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COMPASS® Internet Version Technical Specifications

(Revised June 2007)

Hardware requirements for Testing Computer Workstations:

  • 350 MHz Pentium II (500 MHz Pentium II or faster is recommended.)
  • Minimum Memory Requirements:
    • 128 MB RAM for Windows® 2000, and Windows® XP
    • 300 MB of free hard disk space
  • Recommended Memory Requirements:
    • 256 MB RAM for Windows® 2000 and Windows® XP
    • 600 MB or more free hard disk space
  • Sound card and headphones with in-line volume control required if ESL testing option is to be used
  • 8 MB (minimum) video card
  • Video card must be capable of displaying 800 x 600 resolution with 16-bit high color
  • Monitor – 15" SVGA 800 x 600 with 16 bit color depth
  • 10/100 Mbps Ethernet card
  • Display must be set to 800 x 600 resolution (mandatory)

The following operating systems are supported:

  • Windows® 2000 with the latest Service Packs
  • Windows® XP with the latest Service Packs
NOTE: Macintosh or the Win95 Macintosh emulation, Windows® 95, or the original Windows® 98 are not supported by ACT for COMPASS Internet Version. Windows NT® is supported for administrative use only. NT is not supported for use as a testing workstation.
Special note for Windows® XP sites: Please advise all test center proctors that students are not permitted to connect a USB flash drive to any Windows® XP workstation while the test is being administered as this may allow an examinee to access the Internet.

User permissions and settings:

The workstation setup process requires a login that has a minimum of Power User rights. Other user rights requirements are defined in the tables below.

  Install COMPASS Setup for All Users Install COMPASS Setup Run Test Launcher
Administrator X X X
Power User   X X
User     X

  Download ActiveX Control (Initial) ActiveX Controls (Updates) Run, Validate, and Download* (No Item Updates) Update Items with Validate and Download*
Administrator X X X X
Power User X X X X
User     X X
*NOTE: Updating Items will fail if the user does not have read, write, and modify rights on the Item folder.

The following Internet browser versions are supported:

  • Internet Explorer 6.0 (with or without Service Pack 1) and above
NOTE: Netscape is not supported by ACT for COMPASS Internet Version.

Browser Settings:

NOTE: Refer to the Supplemental Guide for XP Service Pack if you are running Windows XP
  • Download signed ActiveX controls (Minimum: set to prompt)
  • Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins (Minimum: set to prompt)
  • Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting (Minimum: set to prompt)
    1. Click on the Tools option in the Internet Explorer menu bar.
    2. From the drop-down menu, click "Internet Options".
    3. Select the Security tab. Under the "Custom" heading, click the Custom Level button.
    4. Click the radio buttons to enable or prompt for the listed ActiveX settings if they have not been set already.
    5. Click OK to save your settings, and click OK to exit the "Tools" menu.
  • Check for newer versions of stored pages set to "automatically"
    1. Click on the Tools option in the Internet Explorer menu bar.
    2. From the drop-down menu, click "Internet Options".
    3. Select the General tab. Under the "Temporary Internet Files" heading, click the Settings button.
    4. Click the radio button for "Automatically" if it has not been selected already.
    5. Click OK to save your settings, and click OK to exit the Tools menu.
  • Text Size setting for Internet Explorer (under the View menu) needs to be set at "Medium".

Additional Software Required:

  • Java 1.5 or above
  • Windows Media Player 9.0 or above

Network Settings:

Participant must provide high-speed (dedicated T1 or above) network access to the Public Internet for the Testing Workstations, and must be capable of supporting a continuous minimum data transfer rate of 500 kbps (kilobits per second) per 25 workstations or approximately 40 kbps per workstation.

For testing environments with more than 15 workstations, please refer to the chart below to help identify the minimum necessary continuous data transfer rates.

Average number of testing workstations Average Response (kbytes) Bandwidth Requested (Kbits)
15 40 kbps 500 continuous Kbits preferred
25 40 kbps 500 continuous Kbits preferred
50 40 kbps 1000 continuous Kbits preferred
NOTE: Campus-based bandwidth speed and actual testing performance are highly related to each other and must be optimized for best results. COMPASS Internet Version performance (such as the time between screen presentations, or refreshing) can be negatively impacted by a high volume of campus-based network traffic and/or other factors that may divert true bandwidth from the testing environment.

LAN/PORTS Settings:

COMPASS Internet Version campuses must provide testing workstations configured to operate on the LAN using TCP/IP protocol, with access to Public Internet websites.

  • Ports 80 and 443 are required for standard program operation.