Technology Requirements for Online Testing Training Module Welcome to the Technology Requirements for Online Testing training module. This presentation is designed to help Technology Coordinators prepare for the administration of online tests. Copyright © 2017 American Institutes for Research. All rights reserved.

Topics Site Readiness Network Requirements Hardware and Software Requirements Secure Browser Installation Network Diagnostics and Configuration This module outlines the steps you will need to follow to ensure that your school’s systems are ready for online testing. We will cover five basic topics: site readiness, network requirements, hardware and software requirements, secure browser installation, and network diagnostics and configuration.

Objectives By the end of this presentation, you should be able to: Understand your role and responsibilities Prepare for online tests at your school Install the secure browser Troubleshoot technical problems during the tests. By the end of this presentation, you should be able to: Understand your role and responsibilities Prepare for online testing at your school Install the secure browser Troubleshoot technical problems during testing

Technology Coordinator Tasks Logins and passwords Minimum system requirements Secure browser Determining system readiness and network capacity Troubleshooting technical issues The Technology Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that all of the systems and configurations that are necessary to administer online tests are in place and functioning correctly. Their tasks include: Understanding the process used to access online systems, including logins and passwords Checking all computers being used for testing to ensure they meet the minimum system requirements for online test administration Installing the appropriate secure browser on testing devices Determining initial and ongoing system readiness and network capacity Troubleshooting technical issues that may arise during testing

Network Configuration Session timeouts on proxy servers and other devices should be set to values greater than the typically scheduled testing time. For example, if test sessions are scheduled for 60 minutes, consider session timeouts of 65–70 minutes. Web proxy servers must be configured to NOT cache data received from servers. For any device that performs traffic shaping, packet prioritization, or quality of service, the URLs to be used for testing should be given a high priority to ensure the best performance. A stable, high-speed wired or wireless network and Internet connection are required for testing. For online testing applications to work properly, it is important that the network settings are configured correctly. Session timeouts on proxy servers and other devices should be set to values greater than the typically scheduled testing time. For example, if test sessions are scheduled for 60 minutes, consider session timeouts of 65–70 minutes. This will help limit network interruptions during testing. Web proxy servers must be configured to NOT cache data received from servers. If your client network uses any device that performs traffic shaping, packet prioritization, or quality of service, the URLs to be used for testing should be given a high priority to ensure the best performance.

Whitelisting Content filters, firewalls, and proxy servers should be configured to allow the URLs for testing sites and applicable non-testing sites. Content filters, firewalls, and proxy servers should be configured to allow the URLs for testing sites and applicable non-testing sites.

Network Requirements System URL to Whitelist Non-Testing Sites Portal and secure browser installation files Single Sign-On System Test Information Distribution Engine AIRWays Reporting https://AIRWays.portal.airast.org/ https://airdc.sso.airast.org/ https://AIRWays.tide.airast.org/ https://airdc.AIRWays.airast.org/ Student Testing Sites Assessment Viewing Application (if applicable) *.airast.org *.tds.airast.org *.cloud1.tds.airast.org *.cloud2.tds.airast.org Online Dictionary and Thesaurus (if applicable) Domain: media.merriam-webster.com www.dictionaryapi.com IP Address: 64.124.231.250 This table lists URLs for all AIR systems that need to be accessible for testing. AIR strongly encourages you to whitelist at the root level using wildcards. If your firewall is configured to check only IP addresses, consult the AIRWays Technical Specifications Manual for further instructions. It is important that session timeouts on proxy servers and other devices are set appropriately, that web filters are not blocking test-related websites, and that test data are not being cached.

Pop-ups Configure Internet browsers on teacher devices to allow pop-ups from your testing websites. Many of our sites use pop-ups to provide additional information. Teachers and test administrators should have their Internet browsers configured on their devices to allow pop-ups from their testing websites.

Performance Factors Network bandwidth Number of students simultaneously testing Wireless networking configuration Secure browser In general, the response time of systems used for online testing depends on a number of factors, including bandwidth, the number of students simultaneously testing, the wireless networking configuration (if used), and secure browser. These factors will be covered in further detail in the next few slides.

Bandwidth At least 20 Kbps bandwidth per student being tested Affected by both Local Area Network (LAN) traffic and Internet traffic from the router LAN should always be analyzed to determine potential traffic bottlenecks We recommend having at least 20 Kbps bandwidth per student being tested. This is in addition to any network demands by other users within the school. Bandwidth performance can be affected by both Local Area Network (LAN) traffic and Internet traffic from the router. Regardless of hardware or network topology, we recommend a performance analysis of both the LAN and the Internet infrastructure to identify any bottlenecks that may impact test performance.

