Tag: D2L

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.

Adjusting Safari Privacy Settings

September 18, 2025 /

For certain resources used like accessing a McGraw Hill product on the Safari Web browser, a few adjustments need to be made to the browser settings.

  • Go to Safari in your menu bar and click Settings or Preferences
  • Click the Privacy Icon
  • Ensure that Prevent Cross Site Tracking and Block all Cookies are both unchecked
  • After changing your settings, close the browser tab, open a new one, and try again.

Creating Videos for D2L Purposes

September 11, 2025 /

Method 1: D2L Media Library

You can create directly in the media library, then place video in a course.

Access your Media Library by:

  • Click on the settings cog wheel at the top right of your D2L homepage:
    • Find the Media Library option:

Select the Add Assets option, there you can either record video, record audio, or upload a pre-existing video file that will be placed into the Media Library.

Another way to add video is to add a new module in your course or select an already designed module within your course and add a video note.

Click on the desired module and then click on the Upload/Create: Create a file

Inside the text box there is an ‘INSERT STUFF’ icon as shown below. By selecting this icon the menu will show a Video Note selection, click on Video Note.

Please note the video recording in this mode has a 30 minute time limit.

Method 2: Use a Teams Meeting to Record Video

Log in to office.com and go to the Teams app

Go to the Calendar and set up a new meeting:

After you fill out the requirements for the meeting it will show up on your Teams Calendar. Double Click on the meeting and select Join the meeting now.

Share your Screen as you talk through your video recording

1- More

2- Record

3- Share

When you are finished stop recording, then just leave the meeting.

Now it is time to find your recorded video, it is only a few small steps.

  • Log in to office.com
  • Find where your apps are listed.
  • Look for the STREAM APP
  • Your Teams recording will be in this application, in MP4 format.
  • Select Download

Go into D2L an upload the video file.

  • Select the module where you want to upload the video.
  • Select Upload/Create option and select Video or Audio.
  • Select Upload and browse to the Teams video file.

NOTE: Make sure you know where your video files or any files for that matter go when you save them on your device. [EX: Downloads folder, pictures folder, etc.]

Method 3: Clipchamp

Clipchamp is an advanced video editing tool that is part of Office.com

Take a look at the Clipchamp web site to learn more about online recording tools.

https://clipchamp.com

Kahoot! for Assessment (SSC Online Workshop)

April 5, 2024 /

Watch Workshop Video (39:22)

Above is a recording of this SSC Online Workshop presented by math instructor, Jennifer Medlen.

Original Workshop description:

See how a math instructor at SSC easily aligned the online scoring of a Kahoot! quiz to the SSC Critical Thinking Rubric for general education assessment. Ideas will be discussed for creating a similar type of alignment with other College rubrics. 

Questions: please email ssconline@ssc.edu.

Using Microsoft Bookings to Schedule Virtual and On-Campus Office Hours

March 25, 2024 /

Online appointment scheduling is here! You can now allow students to schedule office hours with you with just a click of a link. All meetings will appear on your Outlook calendar. If you choose to meet with students virtually, a Microsoft Teams meeting link will be created and sent automatically to the student on your behalf.

STEP 1

Login at Office.com using your SSC username, and network password.

STEP 2

Select the “Apps” icon from the navigation bar on the left. If “Bookings” is listed on your Microsoft 365 Apps page, click to open and proceed to STEP 5 of this guide.

Bookings listed on Microsoft 365 App Screen

STEP 3

Click on the Apps link from the left menu, and navigate to the “Get More Apps” in the upper right-hand corner of your browser window on a desktop or laptop.

STEP 4

On the next screen, click on the “Bookings” app to add it to Office 365.

STEP 5

Follow the prompts on the images below to create a new meeting type.

Be sure to copy the link to your “Personal Booking Page” or the unique meeting you created especially for your students and add it to your D2L course shells and Simple Syllabus so that they can easily book virtual office hours with you online.

STEP 6

You can restrict the ability of your schedule to just your posted office hours by setting “custom availability hours” for the meeting type you wish to share.

Need help more help? Email us at ssconline@ssc.edu.

Recording Daily Attendance in D2L

August 24, 2023 /
  • On the blue navigation bar, on the far right click on ‘more’ drop down menu and click on ‘ATTENDANCE’
  • Click New Register
  • Enter the Name of the attendance register and other optional properties as needed

NOTE: Students are able to see these attendance registers from your course in Brightspace from the Course Tools menu unless the visibility setting is unchecked.

  • Enter a session name: This example uses attendance for Class Meetings.

  • To add additional sessions to the register, click SAVE, enter the number of sessions to be added, and click ADD SESSIONS.

  • To return and add or remove sessions at a later time, click the drop-down icon to the right of the register and select EDIT REGISTER from the drop-down.

ENTER ATTENDANCE:

  • From ‘MORE’ on the navigation bar, Click Attendance:
  • Click the name of register.

