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D2L Brightspace Logo

About Brightspace

D2L's Brightspace is a Learning Management System (LMS) that facilitates online collaboration between instructors and students, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of Saint Mary's University courses.

Brightspace provides a unique shell for each course registered in Banner, and automatically populates class lists. Within their course, instructors can post news items, update a calendar, manage course files, assess discussions and quizzes, grade assignments, manage a live grade book, assign groups, and much more.

Brightspace Roles and Permissions

There are a number of different roles set up in Brightspace. Each user is assigned a role when enrolled into the system (Student, Instructor, Admin, Ect.). On occasion, instructors may need to add non-student users, like TAs and other visitor type roles, to their courses. Check out our Brightspace Roles page to view a list of the roles available and what permissions each role has within a course. You can also find instructions on how to add users to your course on this page.



Current Brightspace Status

At this time, there are no known issues impacting the Saint Mary's University Brightspace system. Please report any issues to sas@smu.ca.


Brightspace Updates

D2L updates Brightspace monthly. Some of these changes are minor and have no noticeable effect on most users, but some updates make major changes to the tools we use everyday. The SAS is committed to keeping our Brightspace users up to date with information on the most impactful changes.

Head over to our Brightspace Update page to see all the latest updates to Brightspace tools that have been rolled out through D2L.


System Requirements and Recommended Browsers

For an optimal experience that offers better performance, accessibility, and security, we recommend that all users access Brightspace with the latest version of a supported browser.

On a PC and Mac, Firefox or Chrome is recommended to access Brightspace.

Please Note: Using Safari is not recommended and may lead to inconsistent functionality and errors.

For more information on minimum system settings and browser requirements from D2L see the Brightspace Community Browser Support page.

Desktop Computers

Brightspace is supported on the following desktop platforms with the latest browser versions:

Platform Apple Safari Google Chrome Microsoft Edge Mozilla Firefox
Apple Mac OS Limited Yes Yes Yes
Microsoft Windows Not Applicable Yes Yes Yes

Tablets and Mobile Devices

Brightspace is supported on the following tablets and mobile devices with the latest browser versions. Please Note: While Brightspace is usable on your mobile device, it is recommended to you use a computer to write quizzes and tests. Download the Pulse App to stay connected to your courses while you're on the go!

Platform Apple Safari Google Chrome Microsoft Edge Mozilla Firefox
Apple iOS for iPhone and iPad Yes No No No
Android OS for Android phones and tablets Yes Yes No No

Brightspace Support

The Software & Application Support Centre (SAS), located at Atrium 107, offers Brightspace training and support for students, staff, and instructors. To schedule an appointment, contact the SAS by email at sas@smu.ca, or by phone at (902) 496-8168. Drop-ins are welcomed at our office anytime from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5 pm.