Courseware Review Process

Before courseware can be used in a course, it must go through a vetting process. The steps in the process vary in length and scope depending on whether the tool has already been approved for use at Penn State, whether it is free or has a cost associated with it, and whether it collects student data. An accessibility evaluation also plays a crucial role in the process.

Initiating the Process

If you have reviewed the Courseware website and determined that the tool you want to use is not on the list or is not approved for University-wide use, you will need to fill out the software request form (SRF) Links to an external site.. More details can be found on the Courseware website Links to an external site..

Occasionally, you might request approval for a tool that is deemed to be software rather than courseware, in which case you will be directed to email the request form to purchasingsoftware@psu.edu.

Either way, the request will go through several steps, and at some point the WCLD Accessibility Team will be contacted to conduct an accessibility evaluation.

Accessibility Evaluation

If you are requesting to use a tool that is not approved for University-wide use, the WCLD accessibility consultants will complete an accessibility evaluation to gather information about how the tool works with various types of assistive technology, whether or not it is accessible using a keyboard or mobile device, and additional details.

Even if a tool isn't accessible for all students, it might still be approved for use in a course. In cases like this, a plan must be in place to ensure that any student, regardless of their disability, will be able to complete the course content using an equally effective method. The following page provides more details about these Equally Effective Alternate Access Plans.

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