Software Needs
To be successful in an online class, students needs to have access to some basic software programs. These programs are all free and will likely be required at some point during your course.
Microsoft Office
All students at College of the Desert have free access to Microsoft Office products via their MyCOD email account.
You can access your free Office suite via your email, use the cloud version, or download the product to your own, personal computer. All at no cost.
Adobe Reader
Many documents your instructor will post may be in a format called Portable Document Format, or PDF for short. This is a type of file that opens on PCs and Macs and does not require you to have a specific word processing program.
You can download Acrobat Reader for free.
ScreenPal and Techsmith Capture
Both ScreenPal ( formerly Screencast-o-matic) and Techsmith Capture (formerly Jing) allow you to capture your computer screen (and yourself). Sometimes instructors will require you to do an intro video or other project using one of these free tools.
You can download ScreenPal or Techsmith Capture for free!
College Buys
Students at California's community colleges have access to greatly reduced technology through CollegeBuys. Check out discounts on Adobe cloud and wifi you will need to be a successful college student.
