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Integrating Vocareum with Your LMS via LTI 1.3

Connect Vocareum to any Learning Management System using the Learning Tools Interoperability 1.3 standard for seamless course integration and grade synchronization.

Written by Mary Gordanier
Updated over 2 weeks ago

For Admins

This guide outlines how to establish a Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) 1.3 connection between Vocareum and your institution's Learning Management System (LMS). LTI 1.3 enables secure communication between your LMS and Vocareum, allowing students to access Vocareum assignments directly from your LMS and enabling automatic grade synchronization from Vocareum back to your LMS gradebook.

This article provides general guidance for setting up LTI 1.3 in any LMS. For platform-specific instructions, you can refer to:

Or reach out to support@vocareum.com for assistance.

The initial LTI integration process requires administrative access to both your LMS and your Vocareum organization. You will configure settings in both systems to establish the secure connection. The process involves registering Vocareum as an external tool in your LMS, then configuring Vocareum to recognize and accept connections from your LMS.

There are two approaches to LTI 1.3 integration:

  • Organization-Level Integration (Recommended) - A single LTI configuration provides access to all Vocareum courses within your organization. This approach allows users with course-editing permissions in your LMS to add Vocareum links to LMS courses without additional Admin support. This simplifies management and is ideal for institutions that will use Vocareum across multiple courses or semesters.

  • Course-Level Integration - Each LTI configuration is restricted to a single Vocareum course. This approach requires creating a unique LTI tool registration in your LMS for each Vocareum course you wish to integrate. This method is suitable for cases where you need to strictly limit access to specific courses.

Prerequisites before beginning this integration:

  • Administrative access to your LMS with permissions to register and configure LTI tools

  • Organization Admin access to Vocareum

  • Familiarity with your LMS's external tool or LTI configuration interface

Once you have completed the setup outlined in this guide, you can enable LTI for specific Vocareum assignments using the instructions in Configure LTI 1.3 in Your Vocareum Course.

Understanding LTI 1.3 Integration Components

LTI 1.3 uses several key components to establish a secure connection between your LMS and Vocareum. Understanding these components will help you navigate your LMS's configuration interface, as different LMS platforms may use different terminology for the same concepts.

Key LTI 1.3 Concepts

Issuer - The unique identifier for your LMS platform. This is typically a URL that identifies your LMS instance globally, such as https://canvas.instructure.com or your institution's LMS domain.

Client ID - A unique identifier generated by your LMS when you register Vocareum as an external tool. This ID is used by Vocareum to identify which LMS tool registration is making the connection request.

Deployment ID - An identifier that associates the LTI tool with specific organizational units within your LMS, such as a course, department, or entire institution. A single Client ID may have multiple Deployment IDs if the tool is deployed to different organizational levels.

Platform KeySet URL (also called JWK Set URL or Public JWK URL) - The URL where your LMS publishes its public keys. Vocareum uses these keys to verify that connection requests genuinely come from your LMS. Your LMS documentation should provide this URL.

OIDC Authentication URL (also called OpenID Connect Login URL or Authorization URL) - The endpoint in your LMS where Vocareum initiates the authentication process. This URL is provided by your LMS and typically includes your institution's LMS domain.

OAuth Token URL (also called Access Token URL) - The endpoint where Vocareum requests access tokens from your LMS. This is used for secure server-to-server communication, such as grade passback.

Redirect URL (also called Target Link URI or Launch URL) - The Vocareum URL where your LMS sends users after authentication. This is where students land when they launch a Vocareum assignment from your LMS.

Vocareum Configuration URLs

When registering Vocareum as an LTI tool in your LMS, you will need to provide the following Vocareum URLs. Most LMS platforms allow you to either enter these URLs manually or provide a configuration URL that automatically populates these fields.

Configuration URL (Automatic Setup):

If your LMS supports automatic configuration via URL, using this configuration URL will automatically populate the required fields below. If your LMS requires manual entry, use these individual URLs.

Manual Configuration URLs:

Registering Vocareum in Your LMS

The first step in establishing the LTI 1.3 connection is to register Vocareum as an external tool provider in your LMS. The exact steps and terminology vary by LMS platform, but the core process is similar across all systems.

