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Getting Started Questions

Login Questions

Single Sign On 

Questions

FirstClass Setup Questions

Find out where you can get assistance if needed.    To troubleshoot any login problems, review the Login Questions.   

Students can automatically login to their courses on the Angel, Blackboard 7.3, Blackboard CE8 and Moodle systems via the ePortal. Review the Single Sign On Questions to troubleshoot problems.

 

Courses that are delivered on the FirstClass System have some unique setup requirements.  


Single Sign On Questions (Angel, Blackboard, Blackboard CE8 and Moodle)
FirstClass Setup Questions

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Getting Started Questions

What is OntarioLearn.com?

OntarioLearn.com is a consortium of 22 Ontario Community Colleges dedicated to developing and delivering online courses. Today, OntarioLearn.com offers more than 900 courses to thousands of online students each semester. For a list of partner colleges click here.


Whom do I contact if I have any technical problems?

Embanet Corporation is the Technical Service Provider for OntarioLearn.com.  The Embanet Technical Support Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you with any technical problems.  Telephone, email, online chat and FAQ links are all available at this site: 

http://www.ontariolearn.com/help/ 

Telephone: 416-494-5954 (Toll Free: 1-800-695-5008)


Whom do I contact if I have questions about my course?

Any inquiries regarding how to proceed with your course should be directed to your instructor.  Once you have accessed your course on Angel, Blackboard 7.3, FirstClass, Moodle or Blackboard CE8, you should see a "Welcome message or Announcement" as well as other relevant "start-up" information from your instructor.  Review this information.  If you have any questions, send a message to the Discussion/Communication area of your course.  Here, your instructor and fellow classmates can respond to you.


What is the OntarioLearn ePortal?

The OntarioLearn ePortal is the "gateway" for your online learning journey.  It serves 3 important purposes:  

1)  To link you to the course platform that your course will be delivered through.
2) To provide an avenue to communicate with our students regardless of the course platform that the courses are delivered through.
3) To link you to important information regarding services and resources that you may need throughout the semester.

Students who are registered in an OntarioLearn course can login to their ePortal account and immediately link to their registered courses.  Students will receive regular announcements from their registering college. Reminders about final exam schedules, obtaining their final marks as well as other special events will be posted regularly throughout the semester. The ePortal also links students to important information that they may need to refer to throughout the term.  Everything is now in one place.  


Where is my course?

To find your course, login to the OntarioLearn ePortal.  In the "My Courses" section you will see a list of course(s) that you are registered in.  OntarioLearn courses are delivered on 5 different platforms (Angel, Blackboard 7.3, Blackboard CE8, FirstClass, or Moodle).  Depending on the platform your course is delivered on, you may be required to download and install software or simply click on the course title to access the platform.  Below is a brief summary of access procedures for each platform:

FirstClass If your course is delivered on the FirstClass system you are required to download and install the FirstClass Client software before attempting your initial login. Instructions are posted online.  After the FirstClass Client software is installed on your computer, you can simply click on your course title in the "My Courses" area for all subsequent login attempts.  

Angel

Blackboard

Blackboard CE8

Moodle

If your course is delivered on the  Angel, Blackboard 7.3Blackboard CE8, or Moodle system, you can click on the course title "My Courses" area to automatically connect to the course platform.  

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Login Questions

I am unable to login to the OntarioLearn ePortal.  What should I do?

Access is not granted until your course start date. Please verify the course start date information that was provided by your Registering College.  The Winter 2010 semester courses start on Friday January 15, 2010.  Monthly-intake courses start on the first business day of each month.  Please attempt your login then.

 

Accounts are activated daily throughout the registration period. If your course has already started and if you registered very recently, your account activation may not yet have been processed.  Please allow at least 1 to 2 days for your registration to be processed and your account to be activated.  If after a few days you are still unable to login please contact Embanet Technical Support and we will investigate.

 

Please verify that you are entering your username and password correctly.  Please review the Username and Password areas for additional information. If you are unsure about your username configuration please contact Embanet Technical Support for assistance.


The course title in the "My Courses" area is not exactly the same title used at my Registering College.  How can I be sure I am in the correct course?

There are situations in which courses delivered through OntarioLearn.com have been granted equivalency status with an existing course at a Registering College.  When this happens, it is possible that the course title used by your Registering College may be different from the course title assigned by the OntarioLearn.com Host College.   Be sure to review your confirmation letter/information from your Registering College and look for any reference to the Host College course code. Your Registering College course code and the Host College course codes are listed within the "My Courses" area on your ePortal desktop. 

