AICC

AICC stands for Aviation Industry CBT Committee. The term \"AICC Compliant\" refers to training and eLearning products that comply with one or more of the nine AICC Guidelines & Recommendations (AGR's). For details see the AICC Web site at www.aicc.org.

Animated text

In its simplest form, animation is a sequence of drawings that are each slightly different from the preceding one so that, when displayed on the computer screen in rapid succession, the resulting figures seem to move. Captivate has a special animated text feature that enables you to easily add sophisticated motion to selected text. For example, you can have a title fly onto the page or a heading spiral into place. This gives you the opportunity to include visually interesting text in your projects that is easy for the user to read.

Audio

Audio is sound, such as narration, voiceover, music, or step-by-step instructions. Captivate allows you to add sound to your movies. You can add existing sound files in .WAV or .MP3 format to movie slides or, with some simple recording equipment (like a microphone and sound card), you can even create your own sound files.

AVI

Audio Video Interleaved. Files with the .AVI extension are sound and motion picture (multimedia) files that conform to the Microsoft Windows Resource Interchange File Format (RIFF) specification. It is the most common audio/video format for PCs. The name AVI is appropriate because the audio and video data are interleaved (stored in alternate segments or blocks) in the finished file. Movies in the .AVI format are also cross-platform compatible and can be played on various operating systems.

Bandwidth

The amount of data that is, or can be, sent through a given communications circuit per second. In Captivate, you can see how much bandwidth a selected movie or frame requires in kilobytes per second (KB per sec). If a particular slide requires a great deal of bandwidth, you can make adjustments so it displays faster.

bit rate

The ratio of the number of bits that are transferred between devices in a specified amount of time, typically one second. Bit rate is usually measured in some multiple of bits per second - for example, kilobits, or thousands of bits per second (Kbps).

BMP

Microsoft Windows bitmap format. This is a widely-used image file format (despite being the only graphics format where compression actually enlarges the files). All .bmp files may use run-length encoding.

Branching

Branching is an eLearning term that refers to customizing content based on student progress. In Captivate, when a student succeeds or fails at a task, you can have the lesson jump or branch to another location, depending on the student response. You have complete control and can branch to multiple locations, set the number of attempts a student has to complete a task, and decide what happens after the task is completed successfully or unsuccessfully.

Captions

In Captivate, captions are small text \"bubbles\" used to draw attention to a specific area of a slide, such as a menu item or icon. You control how captions display including their color, font, size, transparency, placement, and timing. Captivate enables you to create captions automatically while you are capturing screens for a movie or manually.

Capture key

In Captivate, the capture keys are the keys used for starting and ending the recording process. You can change these keys as desired.

Click box

In Captivate, click boxes are clickable boxes that can be sized and located as desired. You can use click boxes to demonstrate application functionality, for example, by requiring users to click on a menu or button. You also determine what happens after the user performs a successful click. For instance, the movie can advance to the next frame, open a URL, or send an email.

Color palette

The color palette is the set of colors that are available to be applied to elements on a frame. Selecting appropriate colors involves understanding which colors work well together and also understanding the capabilities of display screens and browsers for displaying the colors you choose.

Data compression

Compression is the size reduction of data in order to save space or transmission time. Compression is performed by a program that uses a formula or algorithm to determine how to compress or decompress data. Graphic image file formats are usually designed to compress information as much as possible (since these tend to become very large).

eLearning

The delivery of a learning or education program by electronic means. eLearning involves the use of a computer (e.g., computer, CD-ROM, or DVD) or electronic device (e.g., mobile phone) to provide educational material. One important feature of eLearning is that it can usually be done \"on demand\" at a time that is convenient for the learner.

EXE

An .EXE file is an executable binary file - a file that performs an action, as in executing a program or a command.

Filmstrip

In Captivate, Filmstrip is a feature that is part of the Edit View. If you choose to view the FilmStrip, it shows all of the slides in the movie as small pictures, while allowing you to edit an individual slide. The Filmstrip can be positioned in various locations.

FLA export

The Captivate FLA export option allows you, or any Flash user, to bring Captivate simulations directly into Flash MX. Each Captivate slide is automatically inserted into the Flash timeline as a movie, with objects, images, audio, and backgrounds on individual labeled layers. The Flash library is automatically updated with folders containing all of the objects created from the Captivate project.

Flash

Flash is a software program from Macromedia that helps users create Web page content including designs, animations, and application user interfaces. Flash is a sophisticated program that is often used to create animations that look like full-featured movies.

FTP

File transfer protocol. A client-server protocol that allows a user on one computer to transfer files to and from another computer over a TCP/IP network.

