Troubleshooting Common Desire2Learn Questions
Our e-mail address is onlinehelp@southcentral.edu - we will answer password questions through email within 24 hours Monday through Friday and on Mondays for those questions that come in over weekends.
If you need your Student ID number or have other Student Services requests, please call our Student Affairs Office directly (North Mankato campus at 800-722-9359 or 507-389-7220; Faribault campus at 800-422-0391 or 507-332-5824).
Desire2Learn Questions
If you have more in depth Desire2Learn questions you can consult the MnSCU D2L Support Services (http://d2l.custhelp.com) for assistance.
Logging In for the First Time
Internet Explorer 6.0 is the recommended browser if you are using a Windows computer. Firefox 2.0 is recommended for Mac OS x computers. For a complete list of supported browsers and other computer requirements, visit the Browser & System Requirements page.
Determine your Desire2Learn ID:
Desire2Learn ID
This is your SCC 8-digit Student ID (including the leading zeros).
Example :
00012345
PASSWORD
This is initially set to your birth date in the
YYMMDD format.* In some cases South Central Online does not have birth date information and will use the last 6 digits of your social security number as the initial password.
You will be required to create a new password the first time you log into Desire2Learn.
Example :
The initial password for a person born on 5/20/1987 would be 870520.
- Point your browser to https://southcentral.ims.mnscu.edu/
- You will see the Desire2Learn Log In Screen.
- Enter your Desire2Learn Username and Password . Click the Log in button.
You should now see your "My Home" page. Locate the "My South Central College Courses" widget on the middle of the page.
Click on the + to the left of the current term (example 20091 - Summer 2008) to expand that term. Then click on the + to the left of the department(s) (example English) listed beneath the term to expand that department, click the linked course title(s) to open your course(s). See the example image below with the term and department expanded.
Now you can access and view your course content, assignments, quizzes, discussions and grades.
Note: If you received an ERROR at Log in, try again. if you continue to have problems please report these to South Central Online Help. If you have changed your password and forgotten the new password, we can reset it for you. To do this, email us at OnlineHelp@southcentral.edu.
Browsers
A variety of web browsers will work for accessing your courses in Desire2Learn. However, Internet Explorer versions 6 and 7 are the recommended browsers for Desire2Learn version 8.3.
Microsoft Internet Explorer is Microsoft's World Wide Web browser.
Firefox is Mozilla's World Wide Web browser.
Desire2Learn Supported BrowsersFor Windows OS
- Internet Explorer versions 6 and 7
- Firefox 2.0
For Macintosh OS up to 10.4
- Safari 1.3 and 2.0
- Firefox 2.0
For a complete list of supported browsers and other computer requirements, visit the Browser & System Requirements page.
Desire2Learn System Check
Your computer's web browser is a very important tool in the online experience. Complete a Desire2Learn System Check - it is quick, easy and free and will ensure that your web browser is optimized for your online courses. This only takes a minute and will save you time and trouble later.
Basically, the Desire2Learn System Check covers these areas.
- Your browser supports Javascript
- Your browser is fully compatible with Desire2Learn
- Cookies are enabled
- Computer display meets the minimum requirements
Disable Pop-up Blockers
Desire2Learn courses may contain items that rely on Pop-up windows (a new window that appears in addition to the one you are viewing) when displaying certain items or features.
Pop-up blockers can be part of the web browser or a separate, third-party utility designed only to block pop-up windows. This is typically a program that someone has downloaded and installed on to the computer. Also, firewall software (designed to protect your computer from unauthorized users from accessing your computer through your internet connection) and anti-virus software frequently have a pop-up blocker options built in. Disable or turn off any form of pop-up blocker on your machine when accessing Desire2Learn courses.
For more information about specific software which make use of pop-up blockers, check the Disable Pop-up Blocker web page:
Spyware
We recommend you use a spyware detection and removal utility to remove any spyware that may be keeping you from accessing your Desire2Learn course(s) on your computer. Spyware is particularly troublesome for Internet Explorer 6.0 users, who experience a "403 Forbidden" error page when trying to access a known URL.
The link listed below offers two very good utilities for dealing with spyware. We recommend both Adaware and Spybot, utilities which you may download free.
Other Things That Can Interfere with D2L
There are many browser tools and settings that can affect the functionality of Desire2Learn.
Here are some things to check if you are having issues accessing areas of Desire2Learn:
- Third part toolbars (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.)
- Disable or remove toolbars
- Third party popup blockers
- These should be disabled or closed
- Security settings should be at "medium" or lower - you can configure these settings for specific sites by selecting Trusted sites
- Tools >> Internet Options >> Security tab >> Trusted sites >> Sites
- Privacy settings should be set to Default
- Tools >> Internet Options >> Privacy tab
- Internet Explorer's Popup Blocker should be disabled or settings configured to allow popups when accessing D2L
- Tools >> Pop-up Blocker >> Pop-up Blocker Settings
- Browswer Cookies should be enabled
- Tools >> Internet Options >> Privacy tab - set level at medium
- Set your Tempory Internet Files to "Every visit to the page"
- Tools >> Internet Options >> General tab >> Browsing History section >> Settings
- Clear Temporary Internet Files
- Tools >> Internet Options >> General tab >> Browsing History section >> Delet >> Temporary Internet Files >> Delete files
Having problems downloading Microsoft Office documents when using Internet Explorer? - This is a problem when trying to download Microsoft Office documents from a https protected web site.
To resolve this issue when using Internet Explorer
- Tools >> Internet Options >> Advanced tab >> Click Restore Default button >> Click OK
Visit online.southcentral.edu/students/issuesDownloadOpen.cfm for more information on issues related to downloading content from D2L.
Other Resources
South Central Online Technical Information and Resources page:
http://online.southcentral.edu/students/skillsrequirements.cfm
For other software, hardware and Internet Service Provider issues, you need to contact the vendors directly for assistance. Many vendors do offer Help Sheets, FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and e-mail contacts through their web sites.
About South Central Online
You can find information about South Central Online at http://online.southcentral.edu. This link provides basic information and answers many questions prospective students may have when considering an online course option. Feel free to explore the links on this page and other areas of the South Central Online site as well as the South Central College (SCC) site at http://southcentral.edu.
Enrollment processes are outlined on the South Central Online site at http://online.southcentral.edu/students/enroll.cfm and on SCC's site at http://southcentral.edu/admissions/. If you have questions about enrollment, call our North Mankato campus at 389-7200 and ask for Student Affairs.
Need Further Assistance?
Contact OnlineHelp@southcentral.edu
Things to include in your email correspondence:
- Your name
- Your phone number
- Your email address
- A detailed description of the kind of issues you are having with Desire2Learn.
We will reply to your questions through e-mail within 24 hours Monday through Friday and on Mondays for those questions that come in over weekends.
Thank you,
South Central Online Support Team