Simple LTI Integration Vs. Deep Link LTI Integration For D2L Brightspace: Which Is Right For You?
LTI integration provides a seamless, single-sign on course experience, linking your learning management system to the Connect For Education course site. There are different types of LTI integration. Each type provides you with unique benefits, but requires different levels of involvement from the instructor/school and subsequently has an impact on the way the course is supported. It is important that you understand the differences between the types of LTI integration in order to determine which type best suits your course needs and circumstances.
• Simple LTI integration: Simple LTI integration enables you to connect your Connect For Education course to your D2L Brightspace learning platform. Students click a link within your D2L course shell which seamlessly directs them to your course content on the Connect For Education course site:
Students read the text and complete all coursework within our learning platform, and their grades are recorded in the Connect For Education gradebook. With simple LTI integration, as students complete their coursework, their grade totals will be updated in the D2L gradebook. If you would like the grades for all coursework to be present in your D2L gradebook, you do have the option to manually export the gradebook from the Connect For Education course site and import the grades in your D2L gradebook.
• Deep Link integration: Deep link LTI integration offers enhanced features, such as comprehensive grade syncing and a detailed D2L course table of contents:
With grade sync, grades for each individual coursework item will be automatically recorded in your D2L gradebook. Connect For Education's App for deep link integration allows you to select which content you would like to link to your D2L course, giving you the flexibility and freedom to blend the Connect For Education course content with resources within your D2L course shell. To preview what is involved in the deep link LTI setup, please review the appropriate Deep Link Guide below:
- Instructors teaching any of our Music and/or General Education titles may review our standard C4E Deep Link LTI Guide for D2L.
- Instructors teaching a Fashion title using a Fairchild Books Digital Coursebook may review our Fairchild Books Deep Link LTI Guide for D2L.
*Please note, if you wish to pursue deep linking, you must first notify our Tech Support team at support@connect4education.com to initiate this process. The above guide is intended for use during the course build process, after a course setup request has been submitted. Additionally, deep linking can only be performed at the start of the semester, in advance of students registering their access codes and accessing the course.
| Simple LTI | Deep Link LTI | |
| Single Sign-on? | Yes | Yes |
| Grades Passed Back? | Yes, grade totals are updated as coursework is completed. | Yes, grades for all individual assignments are updated as coursework is completed. |
Things to Consider When Determining What Option is Best for You
D2L Brightspace Knowledge/Admin Assistance
If you are evaluating which LTI option best suits your needs, please note that the use of our deep link LTI does require more instructor (and/or D2L administrator) involvement and assistance. As you will be required to configure the course gradebook and manipulate the course modules page, you must have intermediate working knowledge of the D2L Learning Management system or dedicated support from your school's D2L Administration team. Your D2L administration team will be required to implement a Connect For Education App within your D2L environment. During the initial course setup process, support from your D2L administration team may be necessary depending on your account permissions. Lastly, your D2L administration team can provide the guidance to ensure the LTI implementation is completed correctly.
Connect For Education Support
It is important to remember that your school's D2L system is a closed environment. As a result, with LTI integration our ability to intervene may be more limited should any issues arise. With the deep link LTI integration process being more involved and complex, the need for Connect For Education support assistance may be greater than with simple integration. This can sometimes present challenges as a result of our inability to access your D2L course directly. The Connect For Education Support Team would likely be able to offer more hands on assistance with simple LTI integration- as the course is completely maintained on the Connect For Education course site. With the deep link integration, more of the course components exist in part on the D2L side. If you elect to use the deep link LTI integration, it is important to understand that you may need to perform some of the common processes typically handled by the Connect For Education Support Team (adjusting settings, deadlines, etc.).
Course Customizations and Maintenance
With deep link integration, all course customizations (namely, changes to the layout/course ordering, etc.) would ideally need to be completed before the course content has been imported. With simple LTI integration, it is easier to change the course at any time.
Additionally, all LTI course links will need to be updated from semester-to-semester and cannot be reused! It is very important to keep this in mind when copying your D2L course from one semester to the next.
What To Do If You Are Interested in LTI Integration
If you are interested in utilizing either our simple or deep link LTI integration, we strongly recommend submitting your course setup requests to us well in advance to ensure the course and course link will be ready in time. To ensure we have all necessary information required for a course build, we ask that instructors submit their course setup forms to us each semester they teach. You may find links to each of our forms below. Simply notate in the 'Notes' section whether you would like simple or deep link LTI integration for D2L.
- Instructors teaching any of our Music and/or General Education titles may use our standard Course Setup Request form.
- Instructors teaching a Fashion title using a Fairchild Books Digital Coursebook may use our Fairchild Books Course Setup Request form.
If you need assistance with your login credentials, or if you would like to confirm whether your form submitted successfully, simply email us at support@connect4education.com.
Note, Connect for Education is actively working on LMS integration with the Learning Management Systems instructors use most. While our current focus has been on the development of integration with Canvas, Blackboard, and D2L Brightspace, we also hope to offer integration with Moodle in the future as well.
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