it to your IDS. Please ensure that you have filled it out properly with e-Pack information.
  2. Please fill out the Faculty Assistant form and tell Open Campus staff that you will be using a new e-Pack for your upcoming course. Assistance can be provided if you require training.
  3. Contact your publisher sales representative to find out about textbooks and possible Access Codes for students.
  4. Contact your IDS about which textbooks are to be ordered through the bookstore. Confirm the bookstore has the textbook/Access Codes one week prior to the course start date.
  5. Prepare your course. Browse through your course becoming familiar with it. Customize your course to include your syllabus, course outline, calendar, announcements, discussion topics, quiz dates, assignments, and other information.
  6. Students are input by noon of the start date of your course.

How much do students pay for an Access Code?
The price of the Access Code, if there is one, can be included in the price of the textbook, or can be sold separately in the bookstore, or can be purchased by the student online at http://www.webct.com.

Can students get temporary access to an e-Pack without buying an Access Code?
With WebCT Campus Edition 4.1, students can request 15-day temporary access to an e-Pack. When a student first accesses your course a form will appear asking for the Access Code. (This is after the student has accessed using his/her RCC student User Name and Password.) At the bottom of the Access Code form there is a selection to request temporary access. The student will be able to access for 15-days.

Is WebCT compliant with Section 508 guidelines for accessibility?
WebCT is committed to the accessibility of our e-learning platforms. The WebCT User Community includes an increasing number of individuals with sensory, physical, or learning disabilities who rely on adaptive technologies as a gateway to information and education. Accommodation of learners of all needs helps increase the availability of high-quality educational experiences.
WebCT's e-learning systems are World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Priority 1 compliant and adhere to Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Are e-Packs compliant with Section 508 guidelines for accessibility?
The Content Alliances group at WebCT is actively working with all of our partners to ensure that the content they develop for use in WebCT is also address compliance with each of the components of the Section 508 guidelines. If you have questions about the compliance of a specific e-Pack, please contact WebCT.

Who owns the copyright on e-Packs?
An e-Pack arrives pre-loaded with copyrighted publisher content.

Can I delete or reorder the publisher's content in the e-Pack?
Yes. WebCT e-Packs are customizable and publishers expect that instructors who adopt e-Packs will add, delete and reorder the content so that it meets individual teaching and learning needs.

Must I retain the publisher's copyright notice on every page of the e-Pack?
The publisher's copyright notice must be retained provided that publisher's content appears on that specific page. However, as an instructor it is possible to insert notes and comments reflecting your own opinion about that content.

What if I add my own original content to an e-Pack?
An instructors who adopts an e-Pack and incorporates or uploads original content into an e-Pack will retain the intellectual property rights to that content.