Get to know Canvas
The simple, open LMS from Instructure
- Clean, intuitive interface
- Comprehensive feature set
- Modern technology
Hello world, meet Canvas
“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” –Steve Jobs
Easy to use
You’ve got a lot of important things to do. With Canvas, you’ll have more time to do them. Teachers and administrators alike have been able to save hours by using Canvas in their classes and institutions. We designed Canvas with the user in mind, making usability and efficiency our top priorities. This means you can spend less time working in your LMS and more time on the things you really care about.
Only the features that matter
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Great design is as much about what you leave out as what you include. At Instructure, we’re obsessed with validating our feature set to make sure we’re consistently working on the things that matter most to our customers.
Key Features
SpeedGrader ™
The fastest way to blaze through assignment grading. This feature alone saves hours of time.
Rich Content Editor
Canvas' content editor allows you to easily embed videos, audio and photos from the web into your course.
Online Testing
Create quizzes from scratch or a bank of questions using a wide variety of question types and quiz options.
Learning Outcomes
Make accreditation easy. Set, track, and optimize your pedagogy with our simple learning outcomes feature.
Communication Preferences
Get your Notifications via email, Facebook or text message.
Assignment Submission
Allow assignments in a variety of ways: webpages, Word docs, videos, audio or even slide shows.
Integrated Calendar
Calendar events automatically populate into a single calendar—subscribe to it with Google Calendar, iCal or Outlook.
Flexible Pedagogy
Canvas supports a variety of teaching styles and new web technologies.
Chat / Video
Built-in video and live chat give an extra dimension to the learning experience.
Rubrics
Easy-to-use rubrics make assignment and grading crystal-clear and promote efficient learning.
Groups
Ad-hoc group creation allows users to form groups for clubs, teams, or interest groups beyond the classroom.
Reporting
Monitor course and student activity with our real-time reporting.
How is Canvas Different
| CANVAS | BLACKBOARD | DESIRE2LEARN | MOODLE (MoodleRooms) |
SAKAI (rSmart) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Native Cloud Service | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Automated Peak Load Management | Yes | PartiallyManual (hosted) | PartiallyManual (hosted) | PartiallyManual (hosted) | PartiallyManual (hosted) | |
| Development Technology | Ruby on Rails |
Java J2EE |
Microsoft .NET |
PHP | Java J2EE |
|
| Openness | Software Licensing | YesOpen Source Commercial / AGPL |
NoClosed Source Proprietary | NoClosed Source Proprietary | PartiallyCommunity Backed GPL | PartiallyCommunity Backed AGPL |
| Open API | Yes | NoFee Based | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Annual Open Security Audit | Yes | No | No | No | No | |
| Features | Standard LMS Functionality | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Integrated Learning Outcomes | Yes | PartiallyFee Based | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Applications | Yes | PartiallyFee Based | PartiallyFee Based | PartiallyVersion 2.1 Only | No | |
| Usability | Ease of Use1 | Yes4.12 | Partially3.27 | Partially3.02 | No2.47 | Partially3.05 |
| Accessibility (NFB Certified) | YesGold Level | YesGold Level | YesGold Level | NoNot Certified | NoNot Certified |
“I spent maybe 10 hours yesterday working with Instructure, and I would say that 9 hours of that time was all content. It took me almost no time at all to figure out how to use the system. –Laura Gibbs
Online Instructor
University of Oklahoma
“I was one of the evaluating faculty for your competitors: Blackboard, D2L and Moodle. You guys are decades ahead of all of them. –Kelly Fadel
Associate Professor
Utah State University
“Canvas helps students and faculty feel more connected by building relationships in ways that other LMSs haven’t provided... –Ben Neiswender
Division of New Learning
Westminster College