Technology Guide for Avant’s Remote Proctoring Solution

The following information pertains to setup of computers and other equipment that will be used for remote testing.

ONLINE PROCTOR COMPUTER REQUIREMENTS

OPERATING SYSTEM

• PC Computers with Windows 7, 8, or higher

• Mac Computers with OSX 10.13 High Sierra or higher

  Note: Chromebooks and tablets are not supported by the online proctoring service

PROCESSOR/RAM

• PC: Dual-core 2.4 Ghz CPU, 8 GB RAM or better

• Mac: Intel / AMD Processor, 8 GB RAM or better

INTERNET CONNECTION

• Cable Modem, DSL or better (300 kbps download, 250 kbps upload)

SUPPORTED BROWSERS AND REQUIREMENTS

• PC: Google Chrome v25.0 or higher, Mozilla Firefox v20.0 or Higher

• Mac: Google Chrome v25.0 or higher, Mozilla Firefox v20.0 or Higher

• The browser must be given permission to use the microphone

• The selected browser must be set to allow cookies AND JavaScript

REMOTE PROCTORING REQUIREMENTS

• You must be able to record and play back your Speaking test response in the Sample Test.

• Confirm that you can type your Writing test response in the language you are testing.

• You will need one monitor, mouse, keyboard

• You will need Photo ID when scheduling your test and again when you take the test

• You will need to have a Web Camera (internal or external)

• You will need a smart phone either iOS or Android

  • Your phone will act as a second camera while you are taking the test. You will need to position the camera in a location that ensures you and your monitor are within the view of the camera

• A stand for your smartphone is strongly recommended

• You will need your phone charger and a power outlet to keep smartphone charged

• Ensure that computers are not affected by power saving, screen saver, or shutdown processes that may disrupt test taking

• IMPORTANT: Test takers must re-login to Avant when they are scheduled to take their test. Even if they are already in Proctortrack

BROWSER MICROPHONE ACCESS

Please note that there is a security feature inside browsers that request access to the microphone in the Avant Speaking sections. You will have to click on the “allow” button after clicking on “Begin Recording” to activate the microphone, so that it will record. If the “allow” button is not clicked, the microphone check will fail and the recording section will not function properly.

CHARACTER ACTIVATION

The test includes a writing section where a virtual keyboard will be needed for typing in the following languages:

Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Cantonese, Chinese (Mandarin) Simplified & Traditional, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Marathi, Russian, Tamil, Telugu, Vietnamese, Urdu

For more information on loading virtual keyboards for these languages see the Writing Input Guide.

TROUBLESHOOTING RECORDING ISSUES

If you are not able to listen back to your recording inside the speaking section of the test we recommend trying the following steps inside the Sample Test for troubleshooting recording problems.

• Ensure the headset is plugged in

• Check that the microphone is not muted – many headsets have a mute button on the set itself, or on the wire that is connected to it

• Check that the volume on the microphone is not turned all the way down or off

• Be sure to use a supported browser (PC: Firefox, Mac: Chrome or Firefox)

• Try refreshing the page

• Try a different supported browser

• Try unplugging the headset and plugging it back in during the test (for USB headsets)

• Ensure that “Allow” is selected in the browser site settings allowing the use of the microphone in the test

• Check to see if you can record sound in a different application on the computer

• Make sure that security settings and configurations are not blocking access to Avant’s servers

Security settings and configurations are probably the most difficult setup issues to troubleshoot.

Your network, hardware and software may have come with presets that you are unaware of and have no experience with. The voice capturing technology we use inside the speaking section of the test is a streaming service that is known to be blocked by firewalls and network settings at most business and school locations.

If you are testing from your home this shouldn’t affect your ability to record. If you have tried the above steps and are still unable to listen to your recording you can try:

• A different computer

• Your computer on a different network

• A different computer on a different network

If after trying these things you are still unable to record please reach out to someone that can help you with these settings, or your testing coordinator at your school/organization, or Avant’s Support Team.