Number of Students Simultaneously Testing Network performance may slow when large numbers of students are testing at one time. Multiply the number of students being tested by 20 Kbps to get an estimate of bandwidth needed, and compare that estimate with the network speed test. Perform network analyses at different times to ensure adequate capacity. Network performance may be affected by the number of students who are testing at one time. Just as traffic speed decreases on a busy highway, network performance may slow when large numbers of students are testing simultaneously. It is recommended that network performance analyses be performed at various times prior to testing to ensure adequate capacity. Multiply the number of students being tested by 20 Kbps to get an estimate of the bandwidth needed. Compare that estimate with the network speed test results, and ensure that there is a sufficient margin.

Network Diagnostics Tool AIR provides a network diagnostic tool that is available through the secure browser or the practice tests. The tool compares the number of students testing simultaneously (as entered in the box) with an estimate of that particular test’s required bandwidth. It then indicates if the network can adequately support testing for the designated number of students. We recommend testing the system at various times during the school day to evaluate the available network capacity. To run the network diagnostics tests, first navigate to the Practice Test Site. Select a test in the Network Diagnostics section. Then, enter the number of students who will take that test at the same time and click Run Network Diagnostics Tests. When testing is complete, the upload and download speed results are shown along with a summary that indicates whether the network can adequately support testing for the designated number of students.

Wireless Network Configuration Wireless traffic must use encryption. Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Wireless access points have limits on total bandwidth and number of simultaneous devices in use. In order to maintain the security of sensitive test‐related data, wireless traffic must use encryption. Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is strongly recommended. Wireless access points have limits on total bandwidth and the number of simultaneous devices in use. A properly configured wireless network should provide adequate bandwidth and wireless access points for testing. To ensure sufficient capacity, all computers being used for testing should be turned on and should be connected to the wireless access point simultaneously.

40–50 (depending on the mix of wireless cards used) Network Performance Testing Device Ratio of Devices to 802.11g WAP Ratio of Devices to 802.11n WAP 802.11g 20 40 802.11n Mix of 802.11g and 802.11n 40–50 (depending on the mix of wireless cards used) This table shows the recommended ratios of testing devices to wireless access points (WAPs). The number of devices connected to a single WAP will depend on the type of networking standard used. The two most common networking standards are 802.11g (54 Mbps) and 802.11n (300 Mbps).

System Requirements Desktops and Laptops Monitor Display Mobile Devices Secure Browser The systems also require certain minimum hardware and software for testing. You must ensure that your school’s computers meet these standards in order for assessments to function effectively. The next few slides will cover the minimum and recommended system requirements for computers and mobile devices being used for online testing.

System Requirements: Windows and Mac System Requirements: Desktops and Laptops Supported Operating Systems Minimum Requirements Recommended Specifications Windows 7 (Professional & Enterprise) 8 (Professional & Enterprise) 8.1 (Professional & Enterprise) 10 (Professional, Educational, & Enterprise), 10 S Server 2008 R2, 2012 R2, 2016 R2 (thin client) 1.1 GHZ Processor 512 MB of RAM 200 MB hard drive space 1.4 GHZ Processor 2+ GB RAM 16+ GB hard drive space Mac OS 10.7–10.13 System Requirements: Windows and Mac The school’s computers must meet the minimum hardware and software requirements for assessments to function effectively. However, online testing performance can be improved by using computers with faster processors and more disk space than is minimally required. The table shown provides minimum requirements and recommended specifications for Mac OS and Windows operating systems and related system requirements.

System Requirements: Linux System Requirements: Desktops and Laptops Supported Operating Systems Minimum Requirements Recommended Specifications Linux Fedora 25–26a LTS (Gnome) Ubuntu 14.04, 16.04 LTS (Gnome) 1.1 GHZ Processor 512 MB of RAM 200 MB hard drive space Required libraries/packages: GTK+ 2.18 or higher GLib 2.22 or higher Pango 1.14 or higher X.Org 1.0 or higher (1.7+ recommended) libstdc++ 4.3 or higher libreadline6:i386 (required for Ubuntu only) GNOME 2.16 or higher 1.4 GHZ Processor 2+ GB RAM 16+ GB hard drive space Recommended libraries/‌packages: In addition to the required libraries listed under minimum requirements, the following should be installed: NetworkManager 0.7 or higher DBus 1.0 or higher HAL 0.5.8 or higher System Requirements: Linux This table provides minimum and recommended specifications for Linux operating systems and related system requirements. The most current system requirements can be found in the AIRWays System Requirements document. a Support for this version will begin upon the completion of testing following its release.

