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An external assignment tool will not load.

SDLA Quick Fix Idea · QF-080

An external assignment tool will not load

Confirm that the tool is district approved and launched through the intended course link.

Teacher

An assignment that uses an external tool opens a blank page or error. How should I troubleshoot it?

Quick Fix

First confirm that the external tool is district approved and that the assignment launches through the intended LMS course link. Do not send students to create personal accounts or accept new vendor terms as a workaround.

Run these quick checks

  • Open another assignment that uses the same external tool. This helps determine whether the problem is limited to one link.
  • Check browser cookie permissions and pop-up controls.
  • Confirm the course roster connection is active and that the affected users have the expected role.
  • Try the district-supported browser or a private window if local guidance recommends it.
  • Record the exact error message and take a screenshot.
If the problem continues, submit a ticket to the LMS team with:
  • The course ID number.
  • The affected class periods for grades 6–12.
  • The assignment title.
  • The name of the external tool.
  • Whether students, teachers, or both are affected.
  • A screenshot of the error message and the time the problem occurred.

Provide an approved alternative way to access the instructional material while the integration is reviewed.

Keep in mind: Do not direct students to create personal accounts or accept new vendor terms without district approval.

Proposed downloadable resource

Submission or assessment incident formPlanned resource · no file linked during editorial review

Optional editable resource supporting “An external assignment tool will not load.”

How do I clear my browser's cache?

SDLA Quick Fix Idea

Clear the Browser Cache

Remove temporary copies of website files when a page looks outdated, will not load correctly, or keeps showing an error that should already be fixed.

Teacher

A website is showing old information or is not working correctly. How do I clear my browser's cache without accidentally deleting everything else?

Quick Fix

Before you begin: Save any work you have open. In the clearing window, select only the cached-files option unless your district technology team asks you to remove cookies, history, passwords, or other data.

Choose your browser, then follow the steps.

Google Chrome
  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows or Chromebook, or Command + Shift + Delete on Mac.
  2. Set Time range to All time.
  3. Select Cached images and files. Clear the other checkboxes unless you intend to remove that information too.
  4. Select Delete data.

Google Chrome Help: Delete browsing data (opens in a new tab)

Apple Safari on Mac
  1. Choose Safari > Settings, then select Privacy.
  2. Select Manage Website Data.
  3. Search for the website that is having trouble, select it, and choose Remove.
  4. Select Done.

Safari note: This removes cookies and other stored data for the selected website as well as its cache, so you may need to sign in to that website again.

Apple Support: Clear your cache and cookies in Safari on Mac (opens in a new tab)

Mozilla Firefox
  1. Open the menu and choose Settings.
  2. Select Privacy & Security. Under Browsing data or Cookies and Site Data, select Clear Data or Clear browsing data.
  3. Set When to Everything.
  4. Select only Temporary cached files and pages, then choose Clear.

Mozilla Support: How to clear the Firefox cache (opens in a new tab)

Brave
  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows or Command + Shift + Delete on Mac.
  2. Set the time range to All time.
  3. Select Cached images and files. Clear the other checkboxes unless you intend to remove that information too.
  4. Select Delete data.

Brave Help Center: Clear cookies and site data (opens in a new tab)

Microsoft Edge
  1. Press Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows or Command + Shift + Delete on Mac.
  2. Set Time range to All time.
  3. Select Cached images and files. Clear the other checkboxes unless you intend to remove that information too.
  4. Select Clear now.

Microsoft Support: View and delete browser history in Microsoft Edge (opens in a new tab)

Finish the fix

Close and reopen the browser, return to the website, and try again. If the problem continues, take a screenshot of the error and contact your district technology support team.

Restore a Chromebook’s screen and keyboard settings

SDLA Quick Fix

Restore a Chromebook’s screen and keyboard settings

Use these reversible keyboard shortcuts when a Chromebook’s display, browser, window layout, accessibility mode, or keyboard input suddenly looks or behaves differently.

Teacher

A student’s Chromebook screen is enormous, sideways, split, speaking aloud, or typing the wrong characters. How can we return it to normal without erasing anything?