Locating LTI Tool Registration in Your LMS

Different LMS platforms organize their LTI tool registration in different locations. Refer to your LMS documentation or look for these common locations:

  • Canvas: Admin > Developer Keys > + LTI Key

  • Brightspace (D2L): Gear Icon > Manage Extensibility > LTI Advantage > Register Tool

  • Moodle: Site Administration > Plugins > Activity Modules > External Tool > Manage Tools

  • Blackboard: System Admin > Integrations > LTI Tool Providers > Register Provider Domain

Creating the LTI Tool Registration

Once you have located the LTI tool registration area in your LMS, follow these steps to register Vocareum:

  1. Navigate to your LMS's LTI tool registration or external app configuration area. You must have administrative permissions to access this area. If you do not have the necessary permissions, contact your LMS administrator.

  2. Create a new LTI 1.3 tool registration. Look for options such as Add App, Register Tool, New Developer Key, or Configure External Tool. Ensure you select LTI 1.3 or LTI Advantage, not LTI 1.1.

  3. Configure the tool registration using one of these methods:

    • Automatic Configuration (Preferred): If your LMS supports configuration via URL (some systems call this Paste JSON, Enter URL, or By URL), enter the Vocareum configuration URL: https://labs.vocareum.com/lti1.3/config.json. This will automatically populate all required fields.

    • Manual Configuration: If your LMS requires manual entry of individual URLs, enter the Vocareum URLs listed in the Understanding LTI 1.3 Integration Components section above.

  4. Provide a name for the tool registration, such as Vocareum LTI 1.3 or Vocareum Content. This name will be visible to instructors when they add Vocareum content to their courses.

  5. Enable the following LTI extensions or services if your LMS presents these options:

    • Assignment and Grade Services (AGS) - Required for grade passback from Vocareum to your LMS

    • Names and Role Provisioning Services (NRPS) - Allows Vocareum to retrieve course roster information

    • Deep Linking - Enables instructors to browse and select Vocareum assignments directly from within the LMS

    • Course Navigation or Link Selection - Allows Vocareum to appear as a navigation option within courses

  6. Enable privacy settings to send user information to Vocareum. Look for options to send names, email addresses, and institutional roles. These are necessary for Vocareum to identify users and assign appropriate permissions.

  7. Save or submit the tool registration. Your LMS will generate a Client ID for this registration. Record this Client ID, as you will need it to complete the configuration in Vocareum.

  8. Activate or enable the tool registration. Some LMS platforms create registrations in an inactive or Off state by default. Look for a toggle, switch, or state setting to enable the tool.

Creating a Deployment

After registering the LTI tool, you must create a deployment to specify where in your LMS the tool will be available. A deployment associates the tool registration with specific organizational units, such as individual courses, departments, or your entire institution.

  1. Locate the deployment configuration for your newly created tool registration. This may be accessed through options such as View Deployments, Manage Deployments, or Add to Courses.

  2. Create a new deployment and select the organizational scope:

    • For Organization-Level Integration: Select your entire institution, top-level account, or all organizational units. This allows the tool to be used across all courses.

    • For Course-Level Integration: Select the specific course where you want to make Vocareum available. You will need to repeat the entire LTI tool registration process for each course you wish to integrate.

  3. Save the deployment. Your LMS will generate a Deployment ID for this deployment. Record this Deployment ID along with your Client ID.

Gathering LMS Platform Information

To complete the Vocareum configuration, you will need several pieces of information from your LMS. This information is typically available in the tool registration details, LMS documentation, or your institution's LMS configuration.

Collect the following information from your LMS:

  • Issuer: The platform issuer URL. This may be displayed in your tool registration details or provided in your LMS documentation. Common examples include https://canvas.instructure.com for Canvas or your institution's LMS domain.

  • Platform KeySet URL: The URL where your LMS publishes its public keys. This URL should be documented in your LMS's LTI configuration guide or displayed in the tool registration details. It typically follows a pattern such as https://[your-lms-domain]/api/lti/security/jwks.

  • OIDC Authentication URL: The OpenID Connect authentication endpoint. This is typically institution-specific and follows a pattern such as https://[your-institution].instructure.com/api/lti/authorize_redirect for Canvas or as documented in your LMS's LTI setup guide.

  • OAuth Token URL: The OAuth 2.0 token endpoint. This URL is institution-specific and follows patterns documented in your LMS's API or LTI documentation, such as https://[your-institution].instructure.com/login/oauth2/token.

