Using the No Access Role

There is a role that can be assigned called No Access. A user with that role is visible on the classlist and can see the course offering on a "No Access" tab on the My Courses widget. However, when that user tries to enter the course all that will be visible is a blank course homepage. [VIDEO DEMO]

View a course offering as a student via the Instructor-student role

You can view a course offering as if you were a student without logging out by switching your role within the course offering to Instructor-student. This role has the same privileges as the Student role with one exception: Users enrolled as instructor-student can switch themselves back to the Instructor role.

While enrolled as Instructor-student, you can take quizzes, view content, submit files to dropbox folders, etc., as if you were a student. All of your activity is recorded as if you were a student. You will not be able to see any course material that is hidden from students, including items that are restricted by date and by release condition.

This is a change that must be done via the Classlist, not the Role Switch widget. [VIDEO DEMO]