TMS Resources

Here are some resources to aid users of assistive technology:

• Assistive Technology-Screen reader applications for users of Assistive Technology, developers, and content authors.
• Some interactive SkillSoft courses require unique navigation methods. To learn more, view the SkillSoft Product Knowledge Base - Web Accessibility website.
• Besides the Java Run time plug-in, some mandatory courses will also require a Java Access Bridge for accessibility. To download the access bridge, visit Java Access Bridge. Please contact the VATMSHelp for additional assistance.

 Please use review the job aid below if you use JAWS to access the TMS:

Log into the VA TMS

Once you are signed into TMS, you can access your courses from the course link on your To-do list. Mandatory and other courses are listed in a table.

Sign into TMS

If your screen reader does not find a table

You may need to tell the page to display all courses with no due date restrictions:

1. Locate the following combo boxes on the page: Group Plan by, Items, and Required.
2. Set Group Plan by to “None”.
3. Set Items to “All”.
4. Set Required to “All”.
5. Hit Enter and your courses will display.

Launch a course by locating the table and clicking the “Go to Content” button

Enter Table mode, and Window Eyes will allow you to read the table cell-by-cell.

1. Once you locate the table of courses, do not follow the course title links. Instead, move across the row until you find the button called “Go to Content”.
2. Press Enter on this button to go to the content page for the course.
3. Use your screen reader command to skip repetitive links, and you will find a line that reads “Online Content Structure”.
4. Alternatively, locate the first table on the page. Then arrow down through the table. Depending upon the course, either follow a link that states the name of the course, or follow a link that says, “Launch course name”.

Tips for taking courses on TMS

Courses take many different forms. Some courses have a frame that contains a list of links to access every page of course content. Once clicked, the course content appears in another frame. There may be a header and footer frame as well. The following shortcuts may help you move through the content:

• The letter M moves you forward through the frames. Shift+M moves you back a frame.
• Depending on your screen reader, either the letter N or the letter X skips a list.
• The letter H skips you to the next heading. Shift+H moves you back a header.
• The letter A skips you to the next anchor. Shift+A moves you back an anchor.

VALU has many resources to help you develop new job skills. To keep track of your courses, TMS has many tools to guide your learning path. The following information will help you find:

TMS Password Reset

• Reset your TMS password

Course Catalog

• Access the Catalog Online (TMS sign-in required)
• Course Catalog (PDF)

Mandatory Training

• Career Planning contains links to the two training courses for all VA staff
• Sign into TMS to see a “To-Do List” box with your required courses
• VA intranet mandatory training website

Learning Record / Certificates

• Sign into TMS then click the "Completed Works" tab 
• To print, hover your mouse over the course you need

Other questions?  Contact us

Instructions for all VA employees looking for help getting started on TMS.

• How to Reset Your Password (PDF)
• Navigate the VA TMS (Flash video)
• TMS Tip Sheet (PDF)
• TMS Common Tasks Reference Guide (PDF)

Some mandatory courses require you to install following plug-in: 

• Java plug-in

How-to instructions for managing employee training, alternating supervisors, and getting credit for reviewing tutorials.

• Get alerts when employees do not take assigned training (PDF) 
• Register an employee (PDF)
• Record employee completion status (PDF)
• Manage your employee’s to-do list (Flash video)  |  Text transcript
• Manage your employee’s learning requests (Flash video)  |  Text transcript
• Assign Alternate Supervisor (PDF)
• Assign Delegate (PDF)

All local TMS administrators are invited to join this Community of Practice. Only available to VA employees who have a TMS administrator role. 

This community features:

• Job aids supporting all TMS administrator roles, from basic to advanced.
• TMS administrator training information and schedules.
• Discussions forums where administrators can learn more about TMS, ask questions, and connect across the country.

Standard Roles: Used across all domains to manage TMS

• Assignment Manager (AM): Makes learning assignments to Users.
• Assignment Profile Manager (APM): Creates/manages Assignment Profiles. Role must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Domain Manager (DM): Manages admin users, reference tables, and merging users.
• Domain Administrators who have the Domain Manager role must also have the
• Learning Manager role. There should be a primary and back-up Domain Manager identified for each domain. Role must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Help Desk Manager (HD): Front-line support for TMS Users, including resetting passwords. Role must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Human Resources Manager (HR): Views sensitive information about TMS Users that is not available to any other TMS Admin Role. Role and must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role. 
• Item Manager (IM): Creates new items.
• Learning Manager (LM): Manages and tracks user training needs. Can create Items and Scheduled Offerings.
• Question Editor Manager (QEM): Creates Objectives, Questions, and Exam Objects.
• Role and must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Registration Manager (RM): Registers Users in Scheduled Offerings and records attendance.
• Report Manager (RPT): Only administrative function is running Reports.
• Scheduling Manager (SM): Creates and Manages Scheduled Offerings.
   

Additional Roles: Only appear in selected domains for pilot testing

• Accreditation Manager (ACM): Adds Accreditations based on nationally entered
• Accreditation Types to their Domain. Role must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Accreditation Item Manager (ACIM): Adds Accreditations to Items within their Domain.
• Role and must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role, usually the Item Manager Role.
• Competency Manager (CM): Adds Competencies within their Domain. Role must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Competency Profile Manager (CPM): Adds Competency Profiles within their Domain.
• Role and must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Communities Manager (CM): Adds/manages Online Communities within the TMS. Role and must be added in conjunction with another Admin Role.
• Performance Manager (PM): Accesses Performance functionality.

These resources can help you create content that is 508 compliant.

• Conformance Validation Form (CVS):  Use this form to submit a request to the VA Section 508 Office.
• VA Section 508 Office

VA does not support outside resources. VA is not responsible for content on external links.

FireEyes is a web accessibility tool that ensures that content complies with Section 508 standards.  It enables errors to be reproduced so that they can be fixed.  With FireEyes you can: record error scripts in a single location; show the exact sequence of steps to trigger the problem; share the report with others so they can see exactly how the problem occurred.  For more information or to get started installing FireEyes:

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• SkillSoft Online Certification Matrix
  Identifies SkillSoft online certification exams available on VA TMS
• SkillSoft Business Skills Course Catalog
  Links to the SkillSoft Business Skills online courses available on VA TMS
• SkillSoft Compliance Course Catalog
  Links to the SkillSoft Compliance - Legal and Environmental, Safety & Health, and Transportation online courses available on VA TMS
• SkillSoft Desktop Skills Course Catalog
  Links to the SkillSoft Desktop Skills online courses available on VA TMS
• SkillSoft IT Skills Course Catalog
  Links to the SkillSoft IT Skills online courses available on VA TMS
•  SkillSoft New Courses Added List
  List of all courses that were added in the previous month to all four of the SkillSoft Catalogs above.
• SkillSoft Removed Courses List
  List of courses being removed and replacement courses.
• SkillSoft Removed Courses Guidance for TMS Managers
  Guidance for TMS Managers using SkillSoft courses in assignment profiles.