Public and Restricted Access to Class Websites


All class and section Homepages are viewable to the public, but most also have restricted access. Pages below the Homepage are usually accessible only to class members or the MIT community, but an instructor may decide to give a website world access. The instructor sets all levels of access control for a class website.

Whole World/Public Access

Anyone with an internet connection can view a a class or section Homepage. The homepage displays the following information:

  • Class name, number, and term
  • Names of the instructors and teaching assistants
  • Meeting types, e.g., lecture/lab, times, and locations
  • Announcements posted by the faculty
  • Image added by the instructor (if the instructor owns the copyright)

At the discretion of the instructor, the public may also view:

  • Information about the class content
  • A link to an OpenCourseWare website, if applicable, for the class

World access means that all visitors can read all course materials that are not restricted to class members for privacy and copyright protection. Restricted materials include the Participants list, discussions, homework submissions, and e-reserves from the MIT libraries. This view also displays the navigation bar, but its links are accessible only after logging in to the website.

Restricted Access

Typically a Homepage also has restricted access. This means that a user must log in to the website in order to:

  • Activate the navigation bar links in order to access class content such as documents, assignments, discussions, homework, sections, and so on.
  • View images added to the Homepage for which the instructor does not own the copyright.

  • No labels