Using help menus or contacting technical support

If you need help with the course platform used to deliver your online course materials, use the help menu within the course platform. First click the help link, which is usually located in the upper right corner of the screen or in the main course menu. A help page will appear, giving you a variety of options for getting help, such as tutorials, handouts, and toll-free technical support phone numbers.

If you can’t get the help you need by using the tools available on the course platform, your school’s distance education office or educational technology office might be able to offer assistance. Most offices have staff available during regular business hours to answer students’ questions, and some even offer special workshops or tutorials to help students with common concerns.

If you exhaust these resources and still can’t find the help you need, you can ask your instructor for guidance. Remember, however, that your instructor’s responsibility is to teach in his or her area of expertise—English composition or literature, for example—not to teach you how to use your computer.

Contact information for technical support

Related topics:

Attending workshops or visiting the computer lab

Asking your instructor or peers for help

Visiting your school’s writing center—on campus or online