Appropriate Monitor Display Monitor settings may need to be adjusted if test items with shaded images are very light or cannot be seen. The larger the monitor, the more “real estate” students have. Minimum Resolution for desktops, laptops, and tablets: 1024 x 768 or better Minimum Resolution for netbooks: 1024 x 600 or better As monitors vary widely, support for specific monitors cannot be provided. We cannot guarantee that the default settings that monitors are shipped with are optimal. Use the student practice tests to verify that test items with shaded images (e.g., pie charts) can be seen clearly. Monitor settings may need to be adjusted if a student reports test items with shaded images are very light or cannot be seen. In general, the larger the monitor, the more “real estate” students have. Some assessments may include pages that have multiple items and/or reading passages that require scrolling. Resolution should be set to 1024 by 768 or better.   Students using small monitors or tablets may need to scroll vertically and/or horizontally to view all the information on the screen. Students may use the zoom tool available in the tests to enlarge content on the screen. The most current system requirements can be found in the AIRWays System Requirements document.

Supported Mobile Devices: Android and iOS Operating System Supported Tablets Supported Browsers Practice Test Site Other AIRWays Systems Androida 5.1 6.0 7.1 Google Nexus 10 Asus Transformer Pad Asus Memo Pad Dell Venue 10 HP Pro Slate 10 Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Education Chrome 60+ ü iOS (iPads) 9.3 10.3 11.1, 11.2 iPad 2 iPad 3 4th-generation (Retina Display) 5th-generation (Retina Display) iPad Air iPad Air 2 Safari 9 Safari 10 Safari 11 This table shows the Android and iOS mobile devices that are supported for use in testing. The online assessments are available on multiple mobile devices using a variety of operating systems. Tablets must have at least a 10-inch screen. iPads with a 9.7-inch display are acceptable. A minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768 is required for all testing devices. An external keyboard is also required. a For a complete list of supported tablets, go to https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/6220366

Supported Mobile Devices: Windows and Chrome Operating System Supported Tablets Supported Browsers Practice Test Site Other AIRWays Systems Windows 8 (Professional & Enterprise), 8.1 (Professional & Enterprise), 10 (Professional, Educational, & Enterprise) AIR supports any tablet running these versions of Windows, but has done extensive testing only on Surface Pro, Surface Pro 3, Asus Transformer, and Dell Venue. Chrome 60+ Firefox 52+ Internet Explorer 11 Edge ü Chrome OS 60+ Chromebook This table shows the Windows and Chrome mobile devices that are supported for use in testing. As new systems and browsers are released through the year, please see the Supported Browsers page on the portal for updated information. If you use devices for testing that run Chrome OS, AIR strongly recommends turning off or delaying automatic updates of the Chrome operating system for a period of two weeks. Please consult the AIRWays Technical Specifications Manual for more information.

Secure Browser The Secure Browser: Is required for students to access the Student Testing Site. Should be downloaded and installed for the correct operating system on all devices used for student testing. Prevents students from accessing other computer or Internet applications or copying test information during testing. Can be used to access practice tests. Practice tests can also be accessed with Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer 11, or most native tablet web browsers. Online tests are delivered using a secure browser in order to protect the security and integrity of the test. Therefore, the secure browser must be accessible on all devices that will be used for student testing. The secure browser prevents students from accessing other computer or Internet applications or copying test information during testing. If the system detects other applications popping up or running on the computer, the student will be logged out of the testing session. Students cannot access the operational tests without using the secure browser. However, the practice tests can be accessed with either the secure browser or with supported web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer 11.

Where to Download the Secure Browser System Requirements: Secure Browser Computer/Device Secure Browser Location Windows, Mac, and Linux computers https://AIRWays.portal.airast.org/secure-browsers.stml Android tablets Play Store or portal iPad tablets App Store or portal Chromebooks Chrome Web Store or portal The secure browser for desktops and laptops is located on the portal. The secure browser for tablets and Chromebooks can be downloaded from the corresponding web stores or is linked from the portal page. For Android tablets, the secure browser should be downloaded from the Google Play Store. The secure browser keyboard must be selected before students can access the login page. For iPads, the secure browser should be downloaded from the App Store. Automatic Assessment Configuration or Autonomous Single App Mode must be set up for iPads. For Chromebooks, installation varies for managed and non-managed Chromebooks. Detailed instructions for downloading and installing the secure browser can be found in the Secure Browser Installation Manual.

Secure Browser Installation for Desktops and Laptops To download the secure browser on a desktop or laptop, navigate to the AIRWays portal’s Secure Browser page. Scroll down, select the appropriate browser for your operating system, and download it. Follow the installation prompts. Detailed installation instructions are in the Secure Browser Installation Manual.

