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Canvas External Tools - About Respondus LockDown Browser at UWM

What is Respondus LockDown Browser (LDB)?

Respondus LockDown Browser (or LDB for short) is a tool designed to prevent students who are taking Canvas quizzes from using other applications outside of the browser, visiting unauthorized websites, using techniques to share screens or print quizzes. LDB is a tool paid-for by some UWM academic departments in the medical and healthcare fields to facilitate specific use cases to augment in-person proctoring.

Respondus LockDown browser provides a subset of features which are available in Proctorio, UWM's enterprise online proctoring service administered by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

Is LockDown Browser a proctoring tool?

LDB is a browser that limits students' access to other computer resources, and to unintended web sites. LDB is not itself a proctoring tool as it does not provide many of the functions that replace an in-person proctor.

Who can use Respondus LockDown Browser?

Select departments have licensed the tool for use for face-to-face proctoring. Additionally, some textbook publishers may use LockDown Browser as part of curriculum licensed by students for a class.

If instructors wish to use LDB for in-person proctoring, they should contact their department. As an instructor, if your department wishes to move forward with purchasing, you should submit an external tool request through UWM Canvas Tools in one of the applicable Canvas courses. 

Where can students and instructors go for support with Respondus LockDown Browser?

• View student resources, and submit a support request online
• View instructor resources, and submit a support request online

Instructors in departments that already have access to LDB may wish to contact their school/college teaching and learning support office for face-to-face assistance or consultation related to LDB. 

What should I do if I have an accessibility concern?

Respondus provides guides and other information for users of assistive technologies in their knowledge base. If the guides do not help, communicate the concern with the course instructor and the UWM's Accessibility Resource Center (ARC). 

To report general accessibility concerns with the Respondus website or products, email accessibility@respondus.com.

As a student, am I required to use LockDown Browser?

UWM advocates for flexibility in the use of technology in classes. There is a broad acknowledgment at all administrative levels that technology availability and difficulties should not influence whether a student is able to complete a course. As a student, if you have concerns about using any technology, speak with your instructor to seek appropriate accommodation. If your concern relates to accessibility, contact UWM's Accessibility Resource Center to receive further guidance on potential accommodations you may be entitled to.

What are the alternatives to Respondus LockDown Browser?

LDB is not available to all UWM faculty and staff, and its use is intended for very specific use cases. Acquiring the tool requires a purchase by your department. Lower cost or free alternatives are available. 

Technical alternatives

If proctoring is required by a department for accreditation, or because high-stakes exams offered in-person are mandatory as part of a certification or verification process, contact the CETL Support Commons to discuss the possibility of using Proctorio.

Pedagogical alternatives

Proctoring is one technique intended to defer academic dishonesty (specifically cheating on exams). While there are circumstances where it may be necessary, instructors are strongly encouraged to consider alternatives to digital proctoring tools. Techniques such as offering multiple smaller assessments, open-book assessments, annotation exercises, presentations or essays are all potential alternatives that can reduce the stress and accessibility concerns of proctoring. To discuss implementing alternatives to proctoring in your course, contact the CETL Spport Commons.