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“I would recommend Passport Learning for any parent who has a child who is struggling with reading. It was the greatest thing that has happened to my child. He’ll be going into Junior High next year and was very fearful of that time as the grades and levels get harder for him. Now I’m excited to see how he’s going to do because I know he can do it now that he has this newfound confidence.”

– Homeschool Parent

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General Technical Support for Passport Learning (v3.2)

How often does my child need to attend the Passport Learning Center?

Most elementary students will come to the center 3 to 5 times a week for 30-minute sessions. Older students generally spend up to 45 minutes per session 3 to 5 times weekly.

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How can I find a Passport Center near me?

Check the list of Passport Learning center locations. If there are no centers near you, keep checking back often. Additional centers are continuing to be added.

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Can I backup Reading and Math simultaneously?

Problem:
Can I run the backup procedure for Reading from one client and for Math from another client at the same time? I realize that there are two different databases, but they reside on one server in our Center.

Solution:
They can be run simultaneously.

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Can I combine data from several standalone PCs to one database?

Problem:
How can I bring data from several standalone PCs to one database on a server?

Solution:

  1. Install the server software on the server. Then install the client software on the server.
  2. The path you are working with is C:\ProgramFiles\PassportLearning\AcadSrv\DataRead.
  3. Replace the DataRead folder on the new server install with the DataRead folder from one of the standalone PCs.
  4. On the other standalone PC, create a shortcut to the Academy.exe file in the C:\ProgramFiles\PassportLearning\AcadRead folder.
  5. Open the Properties of the shortcut and type /PL after a space at the end of the target path (this is a switch). You then will find Import/Export buttons inside the Admin door of the Academy of Reading software.
  6. Click the Export button to export the student data to the Export folder under the DataRead folder.
  7. Put that full Export folder from the standalone PC under the DataRead folder on the server.
  8. Click the Import button in the Academy of Reading software on the server to import the student data. You should then have all of the student data in one place on the server (this assumes that you created a shortcut for the Academy.exe file on the server with the switch).
  9. This procedure will not migrate the student addresses. All other data will be there. You must add the address data manually.

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Can I use MSI files to install Reading or Math?

Problem:
Can I broadcast AOR to clients using MSI files and Windows Installer?

Solution:
You cannot broadcast AOR to clients using MSI files and Windows Installer.

We do not have any documentation on installing the software other than using the CD or copying the .exe file onto the server and having the client connect to the server and run the .exe file through a share.

You can ghost the machines, but we do not have documentation about doing so.

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Can I use Passport Learning with a wireless network?

Problem:
The software freezes or gives poor performance in a Windows wireless networking environment.

Solution:
These basic parameters are applicable to all 802.11b networking.

Basic Information:

  1. The recommended number of Academy clients per single access point under the best conditions is 16.
  2. Interference (cell phones, electrical, etc.) can impede the radio-based technology and will reduce the number of simultaneous workstations that can be used successfully.
  3. Multiple access points in close physical proximity (a few rooms) can actually interfere with each other, making things worse than before if the proper settings are not selected carefully.
  4. Remember that a radio access point operates at 11 Mbps divided equally among the number of workstations connected with traffic (contrast to hard wired drops at 100 Mbps for each station).

Successful Wireless Settings:

  1. The Academy Data Server must have a static IP address. All Academy clients should address the server via the IP address (not the server name) as stated in the file AcadData.ini.
  2. The access point must not be configured as a "virtual" router handling DHCP and NAT for the clients. (This configuration would work only if the Academy Server was also on the "virtual" network. NAT is the problem.)
  3. Ideally, each access point should be connected directly to a wall drop (CAT-5 100 FDX) and not “jumped” through a minihub or switch.
  4. Multiple access points in the same room or nearby must be set to different channels. Use every other setting (skip one in between) for units very close together (same group of rooms or hallway).
  5. The workstation load for each access point should be balanced by manually selecting specific access points or channels. Automatic mode is not permitted for multiple access points in close proximity. An indication of no less than 80% signal is required for Academy use.
  6. Workstations should be provided with static IP addresses, or the lease expiry for DHCP must not occur more than once a day (the default setting for several packages is to poll every 30 to 60 minutes).
  7. Reducing unnecessary traffic issues is the key to proper behavior. Watch out for use of optional network traffic by other programs: Internet/Server Time Settings set to once per day, AntiVirus update checks once per day, Real Player updates, and so forth. Many systems (Norton AntiVirus for one) default to check every 5 minutes 24/7!
  8. Typical real-life setup for 28-station twin-cart mobile lab: Two access points are on channels 1 and 3. Fourteen workstations are pointed to channel 1 and 14 are pointed to channel 3 in their wireless setup options. Access points are plugged into 100 FDX drops and are physically across the room from each other when both are used. Clients are DHCP, receiving their 24-hour lease from the real LAN.