Quick Fix

Match the symptom to the smallest reversible fix. Most accidental changes affect only browser zoom, display size, window position, an accessibility toggle, or keyboard language.

Start here

Four quick checks

  1. Ask what changed. Is it one webpage, the whole screen, the keyboard, or spoken feedback?
  2. Try the matching shortcut. Do not press several unrelated combinations at once.
  3. Confirm the result. Open another tab or app to see whether the change was page-specific or system-wide.
  4. Escalate with details. Record the symptom and shortcuts already tried if the problem remains.

Screen and window layout

When the screen is too large, too small, sideways, or rearranged

The Refresh/Rotate key is the circular-arrow key on the Chromebook’s top row. The Fullscreen key usually shows a rectangle or corner marks.

Only one webpage is too large or too small

Ctrl+0

Resets the current website’s browser zoom to its normal level.

Everything—including tabs and the shelf—is too large or too small

Ctrl+Shift+0

Restores the Chromebook’s default display resolution and interface size.

The screen is sideways or upside down

Ctrl+Shift+↻ Refresh

Rotates the display 90 degrees. Repeat until the screen is upright.

The browser fills the entire screen and its controls disappeared

Fullscreen ⛶

Press the top-row Fullscreen key to leave or enter fullscreen mode.

The current window is small or floating

Alt+=

Maximizes the current window.

A window is stuck on one side of the screen

Alt+=

Maximizes a snapped window. Use Alt + [ or Alt + ] when you intentionally want to dock it left or right.

Accessibility display and speech

When magnification, contrast, or spoken feedback appears unexpectedly

Depending on the keyboard, the key may be labeled Search or Launcher. It is commonly located where Caps Lock appears on other keyboards.

The entire screen is magnified and follows the pointer

Ctrl+Launcher+M

Toggles the full-screen magnifier.

An enlarged strip appears at the top of the screen

Ctrl+Launcher+D

Toggles the docked magnifier.

Colors look inverted or unusually high contrast

Launcher+Ctrl+H

Toggles high-contrast mode.

The Chromebook speaks menus, controls, and page content

Ctrl+Alt+Z

Toggles the ChromeVox screen reader.

Accessibility safeguard: Magnification, high contrast, and ChromeVox may be intentional supports. Ask the student and check applicable classroom accommodations before turning an accessibility feature off.

Keyboard input

When letters, capitalization, or symbols are wrong

Everything is typed in capital letters

Launcher+Alt

Toggles Caps Lock on or off.

Keys produce unexpected letters or symbols

Ctrl+Space

Returns to the previously used keyboard language or layout.

The correct keyboard language still is not selected

Ctrl+Shift+Space

Cycles through the keyboard languages configured on the Chromebook.

You are unsure what a Chromebook shortcut does

Ctrl+Launcher+S

Opens the Chromebook’s built-in keyboard shortcut viewer.

Browser and window recovery

When a page, tab, or app appears to be missing or frozen

A tab was closed accidentally

Ctrl+Shift+T

Reopens the most recently closed tab or browser window.

A webpage is frozen or incomplete

Ctrl+R

Reloads the current page.

A normal reload still shows stale or broken content

Ctrl+Shift+R

Reloads the page without using its cached content. Unsaved work on the page may be lost.

An open app or window seems to have disappeared

Alt+Tab

Cycles through open windows so you can return to the missing app.

If the shortcut does not solve it

Capture the right details for support

  • Restart the Chromebook normally and test the symptom again.
  • Note whether the problem affects one webpage, one app, or the entire device.
  • Record the Chromebook asset tag, affected website or app, and the shortcut already attempted.
  • Note whether an external monitor, touchscreen, or alternate keyboard is connected.
  • If an accessibility feature returns after sign-in, ask support to check synchronized accessibility settings and managed-device policies.

Copy-and-paste support request

A Chromebook still shows [describe the screen, keyboard, or browser symptom] after we tried [shortcut or restart]. The problem affects [one page / one app / the whole device]. Device asset tag: [asset tag]. Website or app: [name]. External display or keyboard connected: [yes/no]. We confirmed that disabling an accessibility feature [would/would not] conflict with a student accommodation.

Official help

Verify shortcuts and accessibility settings