Alamo Colleges District

Accessing DesignPLUS

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DesignPLUS logo

DesignPLUS content editing tools augment the native Canvas Rich Content Editor (RCE), enabling you to easily create, customize, and style content in Canvas. View How to Launch the DesignPLUS Content Editor for instructions on how to access this tool prior to use.

When creating course content with DesignPLUS, it is highly recommended that you use the tool in a Canvas staging shell (or "sandbox"). This will prevent students from receiving notifications for any updates to course content as well as accidental loss/deletion of course content or feedback/grades from a production (or "live") course shell.

Contact your Alamo Colleges Online Instructional Designer or College Instructional Innovation/Distance Learning Center to request a Canvas staging shell for use with DesignPLUS.

How to Launch the DesignPLUS Content Editor

Access the Canvas rich content editor

To launch the DesignPLUS content editor, first log into Canvas through ACES, and then navigate to a Canvas course. Pull up one of the following content areas in a Canvas course where you will click Edit to access the RCE:

  • Announcements
  • Assignments
  • Discussions
  • Pages (including the Front Page)
  • Syllabus
  • Quizzes (including Quiz description and questions)

Within the editing mode of the Canvas RCE, hold down Alt+Shift+D on a PC or Option+Shift+D on a Mac to launch the DesignPLUS content editor. A small rocketship icon will appear on the top right of your screen. Click the icon to reveal the tool panel.

Launch Design Tools button

By default, the DesignPLUS launch button is hidden for every Canvas user until their initial use; use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Shift+D on a PC or Option+Shift+D on a Mac to launch the tools for the first time.

Once the design tools have launched, select the Design Tools Settings button (or 3 gears icon) to set your preferred launch options and comfort level preferences:

  1. Selecting Automatically launch tools will open the design tools sidebar every time you are in edit mode within Canvas.
  2. If you prefer to not have the tools automatically launch but want the option to pull them up as needed, enable the Show launch button setting.
Design Tools Settings menu

Training and Support for DesignPLUS

Design Tools Get Help menu

Detailed user guides can be accessed from the Get Help menu inside the DesignPLUS content editor. 

If you require personalized assistance, reach out to your Alamo Colleges Online Instructional Designer or Instructional Innovation/Distance Learning Center

Additionally, Cidi Labs, the owner and licenser of DesignPLUS, offers free online training for the various DesignPLUS content editing tools in four separate workshops. These training courses are aimed at Canvas administrators, instructional designers, and other "power users" of Canvas:

  1. Core Training Part 1 (90 minutes) - This first training provides a brief overview and introduction to DesignPLUS.
  2. Core Training Part 2 (60 minutes) - This session is a continuation of Part 1 in which we will explore additional capabilities of the basic tools.
  3. Intermediate Training (90 minutes) - This session digs into the intermediate level of the DesignPLUS toolbox.
  4. Advanced Training (60 minutes) - This session introduces you to some of the advanced tools that will help you fine-tune your Canvas content. Many of these tools are geared toward those who have some knowledge and experience working with HTML and CSS.

Visit the Cidi Labs Training Calendar to view and register for upcoming training sessions.

Remember: If you require personalized assistance, reach out to your Alamo Colleges Online Instructional Designer or Instructional Innovation/Distance Learning Center

For other questions about DesignPLUS, including access to the tool and technical assistance, please contact Alamo Colleges District IT at [email protected].

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