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How do I perform Data Maintenance for Reading and Math?

Problem:
How do I do Data Maintenance?

Solution:
When you have a Math and a Reading database, you run the Data Maintenance (DM) routine twice—once for the Reading and once for the Math. You will notice that when you begin the DM a window appears with a browse button that allows you to set the path to the database to be maintained. A quick way to change the name of the database from DataRead to DataMath is to type in only the last four letters of the path after deleting the “Read” or the “Math” after you have run the first DM. The path is C:\ProgramFiles\PassportLearning\AcadSrv\DataRead or DataMath on the server.

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How do I schedule Data Maintenance?

Problem:
Can Data Maintenance be scheduled as a task to run automatically?

Solution:

  1. On the Windows desktop, go to Start > Programs > PassportLearning > Data Maintenance.
  2. Locate the database folder and click OK. It is C:\ProgramFiles\PassportLearning\AcadSrv\DataRead.
  3. Click Cancel. (The folder path is saved and will be used for the automated process.)
  4. Open the Windows Control Panel.
  5. Double-click Scheduled Tasks.
  6. Double-click Add Scheduled Task.
  7. Click Next.
  8. Choose Data Maintenance.
  9. Click Next.
  10. Leave Data Maintenance as the name for this task.
  11. Choose how often you wish to run this.
  12. Click Next.
  13. Choose start time for this task. (It is highly recommended that you run this task after hours.)
  14. Click Next.
  15. Type in username and password (system administrator username and password recommended).
  16. Click Next.
  17. Check off “Open advanced properties for this task before I click Finish.”
  18. Click Finish.
  19. At the end of the path in the run box type “–automated” (space after .exe and include the dash).
  20. Click Apply.
  21. Enter username and password used in step 15.
  22. Click OK.

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How do I setup a Data Maintenance overwrite?

Problem:
How do I set up a Data Maintenance overwrite?

Solution:
Data Maintenance may be putting a dated folder under the Archive folder each time Data Maintenance is run. In order to have the Data Maintenance put the archive files directly into the Archive folder and overwrite the old files, please follow the steps below.

  1. Go to C:\ProgramFiles\PassportLearning\AcadSrv\DataMaint.ini.
  2. Double-click on the DataMaint.ini file to open it.
  3. Change Overwrite Archive Files=FALSE to TRUE.

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What do I do for Critical Error1310?

Problem:
The Academy stops responding or freezes and the following error is displayed:
“Critical Error 1310. There has been a database connection failure. Please restart the program. If this persists, contact your Network Administrator.”

Solution:
Note: This is not an Academy of Reading or Math application problem.

This error is generated when the Academy of Reading or Math client workstation loses its network connection to the Academy server. Generally, the problem occurs more commonly in wireless networking environments or on workstations that are set to go to sleep or hibernate.

Please consult your network administrator for assistance in troubleshooting this problem further.

It is good practice to run Data Maintenance after receiving this error since the connection may have been lost while the client workstation was attempting to write to the Academy database, thereby potentially causing data corruption.

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What do I do if the backup quits?

Problem:
The backup feature in the PPL software does not work. The software kicks me out of the PPL software at the beginning of the backup.

Solution:
The backup file was up to 2.01 GB in size. You can save the data to an external hard drive. Then you should create an empty backup folder under the DataRead (DataMath) folder. The past backups need to be archived first.

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