  • OAuth Server URL (if required): Some LMS platforms require an OAuth audience or server URL. This field may be labeled as OAuth2 Audience or Authorization Server. Check your LMS documentation or leave this field blank if not applicable.

Configuring Vocareum to Accept LMS Connections

After registering Vocareum in your LMS and gathering the necessary platform information, you must configure Vocareum to recognize and accept connections from your LMS. The configuration process differs depending on whether you are setting up Organization-Level or Course-Level integration.

Important: You must be logged into Vocareum as an Organization Admin to complete this configuration.

Organization-Level Integration (Recommended)

Organization-Level Integration allows a single LTI configuration to provide access to all Vocareum courses within your organization. This approach simplifies management and is the recommended method for institutions that will use Vocareum across multiple courses or semesters.

When to Use Organization-Level Integration

Organization-Level Integration is appropriate when:

  • You will use Vocareum in multiple courses across your institution

  • You want to simplify LTI management by maintaining a single integration configuration

  • Instructors need the flexibility to add Vocareum to their courses without requiring IT intervention for each course

  • You trust all instructors in your organization to access the Vocareum platform through the LTI connection

Setting Up Organization-Level Integration

Complete the following steps to configure Organization-Level Integration in Vocareum:

  1. Log into Vocareum as an Organization Admin.

  2. From the Vocareum dashboard, select Edit Org to access your organization settings.

  3. Scroll to the Authentication section of the organization settings.

  4. Under the LTI subsection, click Issuers located to the right of the LTI 1.3 label.

  5. Click New Issuer in the top-right corner of the LTI Issuers page.

  6. Complete the Issuer entry form with the information you gathered from your LMS:

    • Issuer: Enter the platform issuer URL from your LMS (for example, https://canvas.instructure.com or your institution's LMS domain). Do not include trailing slashes.

    • Client ID: Enter the Client ID generated by your LMS when you created the tool registration.

    • Platform KeySet URL: Enter the JWK Set URL from your LMS.

    • OIDC Authentication URL: Enter your institution-specific OpenID Connect authentication endpoint. Do not include trailing slashes.

    • OAuth Token URL: Enter your institution-specific OAuth 2.0 token endpoint. Do not include trailing slashes.

    • OAuth Server URL: Enter the OAuth audience URL if required by your LMS, or leave blank if not applicable.

    • Name/Identifier: Enter a descriptive name for this issuer, such as Institution LMS - Canvas or Production LMS. This name is for internal identification only.

  7. Click Save to create the issuer entry.

  8. After saving the issuer, you will be returned to the issuer details page. Click Deployments in the top-right corner of this page.

  9. Click New Deployment to register the Deployment ID from your LMS.

  10. Enter the Deployment ID you recorded from your LMS and click Save.

Your Organization-Level Integration is now complete. Instructors can now add Vocareum assignments to any course in your LMS. The integration will work across all Vocareum courses in your organization.

Course-Level Integration

Course-Level Integration restricts each LTI configuration to a single Vocareum course. This approach requires creating a unique LTI tool registration in your LMS for each Vocareum course you wish to integrate.

When to Use Course-Level Integration

Course-Level Integration is appropriate when:

  • You are running a pilot program or proof-of-concept with Vocareum and wish to strictly limit access.

  • You need to restrict Vocareum access to specific courses for security or compliance reasons.

  • Different Vocareum courses need to be isolated from each other at the LTI level.

  • You are integrating only one or two Vocareum courses and do not plan to scale.

Important Constraints for Course-Level Integration

Before proceeding with Course-Level Integration, understand these critical requirements:

  • One Client ID per Vocareum Course: Each Vocareum course requires its own unique Client ID. A single Client ID cannot be shared across multiple Vocareum courses. You must create a separate LTI tool registration in your LMS for each Vocareum course.

  • Course-Level Installation Required: Ensure that the LTI tool is installed at the course level in your LMS, not at the institution or account level. The deployment scope must be limited to individual courses.

  • Increased Administrative Overhead: Managing Course-Level Integration requires creating and maintaining separate LTI configurations for each course, which increases administrative work compared to Organization-Level Integration.

Setting Up Course-Level Integration

Complete the following steps for each Vocareum course you wish to integrate:

  1. Complete the LMS registration process described in the Registering Vocareum in Your LMS section, ensuring that the deployment is scoped to a single course. Record the Client ID and Deployment ID for this specific course integration.

