FAQs for Course Participants

1. Is IPER training still available in my state or territory?
2. How do I register for a course?
3. What do I do if the webinar offered in my state or territory is full?
4. What are other ways I can access the courses if IPER webinars are not available in my state?
5. What do I do if I forgot my login information for my CoSA Resource Center Participant account?
6. How do I access and print the Participant Guide and other course materials?
7. What do I do if I am having trouble downloading files from the Resource Center?
8. Are participants allowed to participate in a group (i.e., multiple participants sharing one computer)?
9. How do I correct my Participant account email address in the Resource Center?
10. How do I unregister for a course?
11. Why is Session 2 of my course not listed in the Directory of IPER Courses in the Resource Center?
12. Where can I get help with iLinc?
13. What do I do if I can’t log into my iLinc session or I receive an error message from iLinc when I try to join a session?
14. I have a Windows 2000 operating system. How do I access the upgraded iLinc software?
15. What do I do if I have problems with my headset or with the audio volume?
16. How do I change the size of the text on my screen if it is too small during the session?
17. How do I download my Certificate of Completion?
18. What continuing education credits are available for taking the IPER courses?
19. What other training opportunities are available?
20. Who should I call with questions?

1. Is IPER training still available in my state or territory?

   Please refer to the Directory of IPER Courses for a listing of webinar training opportunities and the Directory of IPER Courses Delivered In Person for a list of Face-to-Face training opportunities available in your state or territory. If there is no training currently available in your region, contact IPER staff at iper@statearchivists.org



2. How do I register for a course?

   To register for a webinar, follow these simple directions:
   
   
   1. Go to the CoSA Resource Center homepage and create a Participant account (for more information on creating a Participant account, please visit the Setting Up Your Course Participant Account in the CoSA Resource Center webpage)
   2. Log into the Resource Center with your participant account
   3. Click on the "IPER Courses" tab towards the top of the page
   4. Click the green "Register Now!" button to the right of the course you want to access
   5. Click the green "Register" button again on the next page
   
   To register for a Face-to-Face course, follow the registration directions provided with the course information in the Directory of IPER Courses Delivered In Person.



3. What do I do if the webinar offered in my state or territory is full?

   If the webinar you are interested in taking is full, contact the IPER Instructional Team for your state (iper_xx@statearchivists.org – the xx is your state postal code) or IPER staff at iper@statearchivists.org to find out what your options are. The team may decide to increase the enrollment cap to allow more students into the course or schedule additional courses at a later date.



4. What are other ways I can access the courses if IPER webinars are not available in my state?

   By the end of 2012, there will be self-directed versions of both courses available online to anyone free of charge. Official certificates of completion will be awarded on completion of each course.
   
   Also in 2012, CoSA will produce CD-ROMs containing the self-directed versions and send copies of these CDs to each state archives. You should contact your state’s IPER Instructional Team or State Archivist if you would like a copy. While certificates of completion will not be provided for the CD-ROM versions, they do offer a viable alternative especially for anyone who has limited or no access to the Internet.
   
   It’s possible that CoSA will offer a generic version of each webinar that will be open to anyone nationwide. Students who would like to be notified when/if these are scheduled should sign up for the CoSA mailing list towards the bottom of the CoSA Resource Center home page.
   
   Individuals may also register for courses being offered in other states with the understanding that in-state residents will be given priority. Because we can’t expect teams to teach students from other states, each Instructional Team may ask IPER staff to remove out-of-state students to make room for state residents.



5. What do I do if I forgot my login information for my CoSA Resource Center Participant account?

   Please contact IPER staff at iper@statearchivists.org



6. How do I access and print the Participant Guide and other course materials?

   1. Log into your Participant account in the CoSA Resource Center
   2. Click on the "My Courses" tab towards the top of the page
   3. Click the yellow "view" button next to the course you want to access
   4. Click on the "Materials/Assignments" link



7. What do I do if I am having trouble downloading files from the Resource Center?

   The problem may be with the browser you are using. If you typically use Firefox or Chrome to download large files from the Resource Center, try downloading them again using Internet Explorer instead. Some people have reported that big PDFs were corrupt after being downloaded with Firefox and Chrome. It appears to be a problem in Acrobat that Adobe is working to fix. We are following developments closely and hope to resolve the issue soon.



8. Are participants allowed to participate in a group (i.e., multiple participants sharing one computer)?

   It is up to each state's IPER Instructional Team whether or not to allow group participation because it requires the Instructional Team to do a little more work. Contact your state’s IPER Instructional Team directly to find out if you are allowed to participate in the course as a group (iper_xx@statearchivists.org – the xx is your state postal code).



