Category: Faculty Development

Local Backups of D2L Course Material

October 8, 2025 /

SSC maintains one academic year of courses materials on the Learning Management System (D2L), with all other content being moved to an external archive. Archived course content will be retained for an additional four years (five years total). (Effective January 1, 2026) 

Instructors are encouraged to export their D2L course content and store it in a safe location for future use. The College is not responsible for lost, stolen, or corrupted materials stored on the servers, services, and technologies provided. (SSCFA 6.18.15) 

Step 1: Export your course as a Brightspace package

  • In your D2L course, go to the More > Course Admin.
Within a D2L course, select More and Course Admin.
  • Select Import/Export/Copy Components.
Course Admin > Import/Export/Copy Componets
  • Select Export as Brightspace Package > Start.
Export Bright Space Package > Start
  • Select Components to Export > Continue.
Select Components to Export > Continue
  • Important! – Under Additional Components to Export, select Include course files in the export package > Export.
Additional Components to Export, select Include course files in the export package > Export.
  • The Export will start.  You’ll be notified on the Updates Alerts icon in D2L when the export is ready to download (orange dot indicates new notification).
the Updates Alerts icon in D2L when the export is ready to download.
  • Select Export Finished in the Updates Alerts to download the Export Package (zip).
Select Export Finished in the Updates Alerts to download the Export Package
  • Click to download the Export Package (zip).
download the Export Package
  • The zip file will initially be saved to your local computer’s Download folder.

Step 2: Save Your D2L Course Backup File to a Secure Location

Recommendations for storage:

  • It is recommended that you move this Zip file to a devoted folder labeled “D2L Course Backups”.
  • Sometimes the zip file can be large in size, so saving the zip file to a cloud based storage would provide more storage space.
  • As part of Microsoft 365 suite of applications, each instructor is provided a cloud based storage area called OneDrive

Access to M365 OneDrive

  • You can access OneDrive by visiting Office.com and logging in with your regular credentials.
  • Click on the Apps icon to discover all M365 suite of apps available to instructors. Select OneDrive.
office.com > OneDrive > Apps
Select OneDrive
  • Select My Files for your personal cloud storage area.
  • Create a new folder. Under Create or Upload, select Folder.
Select Create > Folder
  • Name your Folder “D2L Course Backups”
Create a folder
  • Upload your Zip file to this folder by selecting Create or Upload and Files Upload.
Create > Files Upload.

April 2026 Accessibility Requirement​ for All D2L Courses at SSC

October 3, 2025 /

The U.S. Department of Justice – Civil Rights Division and U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights have provided notice to colleges and universities across the country about new accessibility requirements that take effect April 2026.

The new accessibility requirements will help both students with and without disabilities, as they follow a universal design approach. If a course is found to not meet the new accessibility requirements, both the institution and instructor can be held liable.

The new DOJ rules makes this a legal requirement, not just a best practice. For more detailed information, review an article from WCET.

As a result, it is important that instructors check their courses to make certain the content they have posted are meeting these standards as soon as possible, to allow time to fix any content before the April 2026 deadline.

What does this mean?

All digital content students use within a D2L course must be accessible to students with disabilities. This includes anything students are expected to read, watch or interact with within their D2L courses, such as videos, PDF’s, PowerPoint Slides, Word documents, online textbooks, links to outside websites, lecture recordings, just to name a few. For example:

  • Videos must have captions
  • Images must have alt text
  • PDF’s must be properly formatted (not just scanned images)
  • Text must be readable (not tiny fonts or bad color contracts)
  • All content, including PowerPoint slides, Word documents, etc. must work with screen readers

Tools Available to Help Instructors Meet Accessibility Requirements:

Blackboard Ally:

Blackboard Ally (within D2L) checks all content instructors upload to their D2L course and checks if it meets these accessibility standards. It provides instructors a score for individual content and the course as a whole. If content scores low, Ally provides feedback to instructors on how to fix their content to meet accessibility standards.

