ADRE now requires schools to certify student identity before issuing credit. Specific acceptable methods to properly certify students apply to all schools. Recent ADRE-approvals for this school include a requirement to obtain a sufficiently-matching biometric-type handwriting sample to enable students to access newer or recently-renewed classes.
Biometric handwriting comparison is a new way that ADRE employs to see if someone is trying to illegally take a class for a licensee. It is like signing the roster in a live classroom class, only you are signing electronically. That said, this is not the place to get creative (nor to unleash your frustrations), for if the system flags your signature as a mismatch and school personnel cannot validate your signature, the school cannot give credit and it may result in you having to re-take all or part of the material, or in credit being revoked after the course is complete.
To sign in to classes, draw your name in the signature box on your screen when prompted, drawing the name using a mouse or a touchpad. The system will check for characteristics in your handwriting to see if it matches the way you signed when you enrolled in the class. If it does not match, the system will log you out.
The most common issues occur:
If you have problems:
Do NOT allow someone else to sign your name to enroll you in classes. Do the enrollment yourself, even though someone else or a company may be paying.
Draw all of the letters in your first and last name in the signature box slowly, carefully and deliberately
Use the same computer/device/browser that you originally signed with and sign in from the same Internet location (IP address), which will require less accuracy to verify that you are you
Make the letters of your handwritten name legible, and place them in approximately the same spot within the box as you did when registering
Make the letters in your name a bit larger and/or a bit taller
If an issue first begins upon switching computers/device, try writing your name in a slightly lower or higher part of the signature box, or start drawing your name a bit to the left or right
Make sure that any incognito or private browsing sessions are closed or your browser will prevent your sign-in attempts from being transmitted to the school and you won't be able to access classes having a biometric sign-in requirement
If nothing at all seems to be happening, log out in the extreme upper right corner of the HOME page of your school account and log in again at https://www.onlinecourselink.com
If when originally registering, you scrawled, wrote illegibly, used initials or only a few letters, it will be extremely difficult for you to login consistently. If this applies to you, please email help@onlinecourselink.com to reset your master handwriting sample and do so at a time when you can log out of the program, close your browser, and reboot your computer/device.
When re-setting your biometric handwriting sample, remember these tips:
The biometric handwriting sample need not be your official signature but the school requires that it identify you; you may simply print or write the letters of your first and last name, just as if they were any other words, so long as they match your name that is on file with ADRE
Cursive (handwriting) works better than printing
More legible letters work better than fewer
Large signatures work better than small signatures... to the extent that you are able, fill the signature box from top to bottom and from left to right
Do note that every login attempt to digitally handwrite your name is photographed and kept as part of your permanent record for at least five years, in the event of audit or investigation.
Your digitally-handwritten first and last name will also appear on your certificate(s) of completion, when required, attesting that you have met the requirements for credit.
Becky S. Ryan, Founder
Online Course Providers
