Training and consulting
on user assistance
in the UK and Europe
Training course: Mastering Adobe Captivate 3
Who is it for?
This course enables novice and intermediate users of Adobe Captivate 3 to use the full range of key features with confidence. No previous experience of working with Captivate is required—however, familiarity with the Windows operating system (2000 or later) is a prerequisite.
How will I benefit?
After taking the course, you will be equipped to work more efficiently and effectively, and to maximise the benefits of this powerful eLearning tool. The course is customized to your needs, and provides many practical guidelines and tips for creating both software demonstrations and interactive tutorials.
Course duration
| Standard course: | Two days |
| Custom course: | One to three days, depending on your objectives and previous experience |
How is this training delivered?
This course is delivered in the following three ways:
- Hands-on classroom training for groups of one to eight students at your own place of work
Scheduled two-day training classes in Ringwood, Hampshire, UK (please call for the next scheduled dates)
- Web-based coaching as a series of 90-minute instructor-led interactive sessions
Course outline
- What is Captivate?
- Planning your projects
- Resolution and recording size
- Guided tour of the Captivate user interface
- Recording projects
- Pros and cons of Auto Recording
- Selecting an appropriate Recording Mode
- Multi-mode Recording
Pointer Paths, Text Captions and the Timeline
- Changing the pointer path
- Adding a visual mouse click and mouse click sound
- Using the "Align with Previous Slide" option
- Working with text captions
- Editing an object's position and size
- Using the timeline to control object timing
- Showing an object for the "Rest of Slide"
- Aligning captions
- Hiding and deleting slide objects
- Inserting blank slides
- Inserting images
- Setting image size and position
- Setting image timing options and transition effects
- Merging images into the background
- Working with image stacks
- Using the Library
- Importing images from other Adobe Captivate projects
- Inserting a Text Button
- Inserting an Image Button
- Using colour to highlight an area of the screen
- Highlighting an area by greying out the rest of the screen
Creating
interactive simulations and tutorials
- Introduction to eLearning tutorials
- Explanation of interactive objects
- Hiding the mouse
- Inserting and working with Click Boxes
- Auto Recording with interactivity
- Inserting and working with Text Entry Boxes
- Showing and hiding typing
Rollover Captions, Images, and Zoom Areas
- Introduction to Rollovers
- Working with Rollover Captions
- Working with Rollover Images
- Using Rollovers to provide a "true" Hint facility
- Using Rollovers to enable users to explore on their own
- Inserting Zoom Areas
Slide Labels, Notes, and Audio
- Working with Slides Labels and Notes
- Explanation of possible audio strategies
- Adding background music to a project
- Adding audio to a slide
- Recording and editing audio
- Adding sound effects to slide objects
- Working with animation slides
- Inserting Animations to draw attention
- Inserting Text Animations
- Inserting Flash Video
- Setting Flash Video Properties
Importing, Exporting, and Branching
- Importing PowerPoint presentations
- Importing Captivate slides and objects
- Using Buttons to create a branch
- Working with the Branching Tab
- Publishing Word handouts
- "Round-tripping" text captions to and from Word
- Editing and saving skins
- Applying a BMP Playbar to a project
- Adding a Loading Screen
- Creating a Project Template
- Recording a new project based on a Template
- Editing a Template
Compliant Movies and Publishing
- Ensuring accessibility by enabling 508 Compliance
- Adding Closed Captions (subtitles)
- Linking to a Web Site
- Setting Project Properties
- Publishing Flash and Standalone projects
- Using FTP
Question Slides and Learning Management Systems
- Devising an appropriate quiz strategy
- Setting Quiz Preferences
- Creating a Manifest File
- Inserting Question Slides
- Setting Question Slide options
- Formatting and laying out Question slides
- Editing the Submit Button text
- Adding Randomised Quiz Questions
- Publishing a Zipped Flash Project
Optional:
- Creating Menu Builder projects
- Formatting styles
- Editing items
- Exporting MenuBuilder projects
Introducing your trainer
Matthew Ellison has 20 years of experience as an eLearning professional in the software industry, and is a qualified teacher (PGCE) and Certified Technical Trainer. He has worked with Captivate since RoboDemo (the previous name of this tool) version 1.0.
Matthew is an Adobe Community Expert for RoboHelp and Captivate, and an Adobe Certified Instructor. Matthew was invited to present an extended seminar Getting the Very Best from Macromedia Captivate 1.0 at the 2006 WritersUA Conference in Palm Springs.