9. How do I correct my Participant account email address in the Resource Center?

   1. Log into your Participant account in the Resource Center
   2. Click on the “My Profile” tab towards the top of the page
   3. Update your email address on the form and click the green “Update” button at the bottom of the screen



10. How do I unregister for a course?

    Because the courses usually fill up quickly and IPER Instructional Teams often keep waiting lists, it is very important that participants unregister from courses that they won’t be able to attend.
    
    If the course has not yet started:
    
    
    1. Log into your Participant account in the Resource Center
    2. Click on the “My Courses” tab and then the yellow “View” button next to the course for which you wish to unregister
    3. Click on the red “Unregister from course” button
    
    If the course has already started, contact IPER staff at iper@statearchivists.org



11. Why is Session 2 of my course not listed in the Directory of IPER Courses in the Resource Center?

    Once a course starts, it no longer shows up in the general Course Directory. The exception to this is when a course is scheduled for non-uniform times, in which case you will need to register for all sessions separately. This will be noted in the course description.



12. Where can I get help with iLinc?

    Your Essential Records (ER) and/or Records Emergency Planning and Response (REPR) Participant Guide (PG) contains a document titled "REF 03: Participants Webinar Reference Guide" in the Reference section which provides guidance for many common questions.
    
    You can also reach iLinc Technical Support at 1-800-799-4510.



13. What do I do if I can't log into my iLinc session or I receive an error message from iLinc when I try to join a session?

    If you are having trouble joining a session, try selecting the "Manual" join option and then select "yes" to load iLinc Client when asked. If you are still having trouble joining a session, contact iLinc Technical Support at 1-800-799-4510.
    
    Always test your system at least 24 hours before the class begins. In some cases, firewalls or other security settings may prevent you from accessing iLinc. You may need to speak to your IT staff for assistance with this.



14. I have a Windows 2000 operating system. How do I access the upgraded iLinc software?

    Please contact iLinc Technical Support for help with this issue at 1-800-799-4510.



15. What do I do if I have problems with my headset or with the audio volume?

    This is a problem with your personal computer system, not with the iLinc system. You should adjust the volume controls on your personal computer.



16. How do I change the size of the text on my screen if it is too small during the session?

    In order to increase the font size within iLinc, select Control > Zoom > Select viewing option.



17. How do I download my Certificate of Completion?

    1. Log into your Participant account in the Resource Center
    2. Click on the "Certificates" tab towards the top of the page and complete the form (a separate form needs to be completed for each course)
    3. Wait to receive an email letting you know your certificate is availalbe
    4. Log back into your Participant account and click on the "My Courses" tab
    5. There will be a link to download the certificate to the right of the course name
    6. Click on the link and download the certificate



18. What continuing education credits are available for taking the IPER courses?

    Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
    Professional Continuity Professional Level I Certificate
    The courses are recommended for the FEMA Professional Continuity Professional Level I Certificate designed to enhance excellence in the development and implementation of continuity programs.
    
    International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC)
    Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) & Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) Programs
    IIMC provides members with professional certification earned through participation in educational programs and involvement in a variety of professional development activities. IIMC will grant one CMC Experience point or one MMC Advanced Education point for each IPER course.
    
    Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM)
    http://www.floods.org/index.asp?menuID=217&firstlevelmenuID=180&siteID=1
    The ASFPM is an organization of professionals involved in floodplain management, flood hazard mitigation, flood preparedness, and flood warning and recovery. The Certified Floodplain Manager Program is a national program for professional certification of floodplain managers. ASFPM will grant 4 parallel Continuing Education Credits (CECs) per course.
    
    National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA)
    Local Government Archives and Records Administration Certificate
    NAGARA is a professional association dedicated to improving government records and information management and the professional development of government records administrators and archivists. The Local Government Archives and Records Administration Certificate is designed to enhance the professional development of municipal and county clerks and record caretakers. The certificate requirements include 40 hours of study and a minimum of 1.5 hours in 8 or 11 core competency areas. Each IPER course hour counts toward the "Disaster Planning and Response" core competency area.
    
    Academy of Certified Archivists (ACA)
    Certified Archivists: Certification Maintenance Program
    The ACA is an independent certifying organization of professional archivists. The Certification Maintenance Program allows Certified Archivists to renew and recertify their professional credentials every five years. ACA will allow 5 Archival Recertification Credits (ARCs) for each IPER course.



19. What other training opportunities are available?

    The Introduction to Records and Information Management (RIM) course is available free online. We recommend that people who have little or no records management background take this 90-minute course before taking the two main IPER webinars. The course is targeted at employees working at all levels of government.
    
    We also recommend you take the Incident Command System (ICS) training available online and free of charge from FEMA's Emergency Management Institute.
    
    In addition, many state archives and records management agencies have training programs of their own. Some offer courses on emergency preparedness and essential records. Links to currently available training opportunities are available on the Training page in the Resource Center.



20. Who should I call with questions?

    Visit our "Contact Information and Staff Listing" page for information on who to contact.