External tool topics (LTI)

An External tool topic (LtiLink) opens a tool from another provider inside the lesson using LTI 1.3: a coding sandbox, a virtual lab, a publisher’s exercise set. The tool knows who the learner is without a second login and can send a score back to ulams.

Note

Before you can add such a topic, an administrator registers the tool under Integrations → LTI. See LTI. Without a registered, enabled tool the topic form shows “No external tools are registered yet” with a link to register one.

Add an external tool topic

1. In the program, add a topic and choose External tool (LTI).
2. Choose the External tool from the registered, enabled tools.
3. Optionally enter a Link inside the tool to open a specific resource instead of the tool’s default launch URL (shown as the placeholder).
4. Optionally add Custom parameters, one key=value per line. They are sent to the tool with every launch.
5. Choose how it opens: In the page (inside the lesson) or New window.
6. Set the Maximum score the tool’s grades are measured against (default 100).
7. Save the topic.

Pick content from the tool (deep linking)

If the tool supports LTI Deep Linking, the form shows Pick content from the tool:

1. Choose the tool and click Pick content from the tool. The tool opens in a pop-up window.
2. Select one or more items in the tool and confirm.

The tool adds one topic per selected item to the lesson (“2 items added to the lesson”) and the program reloads. If you started from a new, empty topic, you can delete it afterwards.

What learners get

When the learner opens the topic, ulams signs them in to the tool (OIDC launch, single-use and short-lived). With In the page the tool runs in a frame in the lesson; with New window the learner gets a button that opens it.

Tip

Some tools refuse to run inside a frame or need cookies that browsers block in frames. If the tool does not load in the page, switch the topic to New window.

Scores and completion

Tools that support LTI Assignment and Grade Services (AGS) send scores to ulams. Scores are stored without overwriting earlier ones. When the tool reports the activity as Completed or the grade as Fully graded, ulams completes the topic for the learner. Learners can also use Mark as complete in the reference front.

A course export stores the tool’s ID and the topic settings, not the tool registration. On another installation the tool has to be registered there, and the topic may need to be pointed at it again. See Import and export.