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Digital Content (Videos, Multimedia, eBooks and Weblinks)

Digital Content (Videos, Multimedia, eBooks and Weblinks) Website Help

If your question is not answered here, contact FOSSweb Support.

Help Topics

FOSSweb Help Videos & PDFs

Digital Content (Videos, Multimedia, eBooks, and Weblinks)

Online Assessment Help (FOSSmap)

Self-Registered Teacher Accounts: New User

Self-Registered Teacher Accounts: Existing User

District-Registered Accounts (SIS Teacher)

Administrators

Students and Parents
New User Registration

How Do I Change My Password?

Where can I find my access code?

What is the difference between Basic and Premium Access?
What are the technical requirements for FOSSweb?

Please see the Tech Specs for FOSSweb and FOSSmap technical requirements.

How do I troubleshoot playing the videos?

If you launch a streaming video or a teacher prep video and nothing happens, you should test a few other videos on FOSSweb. Is the issue with a single video? If one video is causing you trouble, please fill out the FOSSweb Support form and let our tech team know which module you are teaching and the name of the video that won't play.

If several videos on FOSSweb are not playing, it may be the case that your school has a firewall preventing you from streaming video. If your school has firewalls, your school's IT staff should ensure that the following sites added the to firewall whitelist.

  • FOSSweb.com
  • fossweb.schoolspecialty.com
  • Akamai video servers
If you continue to have issues, please send detailed information, including your operating system and browser, using our FOSSweb Support form.

Where do I get help for problems with digital content?

There are a few steps to take to start troubleshooting digital content.

  1. Check the technical requirements. Are you using the recommended browsers?
  2. Make sure your browser is up-to-date. If not, try updating it and testing the content again.
  3. Change your browser. If you are having trouble on one browser, try the same content on another browser. Typically, the Chrome browser is the most reliable.
  4. Verify that your IT group has whitelisted the appropriate sites so that no content from FOSSweb is blocked.
If you continue to have problems, contact us using our FOSSweb Support form. Please include in your description of the problem, the name of the activity that you are having trouble with, the browser and operating system you are using, and the nature of the problem.

How do I troubleshoot problems with interactive whiteboard content?

If you're having trouble with interactive whiteboard content, please contact us using our FOSSweb Support form.

I am using an Science Resources eBook in a browser on an iPad and some of the links aren't working.

In order to have all the links work in the Next Generation K-8 interactive Science Resources eBooks in a browser on an iPad, you need to allow pop-ups in the browser.

  • To allow pop-ups on Safari, go to the "Settings" app on the iPad. Locate the Safari settings. Under the General section of the Safari settings, make sure "Block Pop-ups" is off.
  • For other browsers on the iPad, go to "Settings" within the browser, located under the menu in the left corner of the browser. For Chrome, the pop-up blocker settings are under "Content Settings." For Firefox, the settings are under the Settings main window.
  • As an alternative, you can download and use the FOSS eBooks app on an iPad. This page provides more information on obtaining the app.

How do I find a link to content referenced in the Investigations Guide when I can't find it on FOSSweb?

In most cases the multimedia and videos are linked from two locations on FOSSweb:

  • Resources by Type: Under Digital-Only/Multimedia or Digital-Only/Streaming Videos tabs
  • Resources by Investigation: Under the corresponding investigation and part section you are working on.
If you still can't find a particular content item, please contact us using our FOSSweb Support form.

Where do I find out about options for students with disabilities?

FOSS and Delta Education/School Specialty are committed to providing students and teachers with content that is accessible for all. As such, we have NIMAS files for all FOSS Science Resources student books available on the NIMAC (National Instructional Materials Accessibility Center). NIMAS source files can be used to create accessible specialized formats (i.e., braille, audio, digital, large-print, etc.) of print instructional materials. The full set of files includes XML content files, a package file, images, and a PDF file of the title page (or whichever page contains ISBN and copyright information).

In addition, FOSSweb a variety of components that help address accessibility standards, including the following:

  • Audio books for FOSS Science Resources
  • FOSS Science Resources interactive eBooks, which include audio syncing and the ability to zoom in or out on text and images
  • FOSS Science Resources PDF-based eBooks also include the ability to zoom in or out on text and images
  • Closed-captioning for most of the content videos and teacher preparation videos; transcripts may also be available
  • Audio for the FOSSmap online assessment items (to come in September 2018)
  • Many teacher/student resources such as the Interactive Whiteboard (IWBs) slides/teaching slides and online activities can be projected to the class with the ability to zoom in or out on text and images

What options are there for students interacting with the Science Resources eBooks?

Science Resources eBooks contain many interactive features. Students can:

  • listen to audio of the book
  • watch short videos
  • engage with short interactive activities
  • and (with Individual Student Accounts) highlight text and take notes
eBooks are available in English and Spanish. For more information, see the Interactive Student eBook tutorial video.

What happened to my bookmarked link to FOSS content?

We have changed how teachers access the resources on our site. As the majority of our resources are connected to the FOSS modules in which they are used, a teacher must be a FOSS teacher (teach FOSS in his/her class), have registered on our site (registration requires a one-time, free process), and have activated the FOSS modules they teach with the appropriate access codes and be logged in. No longer can a teacher access most of our resources while logged in as a guest or by using direct links.

If you are a FOSS teacher, you need to register on FOSSweb and activate the modules you teach with access codes, provided with the module. You can refer to the "New Users" section of Website Help if you need any assistance with the registration/activation process.

If you are not a FOSS teacher, the majority of our resources are no longer available to you. If you would like to know more about FOSS and find out how FOSS can impact science teaching and learning in your class, contact your local Delta Education sales representatives. Consult the Delta Representative map to find the representative for your state and county.

How can I customize the video playback for student needs?

The FOSSweb video player allows you to adjust the volume, turn on closed captions, choose the playback quality, and adjust the playback speed. To find the controls, click on the gear icon in the lower right corner of the video player. The first icon of bars (on left) controls playback quality. If your school Internet access is fast enough, choose the highest quality for the clearest playback. The middle icon allows you to turn on or off closed captions titles. This is also available on the video player controlbar. The icon on the right, of the clock, allows you to control the playback rate. You can slow down the playback for students who find the audio to be too fast. The volume control is on the lower left of the player controls. Finally, there is a 10-second rewind function on the left, next to the volume setting.

Does FOSSweb have a time out period?

Yes, FOSSweb will time out after 60 minutes of inactivity. This time limit meets mandatory security requirements from some FOSS districts and follows information security best practices. Two minutes before the end of the session, you will receive a warning banner that allows you to extend your session. If your session has timed out, the warning banner will have a link to the login page. Note that the banner will not appear if your computer was asleep when the time-out occurred.

For most activities that open in a new tab or window from FOSSweb, including multimedia, the PDF-based flipping books, the interactive student resources book, and some videos, you will not be able to continue working after you've been logged out of FOSSweb. You will need to return to the main FOSSweb window to log in again. When you or your students are using FOSSmap, which opens in a new window, you will be able to continue working even if you have timed out of FOSSweb because the FOSSmap time out is separate from FOSSweb. FOSSmap will time out for teachers after 30 minutes of inactivity. The student test-taker interface will time out after 90 minutes of inactivity.