  2. Log into Vocareum and navigate to the specific Vocareum course you want to integrate with your LMS course.

  3. Open the course settings and select LTI Settings.

  4. Ensure the LTI version is set to v1.3.

  5. Click Manage Course-Level Access. A modal window will appear.

  6. In the modal window, click Add Issuer to create a new issuer configuration for this course.

  7. Complete the issuer entry form with the same information you would use for Organization-Level Integration:

    • Issuer: Enter the platform issuer URL from your LMS. Do not include trailing slashes.

    • Client ID: Enter the unique Client ID generated for this specific course integration.

    • Platform KeySet URL: Enter the JWK Set URL from your LMS.

    • OIDC Authentication URL: Enter your institution-specific OpenID Connect authentication endpoint. Do not include trailing slashes.

    • OAuth Token URL: Enter your institution-specific OAuth 2.0 token endpoint. Do not include trailing slashes.

    • OAuth Server URL: Enter the OAuth audience URL if required by your LMS, or leave blank if not applicable.

    • Name/Identifier: Enter a descriptive name that identifies this course integration, such as CS101 Spring 2026.

  8. Click Save to create the issuer entry.

  9. Return to the course LTI settings and click Manage Course-Level Access again.

  10. Find the issuer you just created and click Manage under the Deployments column.

  11. Enter the Deployment ID for this course in the New Deployment ID field and click Add Deployment ID.

Your Course-Level Integration for this specific course is now complete. Repeat this entire process for each additional Vocareum course you wish to integrate, using a unique Client ID and LTI tool registration for each course.

Verifying Your Integration

After completing the configuration in both your LMS and Vocareum, test the integration to ensure it is working correctly.

  1. In your LMS, navigate to a course where Vocareum should be available.

  2. Add a Vocareum assignment or content item to the course using your LMS's external tool or LTI content addition interface.

  3. Launch the Vocareum content from your LMS as a student or test user.

  4. Verify that you are successfully redirected to Vocareum and that the correct assignment or course content is displayed.

  5. Test grade passback by completing an assignment in Vocareum and confirming that the grade appears in your LMS gradebook.

If you encounter issues during testing, refer to the common troubleshooting steps below.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

If you experience problems with your LTI 1.3 integration, review these common issues and solutions:

LTI Launch Fails or Shows Error Messages

  • Verify Client ID and Deployment ID: Ensure the Client ID and Deployment ID in Vocareum exactly match those generated by your LMS. Even small differences, such as extra spaces, will cause failures.

  • Check for Trailing Slashes: URLs in both your LMS and Vocareum should not have trailing slashes. Trailing slashes can cause authentication failures.

  • Confirm Tool is Enabled: Ensure the LTI tool registration in your LMS is in an active or enabled state, not disabled or off.

Grades Do Not Sync to LMS

  • Enable Assignment and Grade Services: Verify that Assignment and Grade Services is enabled in your LMS tool registration. This service is required for grade passback.

  • Map Assignments Correctly: In your LMS, ensure that Vocareum assignments are properly linked to LMS assignments with the correct submission type set to External Tool.

  • Check Assignment LTI Settings: In Vocareum, verify that LTI is enabled for the specific assignments you want to sync grades for.

Students Cannot Access Vocareum Content

  • Verify Deployment Scope: Ensure the deployment includes the organizational units where students are enrolled. For Organization-Level Integration, the deployment should cover all courses. For Course-Level Integration, verify the deployment is correctly scoped to the specific course.

  • Check Privacy Settings: Confirm that your LMS is configured to send user information such as names, emails, and roles to Vocareum.

Course-Level Integration: Wrong Course Displays

  • Use Unique Client IDs: Verify that each Vocareum course has its own unique Client ID. Sharing a Client ID across multiple courses will cause unpredictable behavior.

  • Verify Course-Level Issuer Configuration: Ensure the issuer and deployment are configured in the correct Vocareum course's LTI settings, not at the organization level.

Next Steps

After completing this integration, you can:

  • Enable LTI for specific Vocareum assignments by following the instructions in Configure LTI 1.3 in Your Vocareum Course

  • Add Vocareum assignments to your LMS courses using your LMS's external tool or content item selection interface

  • Configure grade passback settings to automatically sync grades from Vocareum to your LMS gradebook

  • Train instructors on how to incorporate Vocareum content into their courses through the LTI integration

If you continue to experience issues with your integration, contact Vocareum Support for assistance.

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