Tech Tools & Resources

The School of Social Work and UW IT provide a host of technology tools and resources to support teaching, attending classes and working remotely.

For Students

Please check with your instructor for what tools will be used to facilitate coursework. What follows below are some very common options.

• Loaner Laptops, The Student Technology Loan Program allows students to borrow laptops, cameras, projectors, and other equipment for free. Find more information here:
  • The Student Technology Loan Program
• Zoom Pro, has been made available without fee to accommodate interactive communications with up to 300 individuals simultaneously. Find more information here:
  • UW IT Zoom Video Conferencing
• Canvas, is a learning management system commonly used for communications and assignments. Find more information here:
  • UW IT Canvas Help for Students
  • UW IT Communication Preferences in Canvas
• Panopto, is a course capture system already integrated into Canvas that allows for easy recording and reviewing of videos from courses, lectures, and presentations. Find more information here:
  • UW IT Viewing Panopto Recordings
• SSW Room 18 and Research Commons Computer labs, the SSW provides two computer labs that are open to students to complete research and course work. Available 24/7 via Husky card.
• Access UW Libraries Remotely, when the Library is closed, or you prefer to work remotely, there are many ways the Libraries can provide you with expert help and services. Fine more information here:
  • UW Libraries Remote Access
• Internet Access
  • FCC agreement stating that providers will waive late fees, not cutoff service for lack of payment, and open hot-spots.
  • Comcast COVID-19 response: offers low cost internet essentials program for those who qualify
  • AT&T COVID-19 response: offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers, and $10/month plans to low income families
  • Verizon COVID-19 response: low-income internet offer through 2020 and following the FCC agreement.
  • T-Mobile COVID-19 response: follows FCC agreement, offers lower cost accounts.

For Instructors

• Instructional best practices, The UW Center for Teaching and Learning provides has helpful information and tips for faculty, teaching assistants and staff educators about teaching and grading during the coronavirus outbreak. Find more information here:
  • The UW Center for Teaching and Learning (UW CTL)
  • UW CTL How to Prepare for When Classes Can’t Meet
  • SSW Classroom Remote Teaching and Learning Strategies
• Zoom Pro, facilitates interactive communications with up 300 individuals simultaneously and is now available to those with a NetID at no additional fee. Find more information here:
  • UW IT Zoom Page
  • Zoom in SSW Classrooms
  • SSW Zoom Meeting/Webinar Best Practices
• Panopto, a course capture system already integrated into Canvas that allows for easy recording and reviewing of videos from courses, lectures, and presentations. Find more information here:
  • UW IT Panopto Page
  • Panopto in SSW Classrooms
• Canvas, is a learning management system commonly used for communications and assignments. Find more information here:
  • UW IT Canvas Help for Instructors and Staff
  • Canvas assistance for SSW Instructors
  • UW IT Communicating with Students Via Canvas
• SSW Classroom support, beginning March 30, SSW Tech has permanently installed desktops, web cameras and microphones to support Zoom and Panopto. Find more information here:
  • Zoom in SSW Classrooms
  • SSW Classroom Remote Teaching and Learning Strategies
• UW Libraries are no longer sending physical books. Find out more here:
  • UW Libraries are offering online services only
  • The National Emergency Library is open and provides over 1.4 million eBooks in the Internet Archives to digital borrowing without any wait lists. The UW Libraries endorsed this effort as an institution and it is available until June 30^th. For more information:
    • About the archive
    • Link to the archive itself

For Staff

• Zoom Pro, is now available to all staff for free and can facilitate up to 300 individuals for an unlimited amount of time. Find more information here:
  • SSW Zoom Setup
• Alternatives to Zoom Pro, there are SSW units who use other tools such as conference calling, Microsoft Teams, and Google Hangouts. SSW Tech recommends that if you don’t already use these tools to stick with Zoom. Find out more information here:
  • UW IT Conference calling
  • UW Microsoft Teams
    • Integrating Zoom in to Microsoft Teams
  • UW Google Hangouts
• Voicemail, the UW telephone system can be accessed remotely, and be configured to send email when message is received. Find our more here:
  • UW Voicemail System
• SSW Fileshare, can be accessed remotely via SSW VPN. Find out more here:
  • Connect to SSW’s VPN on Windows 10
  • How to map a SSW Windows File Share
• Records management, how to handle UW records while working from home. Find out more here:
  • UW Records Management Work From Home Guidance
• Web Based FileShare, both UW Google Drive and UW OneDrive for Business are web-based storage and collaborative applications for file backup and sharing. Find out more information here:
  • UW Google Drive
  • UW OneDrive for Business
• Email and Productivity, Both UW G Suite and UW Office 365 are web-based and accessible from most places via the Internet. For out more information here:
  • UW G Suite
  • UW Office 365
• UW Software, many software programs you use at work can also be downloaded to your personal computer for telecommuting. You can download software at reduced or no cost in UWare. Send email to help@uw.edu if you are unsure of licensing requirements.
• Access UW Administrative Systems, you should be able to access many UW administrative systems from your laptop or home computer. Find out more here:
  • Telecommuting for SSW Staff
• Practice Safe Computing, protect your computer, identity and privacy. Download free Sophos Antivirus Software for your home computers. Find out more here:
  • Telecommuting for SSW Staff
• Remote Desktop Access, the option exists for accessing your desktop computer at UW from home. Fine out more here:
  • Accessing your Windows 10 Desktop when you login into your desktop with your Net ID

For all

• Safe computing – As we all adopt new applications, tools and working practices in order to inhibit the spread of COVID-19, certain risks to University information and data are increasing. Find out more here:
  • UW CISO’S Office: Scams Aimed at Remote Work
  • UW CISO’s Office: Latest Phishing Examples
  • UW IT: Secure and Protect Zoom Meetings
  • SSW Tech: Zoom Security Default Settings Guide
  • UW CISO’s Office: Protecting Personal and University Data on Personal Devices
• Accessible Computing – We need to be considering accessibility as we transition to a fully remote learning model. Find out more here:
  • UW IT Accessibility Policy
  • UW Accessibility online Resources
  • UW Accessibility Tools
    • UW PDF Document Remediation Service Application
    • UW IT making Videos Accessible
  • Accessible resources for distance learning:
    • Equal Access: Universal Design of Distance Learning (brochure)
    • IT Accessibility: What Campus Leaders Have to Say (video)
    • Real Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone (video and brochure)
    • World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design (video and brochure)
    • IT: Accessibility: What Campus Web Developers Have to Say (video)
    • Captions: Improving Access to Postsecondary Education (video)
    • Communication Access Real time Translation: Cart Services for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People (video)
    • Center for Universal Design in Education
    • University of Washington’s Accessible Information Technology
    • Ten Indicators of Distance Learning Program Accessibility
    • More Information

      Explore DO-IT Publications, Knowledge Base articles, and websites on this topic at Accommodation Resources: Distance Learning. For a comprehensive list of resources nationwide, consult our resources for making distance learning accessible.

• Online Counseling and Psychotherapy Videos, can be helpful in dealing with the stress of current circumstances. Available via the UW libraries, this resource is accessible via the A-Z list of libraries databases: https://guides.lib.uw.edu/az.php?a=p until June 2, 2020 and requires a connection to the Husky OnNet first.