Open Radar

 
Summary:
We would like to allow examinees to use several apps during an exam performed on iPads, usually together with an exam app like for example a secure exam browser. The exam app would display the exam questions, some might contain instructions what task to perform in one of the permitted apps. Usually a question would contain a link to a template document, when clicked the exam app downloads the document from the exam server and opens it with the permitted app.
An enhanced Guided Access mode should allow to define a list of bundle IDs. Only the according apps should then be accessible when Guided Access is activated (by an API call like UIAccessibilityRequestGuidedAccessSession). 
- While running this multiple apps Guided Access mode, the app switcher should display only the permitted apps.
- The permitted apps would need to use a temporary „clean“ sandbox document container without user data while running in this enhanced Guided Access mode.
- There needs to be a way how to submit documents created in permitted apps while running this multiple apps Guided Access mode, for example by sharing it with the exam app which then could upload it to the exam server.
- Another possible way how to submit documents created in an exam would be to use Managed Apple IDs and save those documents in iCloud, which after submitting the exam would be accessible for an administrator.

Steps to Reproduce:
Example:
- Pass array with bundle IDs of permitted apps to an enhanced UIAccessibilityRequestGuidedAccessSession call.
- When enhanced Guided Access is activated, only the calling app and the apps defined in the permitted apps array can run.
- The exam app can start a permitted app with a call to its URL scheme or by opening a document with the permitted app (as long as the file type is associated with the permitted app).
- The examinee solves an assignment in the permitted app and then uses the share button to share the finished document with the exam app. In the share sheet only the exam app and the other permitted apps show up, but no other options (as documents created in an exam should not leak out).
- When the examinee submits an exam in the exam app, it calls the enhanced UIAccessibilityRequestGuidedAccessSession method to finish the enhanced autonomous multi-app Guided Access mode.
- The apps used during the exam use their regular sandbox document container again, the documents created or modified during the exam are no longer accessible.

Expected Results:
Enhanced autonomous multi-app Guided Access mode, which can be used in a similar way as UIAccessibilityRequestGuidedAccessSession. 

Actual Results:
When Guided Access / UIAccessibilityRequestGuidedAccessSession is invoked, only a single app can be used.

Version:
iOS 8, iOS 9

Notes:
Our institution (ETH Zurich, highest rated university in continental Europe) is working in the field of e-assessment since many years and collaborating with many other universities, companies and organizations. Our open source freeware secure exam browser software Safe Exam Browser (http://safeexambrowser.org) is used all over the world and we're currently finalizing an iOS/iPad version.

Configuration:
iOS (any version starting iOS 8) running on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch