Frequently Asked Questions

Alps is an AI-powered adaptive learning platform designed for computer science educators and learners in K-12 and higher education. Alps helps educators teach computer science interactively with embedded AI-powered tools including automated grading, AI tutoring, and differentiated learning. Whether you are teaching a formal class or a CS bootcamp, you can use one of the built-in curricula in Alps as primary materials or to supplement your teaching. Premium tier educators can also import their own content easily and enhance it with AI.

Getting started is easy and free! Visit alps.2sigma.school and click "Sign Up." Sign up with your school email for quick access using Google or Microsoft or request access to Alps in Clever or ClassLink. Educators get immediate access to all core features at no cost.

After signing in, click "Create Class" from your dashboard. Enter your class name, select a primary textbook, and choose how to enroll learners (share a join link, LMS sync, or manual import). Premium accounts can upload their own materials in addition to using our content library.

Learners can join your class using a join link you can copy on the People page, through your LMS (Canvas, Schoology, etc.) via LTI integration, through Google Classroom sync, or bulk CSV import through Google Sheets. No separate account creation is needed when using SSO or LMS integration.

Alps provides FREE access to popular open-source curricula including CSAwesome, Mobile CSP, Python for Everybody, Data 8 (Inferential Thinking), and many more. Licensed textbooks from our partner publishers are available for purchase. Premium accounts can also upload and transform your own materials into interactive lessons using our Gutenberg AI tool.

If you would like us to add a specific textbook or curriculum, please contact us.

Alps automatically grades code assignments by running test cases and further analyzing learner solutions using Rubriq, Alps' AI-powered rubric-based grading system. For open-response questions that require short answers, Rubriq evaluates answers against AI-generated rubrics, providing detailed feedback. Educators can review and adjust AI-generated grades and feedback before finalizing them.

BloomIQ is Alps' AI-powered differentiation engine that analyzes learner performance data at granular skill levels, automatically groups learners by mastery level, and generates personalized assignments. With one click, educators can create differentiated coursework that challenges advanced learners while providing extra support for those who need it.

Alps supports a wide range of languages and environments including Python, Java, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, SQL, C/C++, and Jupyter notebooks. All coding happens in the browser with our integrated IDE—no installation required, works on Chromebooks and any device with a modern browser.

We are continuously adding support for new languages and environments.

Alps provides InsightLens, a real-time analytics dashboard that gives educators visibility into learner progress, time spent on tasks, common misconceptions, and mastery trends. With InsightLens, educators can identify struggling learners early and see which concepts need more class time.

Pathfinder is Alps' AI-powered tutor that provides real-time scaffolding and support while learners work on assignments. Pathfinder breaks down complex problems into manageable steps, offers hints without giving away answers, and adapts to each learner's level. Unlike generic AI chatbots, Pathfinder is curriculum-aware and includes strong guardrails to ensure academic integrity.

Pathfinder is currently in beta and available to select educators.

Yes, Alps by 2Sigma is fully FERPA compliant. Alps only uses student education records for the educational purposes specified by your institution. 2Sigma has signed Data Privacy Agreements with numerous school districts and can sign your institution's DPA as well. See our terms of service and privacy policy for details.

Yes, Alps by 2Sigma is COPPA compliant. Alps collects only the minimum information necessary for educational purposes and never collects personal information from children under 13 without school consent. Alps does not use learner data for advertising or sell any personal information.

On Alps, learner data is used solely to provide educational services — powering AI tutoring via Pathfinder, generating progress reports via InsightLens, and enabling differentiated instruction via BloomIQ. 2Sigma never sells learner data, uses it for advertising, or shares it with third parties except as needed to provide the service. See our Privacy Policy for details.

Alps' AI features include multiple safety layers: content filtering, topic guardrails that keep conversations focused on coursework, and anti-cheating measures that encourage learning over answer-giving. Educators using Alps have full visibility into AI interactions with learners and can customize guardrail settings.

Alps by 2Sigma follows the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and implements industry-standard security measures including encryption at rest and in transit, tight role-based access controls, and secure cloud infrastructure. 2Sigma is a member of the EdSafe AI Alliance Industry Council and participates in the A4L Student Data Privacy Consortium.