It is best practice that all content score 90% or higher.

Ally scoring.

Ally also automatically converts content instructors upload to D2L to different formats. For example, if a student would like a PowerPoint slide to be in audio format, they have that option.

Ally alternative formatting

D2L Medial Library:

The D2L Medial Library provides for automatic closed caption of videos uploaded by instructors:

How to access D2L Media Library
D2L Media Library - add assets.
D2L Media Library - closed caption.

Scanning Assistance:

The Teaching and Learning Center has a Book Edge Scanner for faculty to use. This Book Edge Scanner will scan documents (such as pages from a textbook) to meet accessibility standards.

TLC Book Edge Scanner.

Would you like to learn more about the new accessibility requirements or assistance in fixing course content. Check out the Teaching and Learning Center’s Training Calendar to attend our Design for All workshops or schedule a one-on-one consultation with a member of the TLC staff.

Regular and Substantial Interaction for Distance Education Courses at SSC

October 3, 2025 /

Some online courses are designed to be completely self-paced, meaning students work through the material on their own without interacting with an instructor. For example, the course might present content in a logical sequence with self-scored assessments like online quizzes. In these types of courses, students typically don’t receive personalized feedback on their work, don’t interact with classmates, and have no one to ask for help if they struggle to understand a concept.

The U.S. Department of Education classifies these self-paced online courses as correspondence courses, as they do not include Regular and Substantial Interaction. Courses in this category are not eligible for federal financial aid, meaning students cannot receive financial assistance for taking them.

What is “Regular and Substantial Interaction”?

According to the U.S. Department of Education (34 CFR 600.2, 2001), online college courses must include meaningful, ongoing interaction between students and instructors to be considered distance education—rather than just self-paced learning.

What does it mean?

  • Regular = Happens on a schedule (not just once or randomly).
  • Substantive = The interaction must be educational and meaningful, not just checking in.

If an instructor sets up an online course and then doesn’t return to actively engage with students—such as responding to questions, giving feedback, or leading discussions—the course likely does not meet federal standards for distance education.

Here are some best practices instructors can follow to meet this requirement:

Provide Weekly Instruction or Guidance:

  • Post weekly announcements in your D2L course summarizing key points or giving direction.
  • Perhaps record a quick audio or video using D2L Media Library to discuss what’s coming up next week or to clarify a concept.

Respond Promptly to Student Questions:

  • Answer messages or email discussion posts within 24-48 hours.
  • Be available through email, course messaging or virtual office hours.

Offer Personalized Feedback:

  • Give meaningful, individual feedback on assignments, not just grades.
Assignment Feedback
  • Use rubrics and comments to explain how students can improve.

Facilitate Discussions:

  • Lead or participate in weekly online discussions in D2L.
  • Ask open-ended questions and reply to student post to guide learning.

Initiate Contact (Don’t Wait for Students):

  • Reach out if a student is falling behind or seems disengaged.
  • Schedule check-ins or send reminders about upcoming work.

Following these best practices helps ensure that online courses are engaging, supportive, and meet federal definitions of distance education, protecting both the student’s learning experience and the South Suburban College’s eligibility for financial aid.

Would you like to learn more about Regular and Substantive Interaction? Check out the Teaching and Learning Center’s Training Calendar and sign up for this session today.

Outcomes Assessment – Rubrics at SSC – General Education and Course Level

March 27, 2023 /

What are General Education Institutional Rubrics SSC?

SSC Rubrics Image
  • General education outcomes assessments demonstrate how SSC students are performing on important, institutional skills throughout the General Education class requirements for associates degree programs.
  • General education outcomes assessment is one of the stated Goals for the college and it is required by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for accreditation.
  • General Education Institutional Rubrics are pre-designed and ready for instructors to use in D2L.  Instructors just have to attach the D2L Rubric to an assignment and then grade an assignment based on that rubric.
    • Here is a list of the current General Education Institutional Rubrics in D2L:
      • SSC Oral Communication Skills Rubric
      • SSC Problem-Solving Skills Rubric (Assessment of Effective Use of Critical Thinking Skills)
      • SSC Technology Skills (Assessment of the use of Technology)
      • SSC Written Communication Skills Rubric
      • Coming Soon! SSC Multiculturalism Rubric

What are Course Level Rubrics SSC?

