What's the reference you refer to?

Please be more specific. See Rule #2.

This course is using VB6.
This isn't readily available anymore.
You've downloaded Visual Studio which works with VB.NET.

It doesn't open a window with the form, the objects - nothing.  It's a blank screen.  It didn't have the option of either going to VB6 or VB6 with tools.  The only thing that showed when a new project was created was the blank screen above.

If not available, what is my alternative?

When you start Visual Studio you should see the Start Window.
In the first screenshot below is the process for starting a new Visual Basic project (Windows Forms App).

If the Start Window doesn't show go to Tools -- Options (second screenshot)

You can also open the Start Window from the File Menu (third image)

I appreciate your speedy response, but your screenshot showing the environment settings -I don't see anything that sets it. There's no popup, nor do I see a link to the environment from the menu line.

Hi Clinton, VB6 is no more, and Richard says so on this page: https://599cd.com/site/courselist/vb/ :

" This course covers the older Visual Basic 6.0 programming application. Microsoft no longer sells VB6. If you want to learn VB6, you'll have to find a used copy somewhere like eBay or Craigslist. We will be updating this course for use with the latest edition of Visual Studio soon. If you've purchased this course within the last year, you'll get a free upgrade when it's released."

The language of VB is also no more.  It has been succeeded with newer variants: VBA, VB Script, VB.Net, C#, etc.

If you need to create or maintain apps for older operating systems like Windows XP, 98, etc., then maybe you need VB6.  A friend of mine recently asked me for the old CDs of VB6 for this purpose.

I've used VB since VB1 in the early 90s.  It was revolutionary at the time, and is still influential today.  The event-driven system that is still used by Access today originated in VB1.

It opens the form - I had gotten that far.  But there are no objects in view.  This is what I see:

You need to turn on the Toolbox. Go to View -- Toolbox (Ctrl + Alt + X)

Kevin, I had made the incorrect assumption that the newer version could be tweaked to show the older setup.  My primary purpose for purchasing this was as a minor brushup on Access (other than coding - that I need work on, and forms.  I use my Access DB from the spreadsheet view because it's just me using it).  Mostly I wanted to learn VB, in order to work with both Access and Excel.  I wouldn't classify myself as expert in Excel, but fairly strong - especially wrt Power Query.  

I've already gone through the whole "Hello World" coding a long time ago but I was going to try to follow through the coursework with the same or similar arrangement as the lessons are presented.  

I didn't catch Rick's commentary on VB - I should have, but didn't.  I am still convinced he's a hell of a teacher from what I've seen, but I am at a loss as to how to proceed if I can't follow the lessons.

Thanks Kevin - I looked for it, but maybe I'm needing glasses. :)

VB is not the same as VBA.
Are you wanting to do programming in Access/Excel?

Programming in Access/Excel.

Start here: Intro to VBA
Then work through the Access Developer classes in order.

There are no Excel Developer classes as of yet.