Respondus LockDown Browser - Swipe or Trackpad Gesture Lock Out

Article Type: General Information 

Response, Problem or Question: 

• Students may receive a “swipe gesture” warning or be removed from an exam when using Respondus LockDown Browser in D2L Brightspace.

Answer, Resolution or Steps:

Respondus LockDown Browser monitors actions that look like attempts to switch between applications during an exam. Swipe gestures on a laptop touchpad (or certain external mice) can resemble this behavior and may trigger a warning.

How swipe gesture detection works:

1. First detection

   • A warning message appears on the screen.
   • The student may return to the exam.
   • Any attempt to switch to another application will be blocked after one or two seconds.

2. Second detection

   • A notification appears and the exam session is automatically ended.
   • Attempts to open other applications will still be blocked.

3. Instructor notification

   • When LockDown Browser is reopened, a notice is sent to the instructor’s dashboard indicating that a swipe gesture occurred.

Additional information:

• Keyboard shortcuts such as Alt + Tab may also trigger swipe gesture detection.
• If a student is removed from a D2L Brightspace quiz but still has time remaining, they should be able to re-enter the quiz and continue the exam.

To avoid swipe gesture warnings during exams:

1. Use a standard mouse instead of the laptop touchpad.
2. Disable touchpad swipe gestures before starting the exam.
3. Avoid using keyboard shortcuts while testing.

Summary:

This article explains why students may receive swipe gesture warnings or be removed from an exam while using Respondus LockDown Browser in D2L Brightspace. It applies to students taking online exams and provides simple steps to prevent interruptions during testing.