  • Course level rubrics are usually created by the instructor in D2L (unless they’d like to adapt a general education rubric above). The instructor then attaches their D2L rubric to an assignment and grades the assignment based on that rubric. 
  • Course level assessments begin with Student Learning Outcomes listed on the syllabus of each course and those outcomes are then aligned to a rubric for a particular course assignment.

How to implement in your D2L course:

General Education Institutional Rubrics (Created by Outcomes Assessment Committee)

Attach a General Education Rubric to an AssignmentHandoutWatch Recording (02:16)
Insights Reports – View Institutional Rubric Data Collected in D2LHandoutWatch Recording (03:17)

Course Level Rubrics (Created by the Instructor)

Create Your Own Rubric in D2LHandoutWatch Recording (02:58)
Within a Course – View Course Level Rubric StatisticsHandoutWatch Recording (02:16)
Within Insight Reports – View Course Level Rubric StatisticsHandoutWatch Recording (03:17)
Share a Rubric with a Colleague or Copy to Another D2L CourseHandoutWatch Recording (02:10)

Benefits of Using Rubrics

Benefits of Using RubricsHandoutWatch Recording (01:51)

Grading an Assignment that Uses a Rubric

Grade a D2L Assignment that Uses a RubricHandoutWatch Recording (02:50)
What Happens after the Instructor Grades an Assignment?HandoutWatch Recording (01:04)

How Students View Rubrics (Before and After Assignment Submission)

See How Students View RubricsHandoutWatch Recording (01:00)

Alternative Methods of Using Rubrics

Using Two Rubrics on One AssignmentHandoutWatch Recording (01:43)
Attaching a Rubric to an Observe in Person Assignment or Stand Alone Gradebook ColumnHandoutWatch Recording (03:52)

Teaching and Learning Center Training Session

TLC Training Session on Rubrics at SSCHandoutWatch Recording (30:53)
Attend a Live D2L Rubrics Training SessionVisit the TLC Training Calendar

Need further help?

  • Request one-on-one virtual training by emailing: ssconline@ssc.edu.
  • Email a question to the Outcome Assessment Committee at: outcomecommittee@ssc.edu.

More Resources from the Outcome Assessment Committee:

Bongo Virtual Classroom and Video Assignments (webinar recording and resources)

May 3, 2022 /

Virtual Classroom and Video Assignments are two Bongo integrations directly accessed through your D2L course.

Virtual Classroom is used to schedule meetings with your students, with the option of recording and automatically saving the recording in your D2L course so students can re-watch.  Virtual Classroom has similar features to Zoom, such as sharing screen, polling and breakout rooms.

Video Assignments provide an additional resource to increase student engagement by allowing students to record class presentations remotely, answer text questions with a timed video answer, and/or answer questions that overlay upon an instructor’s pre-recorded mini-lecture or video. Video Assignments allow for grading with scores passed directly to your D2L gradebook.

Below is an archived recording of this online webinar from the Teaching and Learning Center:

Leveraging D2L Course Data (webinar recording and resources)

May 3, 2022 /

Knowing how and when students are interacting with course material can be invaluable and allow instructors the opportunity tweak and adjust their content during the term.

Below is an archive webinar recording from SSC’s Teaching and Learning Center focusing on various places within D2L instructors can access analytics and statistics about their courses, including looking for trends in late and missing submissions, viewing quiz questions and responses, comparing student learning between topics, confirming students are indeed accessing course material and strategic planning for intervention, if necessary.

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