Introduction
Technology-enhanced Learning and Online Strategies (TLOS) provides a cloud-based virtual desktop service (Apporto) to faculty and students. Instructors choose a virtual desktop to be integrated with their Canvas sites. Students then launch a virtual desktop from within the course site.
Using hardware-based labs, students can remotely connect to physical computers in TLOS computer labs. Due to licensing restrictions, some applications are not available in virtual computer labs.
Contents
Instructions
Background
Cloud-based computer labs support Windows, Mac OS, and Linux virtualization, and include collaborative features such as screen sharing, faculty view of student desktops, faculty assistance by taking over students' screens, and user profile persistence. Instructors can customize the operating system and software available to students. The cloud-based labs provide a consistent desktop experience for all users.
- Replicating a computer lab environment virtually
- Enabling access to software that may be cost-prohibitive for students to purchase
- Providing software which may have complicated installation procedures
Please note: Instructors and/or departments are responsible for licensing the software made available via the cloud-based computer lab. The labs can only be used with software licensing that supports virtualization (e.g. not Adobe Creative Cloud applications).
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Cloud-Based Virtual Computer Labs
Requesting a Cloud-based Lab Integration with Canvas
To request a lab:
- Fill out this form: Cloud-Based Computer Labs - Integrate with Canvas.
- You will be asked for:
- URL of the Canvas site
- Which virtual desktop (see Available Desktops) you want integrated
- Request software be added to a desktop (please note that instructors and/or departments are responsible for licensing the software)
- You can also request a consultation to discuss specific needs.
Available Desktops
Desktop
|
Software
|
Windows
|
Matlab COMSOL Mathematica SPSS SAS JMP Respondus R/RStudio Tableau Microsoft Office 2019 Read&Write Equatio Anaconda3 Python 3.9 PyCharm
|
Windows vGPU
|
Siemens NX PTC Creo CATIA DecisionCapture ArcGIS Desktop ArcGIS Pro Python PyMOL Microsoft Office 2019 Read&Write Equatio Schrodinger Suite Xming PuTTy MatLab COMSOL Keyshot 10 Visual Studio Code Google Earth Pro QGIS Revit
|
Macintosh Desktop
|
Xcode
|
See also Apporto's Help Center & Video Tutorials.
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Accessing Cloud-based Labs
Students and instructors access cloud-based computer labs the same way:
- Log in to Canvas with your VT Username (PID) and password.
- Go to the course with the integrated computer lab.
- Click Modules in the course navigation menu.

- Click the Apporto link in the Apporto module.

- Click Load Apporto in a new window and go to the new tab to see Apporto.
- Click Launch.

- The virtual desktop will open.

Please note that when using the Macintosh Desktop:
- Maximize the desktop by clicking the X in the top left corner. This will remove the large vertical whitespace on the right of the screen.
- Switch between the Macintosh top menu and the Apporto menu using a single-click on the top center of the desktop.
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Getting Help
See Apporto's Help Center for Education.
Troubleshooting White Screen When Launching a Virtual Desktop
If you see a white screen when you launch a virtual desktop in Apporto:
- Make sure you're using Google Chrome.
- Do a hard refresh of your browser:
- Windows: Hold Ctrl and F5.
- Mac: Hold Cmd and Shift then press R.
- Clear the cache in Chrome. See Clear cache & cookies.
I Can't Submit a Request for My Canvas Course
If your primary affiliation is not VT-Faculty or VT-Staff, you will not be able to fill out the Cloud-Based Computer Labs - Integrate with Canvas form. Instead, go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help. We will need the following information:
- URL of the Canvas site
- Which virtual desktop (see Available Desktops) you want integrated
- Request software be added to a desktop (please note that instructors and/or departments are responsible for licensing the software)
Other Apporto Issues
To report other Apporto issues, go to the 4Help Portal, log in, and click Get Help. We will need the following information:
- URL of the Canvas site
- Description of the issue and screenshot if possible
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