Kansas State University

Accessibility for live, online events

Wimba Live Classroom, chat, and whiteboard technologies can be used to interact with guest speakers in online classes. This requires some pre-planning for accessibility.

Visuals and video, and questions for and from the guest speaker, need to be provided before the event. To make PowerPoint slides accessible, refer to the Tips for creating accessible PowerPoint presentations. A transcript of the video can be provided with proper accessible annotations, or the video could be close-captioned. Presenters who have pre-written speeches could post the transcript online.

Getting rid of PE_LUDER malware

The PE_LUDER.CH malware and its associated worm WORM_SMALL.JBC have persisted at K-State for more than two months. It effectively spreads and is difficult to completely remove. Part of the reason is that it runs as a process named SVCHOST.EXE and is automatically started every time the computer boots up.

This malicious process uses the same name as a legitimate Microsoft Windows process, a common trick used to try to hide the existence of running malware. Consequently, Trend Micro OfficeScan cannot delete or quarantine this part of the malware automatically. The procedure for permanently removing SVCHOST.EXE (PDF format) is complicated, so contact your IT support person or the IT Help Desk for assistance.

Other reasons for PE_LUDER's persistence include:

• Infections may be lingering on devices not normally considered vulnerable. It spreads by trying to infect every disk drive connected to the computer, including hard drives, network drives, and USB thumb drives. It can infect cameras, MP3 players, and some printers because they also have Windows file systems.
• It is hiding in some compressed system files which may not get scanned completely, depending on the configuration of your instance of Trend Micro OfficeScan. If the "maximum layers" setting for "Scan compressed files" is set to 2 or 3, it may not detect all instances of this malware. A setting of 6 is recommended.
• Systems may not have the latest pattern files for Trend Micro OfficeScan that help prevent infection. Some systems have their configuration frozen with products like Deep Freeze, which is used in campus computer labs. If you use Deep Freeze or something similar, make sure it is configured to regularly "thaw" the configuration to update the pattern files.

What you can do

• Be very cautious about putting someone else's thumb drive in your computer, or putting your thumb drive in someone else's computer.
• Faculty should accept student assignments through another method, such as K-State Online's File Dropbox feature.
• Turn off "AutoRun" capability on external drives. This is the convenient feature that automatically runs a CD when you insert it, or starts the process to download photos when you connect your digital camera. It's also the feature exploited by malware like PE-LUDER. (In Windows XP, an alternative way to turn off AutoRun for all devices is to hold down the Shift key when you insert the thumb drive into the USB port. This temporarily disables AutoRun when Windows detects the new drive.)

This malware tries to inject itself into nearly every .EXE file it finds and has rendered some systems unusable, requiring reformatting and re-installing all software. See your IT support staff or the IT Help Desk for help.

Importing events into the Calendar

You can import events from K-State's Calendar into a K-State Online Calendar. First, export your K-State Calendar:

1. On the File menu, click Export Data.
2. Select iCalendar File and then click Continue.
3. Select the range of appointments you would like to export.
4. In the Filename box, type a name for the exported calendar and then click OK.

Import K-State Calendar into K-State Online calendar:

1. Click the Import Events link.
2. From the Calendar list, select the calendar you want to import events to.
3. Select Import an iCal File.
4. In the Label the Import box, type a label for your import. This will not alter the event titles of your import file.
5. Click the Browse button, and then navigate to the file location.
6. Select the iCal file (the file extension must be .ics), and then click Open. The file path will appear in the Import File box.
7. Click the Upload button.
8. Verify the import. You can click the Show Details button to show information about the events that will be imported or click the Import button to import the events. You can also click Cancel to stop the import process. Note: You may see a message that says "# of events w/ Warnings" and the warning message may be "WARNING: the location for this event is blank". This will not affect the import of your events.
9. Your events will automatically appear on your calendar.

Beyond $10 printing; Rec Center's YouTube video

How do I print in the university computing labs and K-State InfoCommons when I've used the $10 on my eID account?

If you're almost out of monies for limited free printing on your eID account and need to print, all you need to do is add money to your K-State Wildcat ID Card. Then, when you insert your Wildcat ID Card into the Debitek Reader and press Print, the remaining money will be removed from your eID account and any additional fees will be removed from your Wildcat ID Card.

I heard the Rec Center expansion has a video on YouTube. Can you provide the location?

Yes. The "Virtual tour of the proposed expanded recreation complex at Kansas State University" is at www.youtube.com/watch?v=qi0cJ57kgds and runs just under 5 minutes.

JohnElla Holmes, a K-State champion of learning using technology

JohnElla Holmes, instructor for American Ethnic Studies and coordinator for Minority Recruitment and Retention for the College of Arts and Sciences, is a champion of learning using technology. In her first semester of teaching at K-State, Holmes has managed to use every tool in the newly renovated Leasure 13 technology classroom.

On any given day in her Introduction to American Ethnic Studies, Holmes might show an article via the visual presenter, play a YouTube video of the Holocaust, or show a documentary about Nicodemus, Kan., using the DVD/VCR. Recently, students were able to hear the Cherokee Nation rendition of Amazing Grace.

When students were uncertain about finding cultures not presented in the text for an upcoming poster project, they searched the library databases and other online tools during class and collectively found cultures they would have never heard of.

According to Holmes, 80 percent of her class would not work without the room and the available technology. Holmes believes technology is important for learning because "in this ADD society, we need to keep students on the edge. Technology and this classroom enhances the possibilities, keeps them interested and engaged, and the discussions flowing," she said. "Technology provides an immediacy to the question-and-answer process and whether at home or at school, technology provides access to quality research."

Next up for Holmes, she will be using technology to communicate with 900 minority students in the College of Arts and Sciences by answering enrollment questions; tracking their academic progress; sharing study guides and study tips; and providing a way to continuously keep in touch.