GIF

Graphics interchange format. A bit-mapped graphics file format frequently used for images on Web pages. GIF supports color, various resolutions, and data compression. GIF images are limited to 256 colors, so this format is often used for illustrations and simple images, but not photographs.

Handheld devices

Handheld devices are small, portable computers, sometimes called \"Pocket PCs.\" Using Captivate you can create movies that play on handheld devices. The following devices are supported: Compaq Ipaq, Palmax @migo, HP Jordana, Casio Cassiopeia, and Symbol PPT 2700 & PPT 2700-2D.

Highlight box

In Captivate, highlight boxes spotlight areas within a slide. Use highlight boxes to show users where to focus attention, enter data, or simply as emphasis. You can control the size, color, transparency, and the display options for highlight boxes.

HQX

Macintosh Projector file. In this type of file, binary data is converted into ASCII characters. This makes it easy to transfer files from one platform to another because nearly all computers can read ASCII files. The .HQX extension is most often used for encoded Macintosh files.

HTML

Hypertext Markup Language. HTML is the authoring language used to create documents on the World Wide Web. HTML is similar to SGML, although it is not a strict subset. HTML defines the structure and layout of a Web document by using a variety of tags and attributes.

ICO

Icon file extension. The .ico file extension is used for icon files and enables them to display properly on PC desktops. These files contain only one icon and are used primarily in a development environment.

Images

Images are graphics, photographs, icons, or pictures that you add to your Captivate movies. Images can be used as slides themselves or within slides as logos, titles, or simply for visual interest.

JPG or JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group. This group designed the standard compression algorithm. The .JPEG file extension is used for graphics files, most often full-color, detailed photographs. Images saved in .JPEG format can have lossy compression applied to reduce file size dramatically.

LMS (Learning Management System)

A learning management system (LMS) is software or Web-based technology used to plan, implement, and assess learning processes. Learning management systems often provide instructors with mechanisms for creating and delivering content, monitoring student participation, and assessing student performance. A LMS may also provide students with the ability to use interactive features such as threaded discussions, video conferencing, and discussion forums.

Mac projector files

A file with the .HQX extension. In this type of file, binary data is converted into ASCII characters. This makes it easy to transfer files from one platform to another because nearly all computers can read ASCII files. The .HQX extension is usually used for encoded Macintosh files.

MenuBuilder

In Captivate, MenuBuilder is a tool that enables you to create a \"menu\" page that can contain links to several Captivate movies, URLs, or links to other files. The menu page is actually a customizable Flash file, but requires no programming.

Mouse

The mouse is the most commonly used computer pointing device. It is used to manipulate an on-screen pointer that can select, move, and change items on the screen. In Captivate, when you capture screen shots to create movies you can also capture the mouse movement on the screen. Using Captivate, you can edit many aspects of the captured mouse movement, including the size of the mouse pointer, the mouse path, mouse shape, and mouse speed.

MP3

MPEG, audio layer 3. Layer 3 is one of three coding schemes for the compression of audio signals. MP3 files are small and can be transferred across the Internet easily. Frequently, MP3 files are used as music files and shared over the Internet.

NCP

In Captivate versions prior to version 4.0, ncp was used as the file extension for projects. For example, myrobodemomovie.ncp. Beginning with Captivate version 4.0, projects are saved with the .rd file extension.

Online Help

Online Help is documentation provided online instead of as a printed material. Frequently, software programs contain integrated Help. You can display the Help by selecting the option from a menu, or, in Windows, you can click the function key labeled F1. Help programs often display a table of contents and index containing Help topics. You choose the appropriate topic and detailed documentation displays. Sophisticated programs can display context-sensitive Help; topics that are tailored for your exact location in the program.

Pass rate

The percentage of quiz takers who pass based on selected criteria. In Captivate, you can set the pass rate in three different ways: as a % or greater correct to pass, as a number or greater correct to pass, or as a number or less incorrect to pass. For example, if you select the first option (a % or greater correct to pass) then you might decide that quiz takers must get 90% or more questions correct to pass the quiz.

Pocket PC

The Pocket PC™ is the name given by Microsoft to the latest release of hardware and Windows CE version 3.0 OS. A Pocket PC is a handheld device that enables you to store and retrieve e-mail, contacts, appointments, play multimedia files, games, exchange text messages with MSN Messenger, browse the Web, and more. A Pocket PC can exchange, or synchronize, information with a desktop computer.

PowerPoint

PowerPoint is a presentation software program from Microsoft. The program enables users to create full-featured slides containing text, graphics, and animation. The resulting \"slide show\" can be used for a multitude of purposes including business presentations, sales presentations, training programs, conference talks, or speeches.

