Through the Office of Online Curriculum and Instruction, Oakton offers several types of distance learning courses, with online and hybrid being two main categories. Success in distance learning courses calls for a high level of motivation and the ability to work independently. Online courses are delivered via the Internet and require the use of a computer with high-speed Internet access.
- Students may be required to come to campus for testing at the Testing Center; in other circumstances, exams and quizzes may be taken online. If travel to campus is required but poses difficulties, arrangements can usually be made for off-site proctored testing.
- All student services are available to distance learning students remotely and in person at either campus, including the Office of Advising, Transitions and Student Success, the Library and the Bookstore.
- Online anytime and hybrid courses offer students the flexibility of studying each week at a schedule, place and time convenient for them, but require as much or more work than other types of courses.
For more information, contact the Office of Online Curriculum and Instruction at 847.635.1971, onlinelearning@oakton.edu, or visit www.oakton.edu/academics/distance-and-online-learning/.
Online Courses
Online Live
Online live courses are similar to in-person courses, except that they meet virtually at scheduled times using Zoom, Google Meet or Big Blue Button. Course materials and additional activities and assessment are located in a learning management system (LMS). Students can access the LMS through www.oakton.edu.
Online Anytime
Students enrolled in online anytime courses do not need to log into their courses at the same time each week, but may access their courses at any time via a learning management system (LMS), accessed via www.oakton.edu. Through lectures, online communication, discussion forums, videos, web conferencing and chat sessions, faculty and students experience the interaction found in the classroom or through online live courses.
Hybrid Courses
Hybrid courses combine in-person and online instruction, reducing class time on campus. Classes meet regularly each week, but online activities typically make up about half of the course time.
Technology Support for Online Learners
WiFi Hotspots and/or Chromebooks
Mobile WiFi hotspots and/or Chromebooks are available to students enrolled in credit classes to assist in their remote learning. For more information and to borrow equipment, contact the IT help desk at 847.635.1965 or helpdesk@oakton.edu.
Recommended Hardware/Software Requirements
For a rich learning experience free of technical issues, online students should have access to a computer with the following hardware and software requirements:
Screen Size
- A minimum of 1024 x 600
Operating Systems
- Microsoft® Windows® 7 or newer
- Mac OSX 10.6 or latest
- Linux chrome OS
Mobile Operating System Native App Support
- iOS X or newer
- Android 10 or latest
Computer Speed and Processor
- Use a computer 4 years old or newer
- 1 GB of RAM
- 2 GHz processor
- 100 GB of Hard drive
Internet Speed, Software, and Email
- Broadband, wireless high-speed internet connection such as DSL or cable
- Email account
- Internet Browser such as Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Google Chrome
- Basic software applications, such as Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office 365 is available for free download to enrolled students with an Oakton email address (or any educational institution email address).
- Adobe Acrobat Reader
- Up-to-date antivirus program
Assistive Technology Software
- Kurzweil 3000 for Windows or Mac. Reads the web for Chrome or Firefox. Has other useful features.
- JAWS for Windows 7 and newer. Works with the latest versions of Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Internet Explorer 11, Edge, Firefox and Google Chrome.
- NVDA for Windows 7 and newer. Supports for latest version of Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft Office.
- VoiceOver for Mac. Use VoiceOver to read text on a Mac computer. Can be used to edit in Grade 2 Braille and provides greater control while using a Mac.