Secure Browser Installation Methods Download the secure browser from the portal and install it. Download and save the secure browser onto a media device (such as a flash drive), and copy and install the files on each computer. Download and save the secure browser to a network folder, and copy and install the files on each computer. Running the secure browser application from a shared network location is strongly discouraged. The secure browser can be installed on individual computers or devices using several methods: Download the secure browser directly from the portal and install it. Download and save the secure browser onto a media device (such as a flash drive), and copy and install the files onto each computer. Download and save the secure browser to a network folder, and copy and install the files onto each computer. If you need to install the secure browser on a system for which you do not have administrative rights, see the instructions in the Secure Browser Installation Manual. If you prefer, you may push the secure browser out to all of the testing computers and devices on your network using whatever software tools you normally use for managing deployments. AIR strongly discourages running the secure browser application from a shared network location, as this setup can compromise the stability and performance of the browser, especially during peak testing times.

Secure Browser Installation: Windows MSI file type enables deployment using a number of tools: Active Directory Group Policy Microsoft SMS Microsoft SCCM Microsoft WSUS Windows NT Batch There are several methods to deploy the secure browser depending on your platform. For the Windows platform, we provide the secure browser in an MSI package file. This file type enables deployment using a number of tools, including: Active Directory Group Policy Microsoft SMS Microsoft SCCM Microsoft WSUS Windows NT Batch  

Secure Browser Installation: Windows 10 Take a Test App Windows 10 includes Microsoft’s Take a Test app, which provides a secure testing environment identical to AIR’s secure browser. Advantages include: Identical to AIR’s secure browser No software to install Updates occur automatically For more information about setting up the Take a Test app, see the Secure Browser Installation Manual. Windows 10 includes Microsoft’s Take a Test app, which enforces a locked-down, secure testing environment identical to AIR’s secure browser. When using the Take a Test app, there is no need to install the secure browser on the testing machine and no need to perform updates. For more information about configuring Take a Test, see the Secure Browser Installation Manual.

Secure Browser Installation: Mac and Linux DMG file type enables deployment using Apple Remote Desktop. Munki Filewave Linux TAR file type enables deployment using a number of tools including the following: Shell scripts Puppet For the Mac OS X platform, we provide the secure browser as a DMG package file. This file type enables deployment using Apple Remote Desktop. For the Linux platform, we provide the secure browser in a generic TAR file. This file type enables deployment using a number of tools, including shell scripts and puppet.  

Disabling OS X Features Disable Exposé or Spaces Disable application launches from function keys Disable updates to third party apps Disable updates to iTunes Disable dictation and Siri Mac OS X has a number of built-in features that can compromise a test’s integrity, including (but not limited to) Exposé, Spaces, and other features listed in this slide. You can find detailed instructions and a comprehensive list of features that can be disabled in the AIRWays Technical Specifications Manual.

Scheduling Automated Tasks Ensure all scheduled tasks take place outside of testing hours: Virus Scans Software Updates Operating System Updates, such as Windows Updates For all machines being used for testing, ensure that all scheduled tasks running in the background, such as virus scans or software updates, are scheduled to take place outside of testing windows. For example, if your testing takes place between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., schedule automated tasks outside of these hours.

Text-to-Speech Voice technology must be available and functioning for students who require this accommodation. For Windows and Mac operating systems, default voice packs are generally pre-installed. Linux users will find a voice pack included with the Linux secure browser installation file. The secure browser includes an accessibility option that allows test material to be read to the student. This text-to-speech feature is available only when using the secure browser. It works by tapping into the computer’s built-in speech engine to allow eligible students to listen to test content. Technology Coordinators are responsible for ensuring that this voice technology is available and functioning. For Windows and Mac operating systems, default voice packs are generally pre-installed. Linux users will find a voice pack included with the Linux secure browser installation file. Detailed information about voice packs can be found in the AIRWays Technical Specifications Manual.

Text-to-Speech on Mobile Devices iPad users can adjust volume, pitch, and speaking rate. Chromebook users can adjust volume and speaking rate. These settings are also adjustable in the test. Currently, these features are not available on Android devices. Students may adjust the volume, pitch, or speaking rate on some mobile devices. iPad users can adjust volume, pitch, and speaking rate. Chromebook users can adjust volume and speaking rate. Both iPad and Chromebook users are able to adjust these settings while taking a test. These features are not currently available on Android devices.

Text-to-Speech Sound Check To check text-to-speech settings, you must use either the secure browser, Chrome, or Firefox. After clicking the Run Diagnostics link on the Practice Test Site, click the TTS Check button. On the TTS check screen, do the following: Click the green audio button. Verify whether you heard the recorded voice. Then, if you do not hear the voice: Check your machine’s audio controls. Confirm that the headphones are plugged in and functioning properly with other applications. Ensure an appropriate voice pack is installed. Adjust the available sound settings as necessary.

Thank You! If you have any questions, please contact the AIRWays Help Desk: Telephone: 1.877.426.6941 Email: AIRWayshelpdesk@air.org Chat: https://airways.portal.airast.org/chat.stml Thank you for taking the time to view this training module. For detailed information, consult your AIRWays Technical Specifications Manual located on the AIRWays portal or contact the help desk.