 

In the event you have been added to the wrong course, please contact the Embanet Technical Support Team for assistance or the OntarioLearn Coordinator at your college.


I took a course last semester and my UserID and password is not working.  What should I do?

New accounts are generated each semester/intake.  If you have taken courses through OntarioLearn.com in previous terms please review the UserID and Password information. Your UserID will be the same configuration but your password has been reset. 


I have registered for multiple online courses.  When I log in to the OntarioLearn ePortal I do not see all of my courses listed in the "My Courses" area. What should I do? 

If you registered very recently for your additional course, your registration may not yet have been processed.  Please allow 1 to 2 days for your registration to be processed and your additional course to be added to your ePortal account.   If after a few days you still do have see your missing course please contact Embanet Technical Support and we will investigate.

 

Please verify the course start date information that was provided by your Registering College.  Access is not granted until your course start date. 

 

Please review the access information provided to you by your Registering College. Many colleges have online courses that do not run through OntarioLearn.  In these cases, you would have been given different access information.


I am registered in multiple courses.  Am I required to login to each course separately?

If all of your courses are delivered from the same platform, you only need to login to the platform once to access your courses.  If your courses are delivered on different platforms, you will need to connect to each platform to access your courses.


After I have established my connection to my course platform, do I need to keep my ePortal window open?

No - the ePortal is an access route to your courses.  You may close your ePortal page after you have established your connection to your course platform.  You may return to your ePortal page at anytime to access other resources, read announcements or connect to other courses you may be registered in.


What is the difference between my ePortal login and platform login?

All students who have registered for an OntarioLearn course will have an OntarioLearn ePortal account.  Your "ePortal" login is your primary login.  OntarioLearn courses are delivered on 5 different platforms (Angel, Blackboard, BlackboardCE8, FirstClass, or Moodle). Your course platform information will be indicated in beside the course title in the "My Courses" area within the OntarioLearn ePortal. To access your course you will be required to connect to the platform.  The platform login is your secondary login. 

 

If you are registered in a course on Angel, Blackboard, BlackboardCE8 or Moodle  system, the ePortal single sign on process will retrieve your secondary login information and automatically connect you to your platform where you can access your course.  

 

If you are registered in a course on the FirstClass system you will be required to enter your secondary login information. 

Your Username will always be the same for your ePortal login.

Your initial Password will be the same for your ePortal login.  

 

If you have changed your password within the FirstClass system, you must use your new password for all subsequent login attempts.


How do I change my OntarioLearn ePortal account password?

For security purposes, all users are required to change their OntarioLearn ePortal account password as soon as they make their initial connection to the system.
Changing your OntarioLearn ePortal password:
  1) Login to the OntarioLearn ePortal and click on [Update Profile] at the top of the screen. 
2)  Enter your new password and re-enter it in the "verify password" area. 
  3) Click "Update User Information" to save the change. 
  4) To exit the [Update Profile] area, select [ Main] at the top of the screen. 

You need to [Logout] of the OntarioLearn ePortal for your new password to take affect.

 REMEMBER: 
• Write down your new password and use your new password for all subsequent login attempts. 
• Choose a new password you can easily remember. 


I changed my ePortal password and I am no longer able to log in to the OntarioLearn ePortal. What should I do?

Try the initial password "newone" again.  It may be the case that your new ePortal password information was not saved.  

If you have forgotten your "new" ePortal password, please contact the Embanet Technical Support team for assistance to re-set your password.  Please be sure to indicate if it is your ePortal password that needs to be reset.


I have forgotten my new password. What should I do?

Contact the Embanet Technical Support  team for assistance.  The Embanet Technical Support team is available 24 hours per day, 7  days a week to assist you.  They will confirm your registration information and can reset your password.


Can I change my password on my course platform?  

Yes - you can change the password information directly on the platform system that your course is delivered on to include additional password security.  Instructions to change the password on each platform are detailed below.

PLEASE NOTE:   If you change your platform password, you also need to enter your new password in the “Advanced LMS Details” section within your ePortal Profile area. This will synchronize your passwords and allow you to automatically connect to the platform  from the OntarioLearn ePortal. If your password information is not synchronized the single sign on functionality will not work. You will be required to enter your platform userid/password information separately. 

ANGEL  

1) Login to the Angel system and click on "Preferences icon" on the left side of the screen + "Change Password".
2) Enter your old password, new password and confirm the new password. Click "OK" to save the change.

Blackboard  

7.3

1) Login to the Blackboard 7.3 system and click on "Personal Information" on the left side of the screen + "Change Password".
2) 

Enter your new password and verify the password and click "Submit" to save the change.


