WeBWork Industry Regulations 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A WeBWork administrator receives a subpoena for a student's homework records. Under FERPA, what must the institution do before complying?
- Immediately provide all records to law enforcement
- Make a reasonable effort to notify the student before disclosure (Correct answer)
- Destroy the records to protect student privacy
- Obtain written consent from the student's parents
Correct answer: Make a reasonable effort to notify the student before disclosure
FERPA generally requires institutions to notify the student before complying with a subpoena, unless the court order specifies otherwise.
Question 2: Which MathML-related accessibility practice improves WeBWork equation rendering for screen reader users?
- Rendering all equations as PNG images only
- Providing MathML markup alongside rendered math so assistive technology can read it (Correct answer)
- Disabling JavaScript to simplify page structure
- Using LaTeX source code as alt text for images
Correct answer: Providing MathML markup alongside rendered math so assistive technology can read it
Screen readers can interpret MathML to vocalize mathematical expressions, making equations accessible to visually impaired users.
Question 3: A professor wants to reuse a published textbook's problems in WeBWork. Under US copyright law, which doctrine might permit limited use without licensing?
- First Sale Doctrine
- Fair Use Doctrine (Correct answer)
- Safe Harbor Provision
- Compulsory License
Correct answer: Fair Use Doctrine
Fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material for educational purposes, considering factors like purpose, nature, amount, and market effect.
Question 4: Under WCAG 2.1, what minimum contrast ratio is required between normal text and its background for Level AA conformance in WeBWork's interface?
- 2.5:1
- 3:1
- 4.5:1 (Correct answer)
- 7:1
Correct answer: 4.5:1
WCAG 2.1 Level AA requires a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text to ensure readability for users with low vision.
Question 5: When WeBWork sends grade data back to an LMS via the LTI Outcomes Service, which protocol is used to transmit the score?
- FTP over SSL
- SOAP-based XML over HTTPS (Correct answer)
- Raw TCP socket with JSON payload
- SMTP with encrypted attachments
Correct answer: SOAP-based XML over HTTPS
The LTI 1.1 Basic Outcomes Service uses a SOAP-based XML message sent over HTTPS to post grades back to the LMS.
Question 6: A WeBWork server breach exposes student PII. Under most US state breach notification laws, what is the typical required action?
- File a report with the NSA within 24 hours
- Notify affected individuals within a legally specified timeframe (Correct answer)
- Quietly patch the vulnerability without disclosure
- Only notify if more than 10,000 records are affected
Correct answer: Notify affected individuals within a legally specified timeframe
All 50 US states have breach notification laws requiring timely notification to affected individuals when their PII is compromised.
Question 7: Which organization maintains the Open Problem Library (OPL) used by WeBWork, establishing community contribution and licensing norms?
- The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) (Correct answer)
- The National Science Foundation (NSF)
- IEEE Standards Association
- EDUCAUSE
Correct answer: The Mathematical Association of America (MAA)
The MAA hosts and governs the WeBWork Open Problem Library, setting standards for problem contributions and licensing under Creative Commons.
WeBWork Industry Regulations 3
A WeBWork administrator receives a subpoena for a student's homework records.
Under FERPA, what must the institution do before complying?