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Cisco Networking Academy IP Telephony Learning Materials

Over the past months, the Cisco Networking Academy IP Telephony (IP Tel) materials have been concept tested by a pilot group of Networking Academy instructors and students. The pilot resulted in very positive feedback. The IP Tel materials consist of lab exercises based on Cisco equipment and additional resources adapted from various Cisco sources.

Due to the continued interest and growing importance of IP Telephony technology, the Cisco Networking Academy Program is making its IP Telephony labs and other IP Telephony learning materials available to all Networking Academies on 17 April 2006. Interested Academies must request access through the Academy Support Desk. See below for details.

Unlike a formal curriculum, the IP Tel learning materials should be viewed as a set of supplemental learning tools developed to compliment current course offerings.

Cisco is committed to the integration of advanced technology materials into Networking Academy courses, and will continue to look for opportunities to do this in the future.

If you have additional questions after reading the IP Telephony Learning Materials Q&A below, please contact a Cisco Networking Academy Manager in your area.

IP Telephony Learning Materials Q&A

Why did Cisco develop the IP Telephony materials?
Cisco is committed to developing and delivering product and learning materials surrounding IP telephony. The availability of these advanced technology learning materials answered a strong request from Academies to provide students with the entry-level skills required to implement IP telephony in a small office environment.

The IP Telephony supplemental materials are designed for students who are CCNA certified or for students who have completed the CCNA 1-4 Academy courses. It is generally appropriate for post-secondary school students.

What IP Telephony materials are available?

• Scope & Sequence document with suggested teaching outline
• Learning material PDF files
• Student Lab Manual with a primary focus on voice and data convergence
• Instructor Lab Manual
• Skills Exams within the Instructor Lab Manual
• List of equipment required for labs
• Instructor PowerPoint slides
• ADTRAN configuration files
• Suggested resources
  Note: All materials are available only in English.

How can I use these materials in my Academy?
The IP Telephony learning materials are designed to complement current course offerings. Academies should evaluate and determine how to best use the materials.

How do I access these materials?
In order to access the IP Telephony supplemental learning materials, interested instructors must do the following:

1.     Contact the Academy Support Desk by logging into Academy Connection and selecting Help at the top of the screen. Select the appropriate language program support link then choose the Contact the Support Desk tab. Enter “IP Telephony Materials Access” in the Subject line. In the request, you must include your Academy Connection username, Academy name, and country.

2.     Log into the Academy Community site using your Academy Connection username and password. When you log in, your username will be added to a member list, which is part of the access-granting process.
Note: This step will help expedite the process of receiving access. Access to the IP Telephony materials is not immediate. It may take up to three weeks before access is granted and you receive confirmation.

3.     After you are granted access, log in to the Academy Community site. The IP Telephony materials will be posted in the IP Telephony Discussion Board, which is under Private Community Groups.

How will instructors be trained to use the IP Telephony materials?
Since the IP Telephony materials are considered supplemental learning materials and not part of a traditional Academy course, no official instructor training is required. However, Cisco strongly advises instructors to obtain the necessary knowledge and skills required to ensure the successful delivery of these advanced materials to their students. Instructors using these materials should, at a minimum, be CCNA certified or have experience teaching CCNA 1-4.

Are there any plans to update the IP Telephony learning materials such as labs and skills exams, as well as the equipment list?
There are no plans to update the materials or equipment list at this time. Cisco encourages Academies to post new materials, labs, and resources to the IP Telephony Discussion Board, which Cisco will continue to make available.

How long will the IP Telephony learning materials remain available?
Cisco will monitor the use of these materials and will continue to make them available as long as they remain relevant to the Academy community. Cisco will give a six-month notice prior to the removal of these materials.

What minimum support will be available for the IP Telephony learning materials?
Cisco posted these materials in their current form for Academies to use at their discretion. The Academy Support Desk will not provide assistance regarding these materials, but Cisco will provide a space on the Academy Community site for a global, peer-supported discussion forum on Academy Connection. This forum will be used by Academy instructors around the world to support each other. Contact the Support Desk for access to the IP Telephony Discussion Board.

How do I know what equipment to use for the labs Cisco has developed?
The first page of each lab contains an Equipment Requirements section that lists the equipment used to develop the lab. A complete equipment list for all labs is available on the IP Telephony Discussion Board.

Note: Since there are no plans to update the labs the, equipment list will remain as is and will not be updated.

Is there a discount for IP Telephony lab equipment?
Yes. Contact your Cisco sales representative (SIGMAnet for U.S. Academies) or Area Academy Manager (AAM) for information about the standard Networking Academy Program equipment discount.

Note: Cisco reserves the right to discontinue the equipment discount at any time.

What is the long-term plan for offering IP Telephony to Academies?
At this time there is no plan to offer a full IP Telephony course to Academies. However, Cisco is interested in integrating IP Telephony and other advanced technologies into the core courses and is researching ways to do so in the future.