Module 1 Technical Requirements & Accessibility

Getting Started

Although you can access Canvas and complete coursework using all kinds of devices, some assignments and assessments can only be accessed and completed via a desktop or laptop computer. So, on this page, we will spend a little time making sure that whatever computer you are using, it is Canvas-ready. Note that all CBU computer lab machines have full Canvas functionality.

You can click on the tabs at the top of this window to read an explanation of Canvas requirements for:

operating systems (OS) - both for computers and mobile devices,
computer processing speed,
local internet speed,
internet browser compatibility.

Likewise on each tab, you can access real-time, online resources to check your current computer's individual capabilities without having to download any diagnostic software. Once you are finished with your various technical checks, click on the Next button to continue with the tutorial.

Computer Requirements

If bringing a computer you already own:

It should not be more than two years old
Have at least 8GB of RAM
Have at least one USB port and WiFi

If you're buying a new computer, we recommend that at a minimum include:

8GB RAM
Have an i5 or greater/equivalent CPU
Windows 10, or macOS 10.14 (or newer)
an Ethernet port or adaptor and WiFi

Also strongly encouraged:

Include an accidental damage protection warranty
Consider an SSD hard drive for better system battery life and performance

Advice about specific computers:

The CBU Center for Digital (CDI) discourages the purchase of Chromebooks. If your professor requires Respondus test proctoring, Chromebooks cannot download the required software. You will also be unable to download required software for any other courses.

Additionally, Surface tablets will also need Windows 10 enabled to use Respondus. New Surface tablets come with a more restricted version of Windows called 10s that is not compatible with Respondus. You will need to disable 10s and upgrade to Windows 10. Here are the directions.

If you need help reconfiguring your Surface, CBU IT may be able to assist you virtually by emailing help@cbu.edu.
- If possible, the best assistance with your computer will be in-person. You can walk up to the Help Desk for immediate assistance between the hours of 8am-8pm Monday-Friday. The Help Desk is located in St. Joseph's Hall. See map here.

Did You Know?

You can access Canvas through your mobile device. The Canvas mobile app can be good for checking on due dates and assignments, but laptop and desktop computers are more reliable for anything involving up/downloading. In fact, some assignments do not show up on the app, so you should not rely on the app entirely for your coursework. If you must use the Canvas App only, check assignments weekly with a fellow classmate to make sure you are not missing anything. The Canvas app is available for iPhone/iPad through the App Store and for Android/tablets through the Play Store. Once installed, you will use your CBU login credentials to login.

OS and Mobile OS

Your machine's operating system, or OS, is its central nervous system. Although Canvas is designed to work smoothly with a broad spectrum of operating systems, it works better with newer versions of OS. Fortunately, there are really only three types of OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux. You will either have a Windows OS (PC users) or a Mac OS (Mac users). If you have a machine with Linux OS, you already know who you are.

In the list below, you can see Canvas preferences for your computer OS and your mobile device's OS. Plus, we've included a link to check your computer's OS to see if it is Canvas-ready (chances are, it is).

Operating Systems

Windows 7 and newer
Mac OSX 10.10 and newer
Linux - chromeOS
iPhone - iOS version 11 or later
Android - version 5.0 or later

Click here to check your computer's OS. For phones and tablets, on your device see "Settings" and look for information on the latest software update. Once you are finished with your various technical checks, click on the Next button to continue with the tutorial.

Processing & Internet Speeds

Canvas is concerned about two types of speed: the speed of your machine and the speed of the internet coming into your house, apartment, or dorm. For your machine, we need to know that it has a certain threshold of microprocessing speed and a certain amount of Random Access Memory (RAM). For your internet, we need to know it's flow rate, which is measured in megabits per second or Mbps. In the list below, you can see Canvas requirements for microprocessor speed, RAM, and internet speeds. For internet speeds, please note that Canvas has been designed to accommodate low speed environments operating at well below 1 Mbps. Chances are that your internet is much, much faster than the Canvas minimum requirement. We've also included links for you to check your machine's speeds as well as the speed at which you are receiving internet.

Processor and RAM

2 GHz processor speed (click here to test your computer's processing speed)
1 GB RAM (see this wiki article on how to find your machine's RAM)

Internet Speed (1000kbsp = 1Mbsp)

512kbsp (click here to test your local internet speed)

Once you are finished with your various technical checks, click on the Next button to continue with the tutorial.

Browser Check & Cache Clear

Although Canvas officially supports a number of internet browsers, some browsers simply work better with Canvas than others. For this reason, we recommend that you use Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge because both of these browsers work extremely well with Canvas and Microsoft Teams. To download the latest version of Chrome, click here to update to the latest version of Chrome. Click here for the latest version of Edge.

Almost all browsers automatically update themselves. Occasionally, you may need to manually update them, especially if you use multiple browsers but have not used one of them in a while. Click here to check to see if your browser is up to date and to download the most recent update.

Your browser will store information about the websites you've visited in a part of its memory called its cache. When the cache begins to get full or when some of the information stored there becomes garbled, you may experience problems loading certain pages or problems accessing the internet altogether. It's a good idea to clear your cache every once in a while, in order to prevent these kinds of issues. Clearing the cache is also one of the first steps to take when you are troubleshooting internet loading issues. Click here to find out how to clear your cache on a Mac and click here to find out how to clear a PC's cache.

Once you are finished with your various technical checks, click on the Next button to continue with the tutorial.

Accessibility

During the time in which all CBU courses are online, you are likely to use several devices to access course content and materials. You should customize and optimize the settings in each so that you can comfortably access information. The list below will help guide you through Accessibility Settings in common digital devices and will include links to other tools, apps, and learning aids.

Windows for each of us - accessibility settings in Windows 10/11
Accessibility options on your Galaxy tablet
Accessibility - Made for the way you want to use it - Android
Accessibility - Mac - Apple
Accessibility - iPad
Accessibility - iPhone