Yes! Alps supports LTI 1.3 integration with all major Learning Management Systems including Canvas, Blackboard, Schoology, Moodle, and Brightspace. This enables single sign-on, automatic roster sync, and grade passback directly to your LMS gradebook.

Alps integrates directly with Google Classroom via official APIs. You can import your classes and rosters, push assignments to Google Classroom, and sync grades. Educators and learners sign in with their Google accounts for seamless access.

Google Workspace for Education customers can easily enable access to Alps for their learners and educators by installing the app from the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Alps supports SSO through Google, Microsoft/Azure AD, Clever, ClassLink, and LTI 1.3. This allows learners and educators to log in with their existing institution credentials without creating new passwords and provides additional safeguards for student data privacy. If your institution uses a different SSO provider, please contact us to discuss custom integration options.

Yes! Alps is listed in the Clever App Gallery. Districts using Clever can enable Alps for instant rostering and single sign-on integration.

Yes! The Alps Educator Basic tier is completely free and includes access to the Alps content library, automatic grading, and class management features. There are no hidden fees, trials, or credit card requirements. Educators can get started within a few minutes and access all open-source curricula for free. See Alps premium tiers on the Pricing page.

Alps offers three pricing tiers: Educator Basic (free for individual educators), Educator Premium (advanced AI and analytics features), and Institution (district and university-wide deployment with admin controls and more customization options). Visit the Alps Pricing page for details.

For institution-wide deployment, schedule a demo with our team. We'll discuss your needs, provide a custom quote, handle technical integration, and support your rollout with training and onboarding.

No, learners never pay to use Alps. Access is provided through their educator or institution. Learners simply join their class using a join link, LMS link, or SSO.

Alps' AI-powered Gutenberg engine analyzes your existing content (PDFs, textbooks, documents) and transforms it into interactive, adaptive learning experiences on the Alps platform. The process preserves your brand, copyright, and content integrity while adding features like auto-grading, hints, content enhancements, and personalized feedback. The 2Sigma team works closely with publishers to ensure the transformation meets quality standards.

Publishers retain full ownership of their content. Alps acts as a technology partner and distribution platform. Your brand, copyright notices, and attribution remain visible to all users on Alps. 2Sigma never claims ownership of publisher content. AI enhancements created by Alps are not exportable and remain proprietary to the Alps platform.

Alps offers flexible partnership models for publishers including subscription-based licensing, per-seat pricing, and revenue sharing arrangements. The specific terms depend on content volume, target market, and distribution preferences. Schedule a call with the 2Sigma team to discuss options tailored to your business.

Publishers on Alps get request-based access to aggregated analytics including adoption rates, engagement metrics, time-on-task data, and bug reports. These insights help publishers understand how educators use their content on Alps and identify opportunities for improvement or new content development. 2Sigma is committed to the privacy of educators and learners and does not share any user-identifiable information with publishers, except as required by law.

Content transformation timelines on Alps vary based on content complexity and volume. Alps' Gutenberg engine can often transform an entire curriculum within a few hours, depending on the complexity and volume. The 2Sigma team provides detailed timelines during the initial consultation and works with publisher schedules to meet launch deadlines.

Only books that are not open-source require a license. These are typically commercial textbooks from our partner publishers. On the bookshelf, licensed books are marked with a icon, while open-source books show a icon. All open-source books on Alps are free to use.

License costs vary by book but are typically similar to the cost of purchasing a physical or electronic copy. Teachers must purchase a license for each student who will use the book. Contact us at alps-sales@2sigmaschool.org for specific pricing.

The purchase process is simple: (1) Email us at alps-sales@2sigmaschool.org with the book title and number of licenses needed, including which teacher should have the license. (2) We will send you a quote and invoice with a payment link. (3) Payment can be made via credit card or ACH bank transfer. (4) Upon receiving payment, the licensed teacher can add the book to their course section.

Co-teachers can use the license only if the licensed teacher is part of the course section and there are sufficient licenses to cover all students enrolled in the section. Each student needs their own license regardless of which teacher is instructing them.

We would love to help! Please introduce us to your publisher by emailing alps-sales@2sigmaschool.org. We will work with them to transform their content into an interactive, AI-enhanced edition on Alps.