Respondus LockDown Browser

Respondus LockDown Browser is a custom browser that locks down the testing environment within Blackboard Learn. When students use Respondus Lockdown Browser they are unable to print, copy, go to another URL, or access other applications. When an assessment is started, students are locked into it until they submit it for grading. (Supports Windows and Mac OS X 10.3.9+.)

Lab Managers: download Respondus Lockdown Browser.

Respondus LockDown Browser Demo

You can now access the Respondus LockDown Browser demo tutorial (for Blackboard Vista) that provides an introduction and overview of the Respondus LockDown Browser program by visiting the Respondus LockDown Browser website.

Setup and Instructional Guides for Faculty and Students

Effective Practices for using Respondus LockDown Browser

Coming Soon…

Respondus LockDown Browser Known issues for Lab Managers

Windows 7 and Respondus LockDown Browser

Information as supplied by Respondus Support:

“In Vista and Windows 7 Microsoft removed the ability to block the Switch User command. We added a fix for this in November of 2007 so that if a student tried to use Switch Users we ended that LockDown Browser session and logged them out of that Windows session as well. This meant that in order to return to the exam the student would need to log in to Windows, start LockDown Browser, log in to their course, navigate to their exam and then resume it. In some course management systems like Blackboard Learn an instructor can even block that final step by setting a “Force Completion” option.

Note that you can accomplish much the same thing using the power switch or reset button, it just takes a bit longer.

On August 23 2010, TTUHSC contacted our support staff to report the ability to Switch User as a problem, so we had a developer do a fresh investigation of the issue. There is still no way for an application to block the Switch User feature, so on September 2 we proposed having Switch User trigger a 5 minute delay before a user is allowed to run LockDown Browser again. This seemed reasonable to us since it is longer than the typical boot process for Windows. We didn’t get a response from TTUHSC but proceeded to complete the work and release it in the 1.0.4.15 hotfix for LDB on September 9. We notified them that it was available on that same day.

Make sure that you are using version 1.0.4.15 or later released after September 9, 2010.”