Blackboard CE8 

1) Login to the Blackboard CE8 system and click on "My Settings" at the top of the screen + "Change Password".
2) 

Enter your new password and verify the password and click "SAVE".


1) Login to the FirstClass system and click on "Collaborate"  at the top of the screen + "Change Password" 
2) 

Enter your old password, new password and re-type password and click OK to save the change.


 Moodle 

1) Login to the Moodle system and click on "Profile" at the top of the screen + "Change Password".
2) Enter your new password and verify the password and click "Save Changes".

CAUTION:  You must use your NEW password for all subsequent login attempts. 

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Single Sign On Questions

What is the Single Sign On?

Prior to the implementation of the Single Sign on (SSO) functionality, all students and faculty were required to login to their OntarioLearn ePortal (primary login) to access their course list and then login to their platform (secondary login) to access their course.   The implementation of the SSO process eliminates the need for students and faculty to enter their secondary login details for courses that are delivered on Blackboard 7.3, Blackboard CE8, Angel and Moodle.

 

The user must be logged into their ePortal account and select a course from the “My Courses” area to enable the SSO. The SSO opens a new browser window and automatically connects the user to their platform via the OntarioLearn.com ePortal. 

 

In the event that the SSO fails or the user's secondary password information is no longer synchronized, the user is presented with the platform login screen where they can manually enter their secondary login details to access their course.  Review the Troubleshooting Tips for additional information.

 

PLEASE NOTE:  The SSO functionality is only applicable to the web based platforms including: Blackboard 7.3, Blackboard CE8, Angel and Moodle. It is not applicable to FirstClass.  FirstClass users must continue to enter their secondary login information.


I have logged into my OntarioLearn ePortal account but I get a second login screen when trying to connect to my course.  What should I do?

If you are registered in a course on  Angel, Blackboard 7.3, Blackboard CE8 or Moodle system, the ePortal single sign on process should retrieve your secondary login information and automatically connect you to your platform where you can access your course.  Failure to automatically connect to the platform may be due to your web browser settings, a slow connection speed or an issue where your password is no longer synchronized with the platform password.  For more information please review the Troubleshooting Tips.  

 

You can manually enter your secondary login information to connect to your platform at anytime.  


What is my secondary login information?

You can manually enter your secondary login information to connect to your platform at anytime.  To enter your secondary login information:

   Enter your  Username  (same configuration as your ePortal account)

   Enter your Password  (the secondary password will be the word newone)  


I am receiving a pop-up blocker message when trying to connect to my course.  How do I turn off the pop-up blocker or allow pop ups from the platform site?

Below are a few of the popular pop-up blocking software options and possible workarounds to disable the feature within each system.

Internet Explorer  Open Internet Explorer and click on the "Tools" menu.  Select "Pop-up Blocker" and select "Turn Off Pop-up Blocker".  To turn the Pop-Up Blocker back on, you can go back and recheck the entry to re-enable
the Pop-Up Blocker.
Google Toolbar
If you have a Google Toolbar, look for the pop-up blocker icon and click the icon. 
You should see the following icon indicating pop-ups are allowed. To turn the Pop-up blocker back on, click the icon again.  
Firefox TBA
Safari TBA
Other  Some pop-up blockers may be in place due to your internet service provider.  Please contact the Embanet Technical Support Team  for assistance.

Please note:  Once you have configured Pop-up Blocking, information may still be blocked on the Web site. This may be because the Web site information is being stored in your Web browser's cache. You may need to clear the cache for the changes to work.

 


Single Sign On Troubleshooting Tips

Possible Problem  Suggested Solution
Pop-up blockers Turn off your browser pop up blocker OR allow pop ups from the specific platform site.
Check for a pop-blocker within your web browser or toolbars such as Google, MSN, Yahoo. 
Slow connection speed The SSO functionality will timeout and re-direct to the user to the platform login screen if a connection is not established within 30 seconds. Manually enter your secondary login information to access the platform.
The user has changed their platform password. 

If you have changed your platform account password your password may no longer be synchronized between the ePortal and the platform causing the SSO function to fail. You can manually enter your secondary login information to access the platform OR you can update the ePortal with your new platform password information to enable the SSO for all future connections. 

 

To synchronize your passwords to enable the single sign on function: 

1) Connect to the OntarioLearn ePortal (www.ontariolearn.com + login).
2) Select [Update Profile] located at the top of the screen on your ePortal desktop and click on the Show Advanced LMS Details link. 
3) Enter your new platform password, verify your new password and click [Update Password] to save your changes. Click [OK]. Your passwords are now synchronized.
4) Click [Main] at the top of the screen to return to your ePortal desktop.  Click on the course title located in the “My Courses” area to connect to your platform.

