For those students who wish to go on to take the Adobe Certified exams please see below:

The Home Learning College CS4 Web Standard Dreamweaver Book 6 study guide and practice exams will assist you in preparing for the Web Communication using Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 exam that is available from Certiport.com.
Certiport is the official testing company that has partnered with Adobe to provide this computer-based exam that leads to the granting of an Adobe Certified Associate (ACA) certificate that may be presented to prospective employers or to assist students in gaining entry into more advanced design programs.

Adobe describes the program thus:

‘For those pursuing higher education involving digital media, the ACA certification ensures the prerequisite knowledge and skills. For those seeking employment in the high demand areas of digital communication, the ACA certification provides a valuable competitive edge.’

You can find out more about the Adobe Certified Associates exam at Adobe’s website:

http://www.adobe.com/education/instruction/ace

About the Examination

The ACA exam is presented in a computer-based testing environment. You will register to take the exam by contacting your tutor who will request an exam voucher from Home Learning College’s Exams dept. They will issue you with a voucher.

Currently the exam route is via Certiport licensee Prodigy but this is subject to change. In the event of a change, you will be directed to another Exam Voucher provider

To register currently for an exam, visit the Prodigy  website:

http://www.prodigyuk.co.uk

Contact your tutor for more information. Your tutor will liaise with the Exams Officer to arrange your exam entry.

The Adobe Certified Associate exam is a computer-based examination that will ask you to answer multiple-choice and matching questions as well as use simulations of Dreamweaver to perform certain tasks. In preparing for the exam, keep these tips in mind:

   A typical exam takes 45–60 minutes once you begin.
Be sure to arrive early to the testing centre so you have time to get settled and prepared.
Be relaxed and confident! If you have worked through this entire course, reviewed the reference materials and completed the practice exam, you are well prepared and will probably do very well.
Read the instructions and view the tutorial provided on how the exam is administered and the types of questions you will be asked to answer. The timed portion of the exam does not begin until you begin the first question, so take your time and be certain you understand how the exam questions will be presented to you.
Give your answers exactly as directed. Do not skip questions or try to do too much.
When completing tasks in the simulation of Dreamweaver, you will only be graded on the exact tasks you have been given. Extra mouse clicks and other entries you make will be ignored. Only the final result is graded.
Budget your time. Some parts of the exam will take longer than others. Be certain you allow yourself plenty of time to finish the entire exam.

At the end of the exam, you will be presented with your score. Your certification will be sent to the postal address you entered when registering for the exam.

Exam Objectives

The following topic areas and objectives will be assessed during the ACA examination. You will find these objectives at the start of each unit in your course. You should review each of these objectives and be prepared to answer questions about the topic or complete assigned tasks in a simulated Dreamweaver environment:

Setting project requirements

1.1    Identify the purpose, audience, and audience needs for a website.
1.2    Identify web page content that is relevant to the website purpose and appropriate for          the target audience.
1.3    Demonstrate knowledge of standard copyright rules (related terms, obtaining          permission, and citing copyrighted material).
1.4    Demonstrate knowledge of website accessibility standards that address the needs of          people with visual and motor impairments.
1.5    Make website-development decisions based on your analysis and interpretation of          design specifications.
1.6    Understand project management tasks and responsibilities.  Plan site design and page          layout
2.1    Demonstrate general and Dreamweaver-specific knowledge of best practices for          designing a website, such as maintaining consistency, separating content from          design, using standard fonts, web-safe colours, and utilising visual hierarchy.
2.2    Produce website designs that work equally well on various operating systems and          browser versions/configurations.
2.3    Demonstrate knowledge of page layout design concepts and principles.
2.4    Identify basic principles of website usability, readability, and accessibility.
2.5    Demonstrate knowledge of flowcharts, storyboards, and wireframes to create web          pages and a site map (site index) that maintain the planned website hierarchy.
2.6    Communicate with others (such as peers and clients) about design and content plans.

Understanding the Adobe Dreamweaver CS4 interface

3.1    Identify elements of the Dreamweaver interface.
3.2    Use the Insert bar.
3.3    Use the Property inspector.
3.4    Use the Assets panel.
3.5    Use the Files panel.

Adding content by using Dreamweaver CS4

4.1    Define a Dreamweaver site.
4.2    Create, title, name, and save a web page.
4.3    Add text to a web page.
4.4    Insert images and apply alternative text on a web page.
4.5    Link web content, using hyperlinks, e-mail links, and named anchors.
4.6    Insert rich media, such as video, sound, and animation in Flash format.
4.7    Insert navigation bars, rollover images, and buttons created in Adobe Fireworks on a          web page.
4.8    Build image maps.
4.9    Import tabular data to a web page.
4.10 Import and display a Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel document to a web page.
4.11 Create forms.

Organising content by using Dreamweaver CS4

5.1    Set and modify document properties.
5.2    Organise web page layout with absolutely-positioned div tags and CSS styles.
5.3    Modify text and text properties.
5.4    Modify images and image properties.
5.5    Create web page templates.
5.6    Use basic HTML tags to set up an HTML document, format text, add links, create          tables, and build ordered and unordered lists.
5.7    Add head content to make a web page visible to search engines.
5.9    Use CSS to implement a reusable design.

Evaluating and maintaining a site by using Dreamweaver CS4

6.1    Conduct basic technical tests.
6.2    Identify techniques for basic usability tests.
6.4    Identify methods for collecting site feedback.
6.3    Present web pages to others (such as team members and clients) for feedback and          evaluation.
6.5    Manage assets, links, and files for a site.
6.6    Publish and update site files to a remote server.

Home Learning College have provided ACA Practice papers in the back of Dreamweaver CS4 Book 6 and on the VLC for the Web Design course. These should be utilised with the time frame of the exam in mind.
Remember, it is in your best interest to be as time-efficient as possible. 45–60 minutes once you begin. This is an important discipline.
Your tutor will grade these assignments and provide feedback on revision areas.
(Note: This may only be achieved through the Home Learning College VLC - click this sentence to open the VLC in a new browser window).