QuestionMark perception

QuestionMark Perception is a Web-based assessment delivery system. Questionmark Perception is widely used for computer-assisted assessment. It allows users to create online assessments, without having any technical knowledge, by using step-by-step instructions.

Quiz slides

A quiz slide is a slide in a Captivate movie that contains one question. You have many options for setting up a quiz slide: the question itself, the correct answer, the type of question (single choice, multiple choice, or true/false), button text, a hint, and what happens if the user answers the question correctly or incorrectly.

RD

The Captivate project file uses the file extension \".cp,\" for example, \"mycaptivateproject.cp.\" Projects created in RoboDemo versions 4.0 and 5.0 used the file extension \".rd\" and RoboDemo projects prior to version 4.0 used file extension \".ncp.\"

Resolution (screen)

Screen resolution is the maximum number of pixels that can be displayed on a monitor, expressed as (number of horizontal pixels) x (number of vertical pixels), i.e., 1024x768. The ratio of horizontal to vertical resolution is usually 4:3.

RoboHelp

RoboHelp is a software program from Macromedia that enables users to create full-featured online Help systems in a variety of formats for desktop applications and Web applications.

Scoring

Captivate offers several scoring options if you decide to include quiz slides in your Captivate movie. Scoring options include keeping score, selecting different weights (relative importance), setting an object ID, and setting an interaction ID. The last two options are important if you are using Captivate at part of a larger learning management system (LMS).

SCORM

Shareable Content Object Reference Model . SCORM was created by the Advanced Distance Learning group and the United States Department of Defense as a set of specifications designed to encourage the standardization of learning management systems. SCORM continues as a collaborative effort between government, industry, and academia to create a learning environment that permits the interoperability of learning tools and course content.

Screen resolution

Screen resolution is the maximum number of pixels that can be displayed on a monitor, expressed as (number of horizontal pixels) x (number of vertical pixels), i.e., 1024x768. The ratio of horizontal to vertical resolution is usually 4:3.

Screen shot

A screen shot is a \"snapshot\" of the computer screen. Screen shots can be taken of the entire screen (full screen) or of different parts (e.g., an open window containing an application). Captivate enables you to snap screen shots of action taking place on your computer and then play back the screen shots in rapid succession so they display like a continuous movie.

Slides

Using Captivate you capture screen shots for a movie. The screen shots become \"slides\" within the movie. You can edit slides including changing mouse movement, recording audio, adding animated text, creating captions, or adding click boxes. You can also add different types of slides such as an image slide, blank slide, colored slide, or quiz slide to a movie.

Storyboard

A storyboard is a planning device for Captivate movies. Storyboards can be used to map out what each slide should look like before the movie is even \"shot.\" Usually, storyboards use rough sketches to show the contents of each slide in a movie.

Template

In Captivate, you can save an existing MenuBuilder project as a template for use on further projects.

Transitions

In Captivate, transitions are the way the movie moves from one slide to the next. You can choose from several options including fade, fade quick, or no transition.

Transparency

Images with a transparent background are often used on Internet Web pages to achieve certain special effects. For example, transparent images are normally used to allow a foreground image to \"float\" over a background. In Captivate, you can easily create a completely transparent image or just make an image semi-transparent for use as a watermark.

Upgrade

A new and/or better version of hardware or software. Captivate updates are offered frequently. To see the free updates that are available, open Captivate, click the Help menu, and select Check for Updates.

Voiceover

Technically, voiceover means \"voice over picture\", a voice that is added in post-production. Voiceover is also commonly defined as the voice of an unseen narrator. In Captivate, you can record your movie and then, with some basic audio equipment, you can record a voice describing what is happening on the different slides or reading any captions that display on slides.

Watermark

A watermark is a semitransparent graphic that appears to hover in place, independent of the page or document on which it displays. In Captivate you can create a watermark and add it to a slide. For example, you can create a Captivate movie, add a watermark to each slide that says \"Draft,\" and then distribute the movie to others to review. The watermark makes it clear that the movie is not the final version.

Weighting

Weighting refers to an element in quizzes that allows some questions to be worth more than others. For example, introductory questions can be worth less than advanced questions. In Captivate, when you create quiz slides, you can select a weight for each question. Weights are relative to each other, so a question with weight \"2\" has a value twice as high as a question with value \"1\".

Word

Word is a word processing software program from Microsoft. The program enables users to create all types of documents including letters, faxes, resumes, memos, brochures, theses, manuals, reports, or books.