If you are experiencing difficulty, download the full version of the Adobe Shockwave player.

We offer:
	public tours
	educational tours
	activities and programs
	special events

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't my character respond when I press the movement keys?
Why does my character move slowly or in a jerky manner?
Why do other characters in the Virtual Visit move in a strange way?
Why can't I control my character when I'm on a guided tour?
Can I leave a guided tour before it is finished?
How is the Virtual Visit useful for teachers and students?
What can I do if the Virtual Visit won't start?
Why are some of the objects (for example, portraits) in the Virtual Visit distorted and have wavy lines in them when viewed from a distance?
Why does my browser crash when I try to launch the Virtual Visit?
Why am I having problems starting the Virtual Visit on Netscape 8.04?
Why am I unable to view the videos?

Why doesn't my character respond when I press the movement keys?

The Virtual Visit screen may not be active. Click anywhere within the Virtual Visit screen, and then try moving your character.

Why does my character move slowly or in a jerky manner?

You may have too many applications open on your computer. Try closing all other programs when running the Virtual Visit. You may also want to check the minimum system requirements for the Virtual Visit.

Why do other characters in the Virtual Visit move in a strange way?

The quality of the movement of other characters is dependent on the speed of your Internet connection. If your Internet is slow or very busy, it will affect movement in the Virtual Visit.

Why can't I control my character when I'm on a guided tour?

During a guided tour the computer automatically assumes control of your character and moves it on a predetermined path. If you wish to control the movement of your character, choose Change Tour Mode from the menu buttons, and then select Discover the Legislature Building on Your Own.

Can I leave a guided tour before it is finished?

If you wish to quit the guided tour at any time, you may quit the program, restart or explore on your own. If you wish to explore on your own, choose Change Tour Mode from the menu buttons, and then select Discover the Legislature Building on Your Own.

How is the Virtual Visit useful for teachers and students?

The Virtual Visit meets many of the outcomes in Alberta programs of study. The strongest correlation is with grade 6 social studies, but teachers of other grades and subjects will be able to tie the experience to other outcomes. Note that certain displays and areas are also linked to independent learning objects. These links can be found in the pop-up information boxes and include:

a junior high mathematics learning object entitled Exploring Election Data, accessible from the public gallery on the fourth floor.
a high school social studies learning object entitled Ideologies and the News Media, accessible by clicking on the portrait of Premier William Aberhart on the third floor.
a Historica Minute video clip entitled Emily Murphy, accessible by clicking on the portrait of Emily Murphy on the fifth floor.
a Historica Minute video clip entitled Nellie McClung, accessible by clicking on the portrait of Nellie McClung on the fifth floor.

What can I do if the Virtual Visit won't start?

The Virtual Visit requires that the computer you are using meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements. Make sure the latest version of the free Shockwave player is installed. Minimum system requirements.

Why are some of the objects, for example portraits, in the Virtual Visit distorted and have wavy lines in them when viewed from a distance?

This is a known issue with ATI graphics cards and Shockwave applications. The problem disappears when you move closer to the object(s). You may be able to resolve the issue by right-clicking on the object, selecting "3D Renderer" from the menu that appears, then clicking "Always Use Hardware - OpenGL". Always make sure you have the latest drivers for your graphics card. This issue does not occur with NVIDIA graphics cards.

Why does my browser crash when I try to launch the Virtual Visit?

The virtual Legislature requires a full version of the Shockwave player installed on your system. If you installed Shockwave from the web installer, you will only have the "slim" version installed.

To install the full version of the Shockwave player, please CLICK HERE, find your operating system in the list under the Shockwave installation section and click the Full Installer link under the browser of your choice. Once it has downloaded, launch the installer and follow the onscreen instructions. Your browser may close during the installation process.

Why am I having problems starting the Virtual Visit on Netscape 8.04?

The Shockwave player does not install properly on Netscape 8.04. It is LearnAlberta.ca's recommendation to upgrade your Netscape web browser from Netscape 8.04 to Netscape 8.1 or higher in order to avoid this problem.

Why am I unable to view the videos?

The videos require Quicktime plug-in to be installed. Go to www.quicktime.com to download the plug-in.