D2L makes updates to Brightspace on a monthly basis. Taylor University's updates are usually available the 24th of the month. To access the complete D2L release notes for September 2026, sign into the D2L Brightspace Community and click on this link: September 2026/20.26.09 - Brightspace. Taylor University does not implement all updates.
Brightspace Editor – Additional heading options | Updated
To make creating accessible content easier, the Brightspace Editor now includes Heading 5 and Heading 6 in the Format drop-down menu. Previously, the menu only displayed Heading 1 through Heading 4, and instructors had to use keyboard shortcuts or the Source Code editor to apply the additional heading levels. This update ensures that instructors can easily apply all standard heading levels directly from the Format menu, supporting compliance with accessibility standards.
Figure: The current Format drop-down menu showing only Heading 1 to Heading 4.
Figure: The new Format drop-down menu showing Heading 1 to Heading 6.
Groups – Bulk edit group names and codes | Updated
To improve efficiency when managing large numbers of groups, the new Manage Groups experience now allows instructors to bulk edit group names and codes within a category. Previously, instructors had to select each group individually to edit its details. Instructors can now click Edit Group Names to update the names and codes for one, multiple, or all groups from a single interface, saving time and reducing administrative effort.
Figure: On the Group Category page, instructors click Edit Group Names to edit one, multiple, or all groups.
Figure: On Edit Group Names, instructors can edit the Group Name and Group Code for all groups.
New Content Experience – Assessable activities are only displayed inline | Updated
Assessable activities, including Assignments, Quizzes, Discussions, and instructor LTI links, now display inline by default in the New Content Experience. This change provides learners with a consistent, embedded experience when accessing assessable course activities.
Previously, administrators could use the d2l.Tools.Content.LessonsRenderActivitiesInline configuration variable to control whether these activities opened inline. With this update, assessable activities display inline by default, simplifying the learner experience and providing a consistent presentation for assessable content throughout the New Content Experience.
Before:
Figure: Previous quiz experience for learners in the New Content Experience without assessable activities displayed inline enabled.
After:
Figure: Updated quiz experience for learners with assessable activities displayed inline in the New Content Experience.
New Content Experience – Removing the Preview as a Student option | Removed
To provide a more accurate representation of the learner experience, the Preview as a Student option is removed from the New Content Experience.
Previously, the Preview as a Student option was available in Content, but it did not accurately reflect the learner experience. This preview had several limitations. For example, it did not correctly apply availability dates and release conditions, and it displayed the instructor view instead of the learner view for Assignments, Quizzes, and Discussions.
Before:
Figure: The Preview as a Student option previously appeared in the Settings menu in the New Content Experience.
After:
Figure: The Preview as a Student option is no longer available in the Course options menu in the New Content Experience.
To view your course from a learner's perspective, use one of the following supported options:
- Role Switch: From your user profile, use the Change Role feature to switch to a learner role.
This provides a more accurate representation of the learner experience than the previous Preview as a Student option.
Work To Do widget – Dismiss overdue items | Updated
To help learners better manage their workload, the Work To Do widget now allows users to dismiss overdue activities. Previously, overdue items remained on the list until completed or their due dates were removed, potentially cluttering lists for courses without end dates or those that remained active after completion.
Now, learners can select the X icon next to an overdue activity to remove it from their view. After dismissing an activity, an alert appears briefly with an Undo option, allowing learners to restore the activity if it was dismissed by mistake.
Figure: Learners can now dismiss overdue items from the Work To Do widget by selecting the X.
Figure: The Work To Do widget displays an Undo option after an overdue activity is dismissed.