 

Contact the Embanet Technical Support team for assistance to re-set your passwords and re-enable the SSO.

My course is delivered on FirstClass 

If you are registered in a course on the FirstClass system you will be required to enter your secondary login information.  The SSO is only applicable to the web-based systems.

   Enter your  Username  (same configuration as your ePortal account)

   Enter your Password  (the secondary password will be the word newone)  

*  If you changed your FirstClass password, you need to use your new FirstClass password.  

The user has multiple accounts and the SSO is only allowing access to one account. If you are attempting to re-connect to a system or if you have multiple accounts, the previous secondary login information may be still be in memory.  Be sure to Logout of the previous platform session and close ALL web browser windows to officially end your original session and then re-attempt your connection.
NEED HELP?  Please remember that the Embanet Technical Support Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if you require any assistance connecting to your course.

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FirstClass Setup Questions


How do I know if my course is delivered on the FirstClass system?

When you login to the OntarioLearn ePortal, you will see all of your course(s) listed in the "My Courses" area. Beside each course title, you will see the platform information for that course. If the course is delivered on FirstClass you will be required to download and install the FirstClass Client software before attempting your initial login. Click on the "FirstClass Download" link that is located on your ePortal desktop for additional instructions.

If your course is delivered on other platforms, the FirstClass Setup Questions are not relevant to you.


I am taking two courses this semester and both courses are delivered in FirstClass.  Will I have to download and install the FirstClass software more than once?

No.  If you have registered for more than one course and all of your courses are to be delivered through the Embanet FirstClass system, it is not necessary to repeat the download and install process. You should see an icon for each course on your FirstClass desktop as soon as you login to FirstClass.


I have already changed my ePortal account password.  Does this automatically change my FirstClass password?

No - Once you establish your initial connection to the FirstClass system you can change your FirstClass password. Your initial FirstClass password will be the word "newone". 

To change your FirstClass password follow these steps:

1) Login to the FirstClass system and click on "Collaborate" at the top of the screen + "Change Password" 
2) Enter your old password, new password and re-type password and click OK to save the change.


How can I setup the FirstClass auto login so that I do not need to enter my userid and password?

To enable the FirstClass Auto Login 

1) Login to the OntarioLearn ePortal and click on your FirstClass “course title” located in the “My Courses” area on the ePortal desktop.  
2)  Click on the “setup” button that appears on the FirstClass login screen. Enter your "FirstClass" userID and password. 
3)  Place a checkmark to enable the "Log in automatically" feature and select Save.
You can disable the Auto log in feature at any time by going back to the Setup area on the FirstClass login screen.

PLEASE NOTE: Please be aware that the Auto Login will also apply to any FirstClass Embanet shortcut icons that appear on your computer desktop or menu. If you are sharing a computer or are concerned about others accessing your FirstClass account, then you may want to re-consider using the Auto Login feature.


Am I required to download and install the Embanet FirstClass system if I have taken a course on FirstClass in previous semesters?

If you have FirstClass version 9.1 installed in your computer, you are not required to download and install the software again. Simply "login" to your course using your userID and initial password.  If you have a previous version of FirstClass installed on your computer please re-download and install the software to be able to take advantage of the many enhancements.  

To verify which version of FirstClass you have installed on you computer, choose Help + About FirstClass Client when you are logged into FirstClass.


What is the FirstClass Web login?

A link to the FirstClass web login will appear on your ePortal desktop if your course is delivered on the FirstClass system.  Although the navigation and look is very different than the FirstClass Client version, you are still able to access your course material, check your mail, and download files.


The FirstClass Web Login will be of use to students who want to access their FirstClass account from another computer that does not have the FirstClass Client software installed.  A great feature for anyone who travels regularly or wants to check-in to their FirstClass account while at work.   Users who encounter problems downloading the Embanet FirstClass software can also use the FirstClass web login to temporarily access their course while they get assistance from Embanet Technical Support to resolve the download problem.  

 

CAUTION:  Please download and install the "FirstClass Client software" when possible. The Chat feature is not always available to users through the FirstClass Web Login. Please advise your instructor if you are affected by this limitation.


My computer operating systems is Windows ME.  It is not listed as one of the FirstClass downloads.  What should I do?

Windows ME is not compatible with the FirstClass Client software. Windows ME users should use the FirstClass WEB login to access their FirstClass courses. The navigation and look is very different through the FirstClass Web Login. A link to the FirstClass Web Login appears on the ePortal desktop.

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