FAQs

We appreciate your questions. Our conversations with customers and prospects infuse our thinking with fresh ideas. If your questions are not answered below, please give us a call at 617-642-8055.

Are your charges based on the number of users or the amount of usage?

— Our annual license fee includes unlimited user accounts and does not limit the number of user sessions.

Does AskOnline provide tutors?

— AskOnline’s clients use their own tutors who know their campus curriculum and goals.
— AskOnline does not provide educational content.

Can I use AskOnline to calculate tutor payroll?

— Our reporting system tracks all user usage, down to the last second. You can run a standard report by user type, such as “tutors,” for a specified date range, listing the time each tutor spent on the system.
— AskOnline’s built-in reports are a good source of data for planning sessions or budget preparation.

How will students know that AskOnline is available for them to use?

— Creating “Buzz” is essential when launching your site, and we provide marketing materials to help you get the word out to your students.
— Visit the Customer News section of this site and read how Stark State doubled their year over year usage.

Will our college logo appear on the site?

— Each AskOnline client site is customized for the client including prominent placement of their logo.

What are the technical requirements?

— You need only an internet connection to log on to your AskOnline system.
— We recommend Firefox 3 or higher or Internet Explorer 8 or higher for your browser.
— Flash 8 or higher is required to use the whiteboard within Chat.
— Users will need at least Java 5 for the Equation Editor. Java 6 is recommended.
— AskOnline is compatible with both Macintosh and PC operating systems.

Is the AskOnline system available 24/7?

— Our tech crew is dedicated to keeping you up and running day and night, all year.
— Redundancies built into the system result in very reliable service.
— We schedule routine maintenance in off hours to minimize user inconvenience.

How easy is it to review the system data?

— All text-based communications are securely archived for future analysis and review.
— The built-in reporting module formats your data into a variety of standard reports.
— Export report data to Excel for more detailed analysis.

Can students see other students’ work?

— Users in a public chat or discussion board can see other participants work.
— A student’s work in a private chat is available for review by only those participating in the chat including the tutor or administrators of the system.

Is it possible to schedule standing appointments, like a Biology Chat every Wednesday at noon?

— Yes. Some of our client administrators use the system in this fashion for weekly online staff meetings.

Do your systems integrate with Banner?

— We can provide the technical support for such an integration, but custom programming charges would apply.
— Call us to discuss your particular needs, and we will be happy to develop an integration plan for you.

Is video communication possible with your system?

— Skype integration is available for a one-time setup fee.
— Recording visual or audio communication is not available.
— All text-based communications are securely archived for future analysis and review.

Are surveys integrated with your platforms?

— AskOnline provides a link via email to users as they exit the system to a 3rd party survey service.
— Some of our clients require users to fill in a survey upon entering the system (typically to capture specific student data). These “intake” surveys are unique for each client and the cost of implementation is dependent upon the complexity of the survey.

Does the Equation Editor communicate with the Chat Room?

— Users build complex equations using the Equation Editor and then post them to the Chat where they become part of the archive.
— The Equation Editor is also integrated with the Equation Library where tutors and students maintain frequently used equations.

Can students access the system using their smartphones?

— Students can submit questions using the Ask Tool, check schedules, make appointments, view announcements with their smartphones.
— The system’s internal messaging system sends notifications via both SMS texts and email.