Needs for an AW project:

1. Need for users to sign in

Low-tech solution 1: Have users sign in on paper. Their use of the machine has to be monitored anyway, no?

Authorware solution 1: User Username variable to display username on final screen which contains quiz results. Student must print quiz - with his name on it - to receive credit. (file:displayusername.a3w)

Authorware solution 2: AppendExtFile variable. Writes Username to disk. Can also be used with display option. (file: writeusernametodisk.a3w)

2. Need for quiz to be open for only a calendar period

Low-tech solution: Move the test files on and off an accessible drive during the open test periods. When something isn't to be used, put it on Y:

Authorware solution: Active-if-true condition on button. (file: activeif-date.a3w)

Comment: The AW solution would be more difficult to maintain from term to term, when calendar dates are different.

3. Need for quiz to change data in questions without changing questions

Comment: I suspect this is one of the hardest to implement solutions. A method that could work would still pose problems, in that you would have uncertain control over exactly what students saw.

Authorware solution: AW can read external txt files into the screen display. The files must be specified, however. I.e. it could not read a random file, unless you set icons to branch randomly to several specified files.

4. Ability to buy a hint

Comment: This also would be difficult to implement, requiring a second variable - HintTotal, to interact with a Score variable. Does this not look like something that would go in a second version of the quiz, e.g. figure out how students work with the basic test first before figuring out how to - basically - curve it?

5. Ability to have test results immediately scored and stored

Authorware solution: Use "Correct Response" option with all Interaction components - this automatically modifies the "Total Correct" variable. You can then display "Total Correct" onscreen, and write it to disk. (file: totalcorrect.a3w)

6. (perhaps) Ability to adapt test by skipping items

This is also do-able, more by manipulation of content (figuring out what entails what) than by manipulation of technology.