  • Click the Calendar icon beside session to enter the attendance:

  • Click the Attendance Status drop-down to set each student’s status:
  • Alternatively, set the Attendance Status for students in bulk by selecting multiple students and clicking ‘SET STATUS’

CLICK SAVE WHEN FINISHED

Respondus New Feature

April 19, 2023 /

Taking on ChatGPT With a Quiz

Quizzes have always been used in College level courses to assess student knowledge of the course information. However, with the way courses are changing to a more online delivery, it has become a concern that students can use internet resources like ChatGPT, to write, answer, and turn in work that may not be original. Respondus Lockdown Browser can help with these concerns.

When a quiz or a prompt for an essay question is accessed from the Learning Management System, LockDown Browser can prevent students from using unauthorized resources.

Here are the simple steps:

1- Create the quiz in the LMS– in our case this would be D2L

EX: For a short essay, create a quiz and use the “ESSAY” question type.

2- From the Lockdown Browser dashboard in D2L {seen below}

Locate the quiz name and select “SETTINGS”

3- Then select “Require Lockdown Browser for this exam” and “Save + Close”

The assessment will now require students to use LockDown Browser.

When students access the quiz from the LMS, LockDown Browser will prevent them from switching applications, capturing screen content, or going elsewhere on the internet (unless the instructor allows it).

Turnitin users the link below may be of interest in helping with checking for AI writing detection capabilities:

AI_writing_FAQS_Apr23_US_G.pdf (pardot.com)

Audio Issue in Bongo Meeting

March 9, 2023 /

It has come to our attention that sometimes students in the virtual classroom Bongo meeting sessions cannot hear the audio when an instructor is sharing a video in the screen share feature. Examples of these videos being shared are YouTube videos, or possibly web sites with videos that deal with particular instruction from a course. Below is a picture of the box an instructor must check in order for the virtual students to hear the audio with the matching video, when screen sharing presentations.

EX: Screen Share page in Bongo Virtual Classroom

By checking this box, the instructor has now shared the corresponding Audio with Video being played in the Screen Share feature.

Getting Started with Simulcast/Dual Delivery and/or Lecture Capture

July 29, 2021 /

Updated: August 4, 2021

Classrooms upgraded for simulcast delivery include a webcam, a second Epson projector, and a projection screen. The second projector and screen (located in the back of the room) can be used to view your virtual classroom students. Virtual classroom students will be able to view your webcam, anything you screen share and communicate with you through chat or audio.

Before Your Class Begins

  • Log on to the Teacher’s Workstation with your SSC Network Credentials
  • Turn on the Front Projector, and then the Rear Projector
  • Log into D2L at https://d2l.ssc.edu
  • Start your Virtual Classroom Session inside of D2L
  • Allow Bongo to access the Classroom Webcam and Microphone (HuddleCam 3A)
  • Turn on the Chat Alert Inside of the Bongo by Accessing the Virtual Classroom Settings
  • If you are planning to use a PowerPoint you may want to uncheck ‘Use Presenter View’ and set your monitor to ‘Primary Monitor’ in PowerPoint.
To Turn Off Presenter View in Microsoft PowerPoint Select ‘Slide Show’
  • Turn off the lights in the front of the classroom.

Moving the Virtual Classroom Screen to the Rear Projector

  • On the Teacher’s Workstation, locate the browser window containing your Virtual Class Session in Bongo
  • Hold down the left mouse button while on the browser window and drag it off the screen to your right
  • You will now see the browser window with the Virtual Class Session in Bongo appear on the Rear Projection Screen
  • Visit https://tl.ssc.edu/getting-started-with-bongo/ if you need help “Getting Started with Bongo”

Using the WebCam

Camera
WEBCAM INSTALLED IN CEILING OF CLASSROOMS

A webcam has been installed to allow remote learners a view of the classroom. It is positioned so that it can capture not just the instructor, but also any information presented on the dry-erase board in the front of the classroom. The Webcam is on if the blue light is visible as in the photo above. If there are no lights visible on the camera, press the power button on the webcam remote as pictured below.

WEBCAM REMOTE CONTROL

Using the Webcam Remote Control

  • The left/right arrows move the webcam left and right
  • The up/down arrows tilt the webcam
  • The zoom fast/slow buttons control the webcam zoom feature
  • The auto button can be used to automatically focus the webcam
  • If by chance the image displayed by the webcam is upside down, press the ‘REV’ button, this will right your image.

At the End of Class

  • Turn off Front and Rear Projectors
  • Logout of D2L
  • Logout of Teacher’s Workstation

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Optional Use of a Document Camera

Step 1: Turn on (Blue Light Comes On) the Elmo Document Camera Power

Step 2: Select ‘EIT ICON’ Shortcut on Teachers Workstation.

Elmo Operation Face, Power

Step 3: Select ‘Primary Display’ to display the image on Teachers Workstation or Select ‘Secondary Display’ to display the image on Projector Display Screen.

Step 4: Users can use the ‘Pen Feature’ within the EIT Program to mark or edit what is being displayed.

Elmo Pen User Options
PC Display Output
THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF FULL-SCREEN OPTIONS WHEN USING THE EIT PROGRAM INCLUDING SAMPLE IMAGE DISPLAYED THROUGH DOCUMENT CAMERA.

Step 5: Once you are finished with the unit, make sure you turn the document camera off. (NO Lights on the unit)

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