Making an LTI tool available system-wide

Once you have tested the LTI tool in a single site and are satisfied that it is working correctly, you may decide to make the tool available to the entire system. Having the tool available system-wide means that instructors can simply select the tool to enable it in their sites without going through the process of configuring it in each site individually. To do this, you will need to log in to the system with an administrator account.

In the Administration Workspace, select External Tools.

In the Administration Workspace, select External Tools.

Click Tools Available in System.

Click Tools Available in System.

Click Add LTI 1.1 Tool

Click Add LTI 1.1 Tool

Enter the LTI configuration information.

Enter the LTI configuration information.

The VeriCite LTI tool is shown above as an example. These configuration settings are similar to the information provided when adding the LTI tool to an individual site. However, as an admin user, you have a few more options for how you want to deploy the tool within the system.

Note: In order to make the tool available in all sites, be sure to leave the Site ID field blank.

  1. Tool Title: This is what the tool will be called in the system. It is a required item.
  2. Button Text: If users elect to make the LTI tool available in the course Tool Menu, this is the text that will appear there to identify the tool. It is a required item.
  3. Description: While the description field is available when adding LTI tools individually, it is especially important here because the description text helps users understand what the LTI tool is when they see the list of available tools which can be added to their sites. It is recommended that you provide some brief descriptive text here to summarize the use of the tool.
  4. Tool Status: The tool needs to be Enabled in order to be used in the system.
  5. Tool Visibility: The tool should be Visible if you want instructors to be able to select it for addition to their courses sites on their own. (Otherwise, if you prefer for admin users to add it to selected sites only, you can make it Stealthed.)
  6. Launch URL: This URL is obtained from the LTI tool provider.
  7. Launch Key: The LTI tool provider will provide you with a launch key. (This key is unique to your account with the tool provider.)
  8. Launch Secret: The LTI tool provider must also provide you with a launch secret. (This shared secret is unique to your account with the tool provider.)
  9. Privacy Settings: Most LTI tools need to be able to access user names and email addresses in order to work properly.
  10. Services: Depending on the LTI tool, you may also need to enable services such as roster access or the ability to return grades. The LTI tool provider should specify which items are needed.

Click Save to save the tool configuration.

You will now see the LTI tool listed as one of the tools available in the system.

You will now see the LTI tool listed as one of the tools available in the system.

Now that the LTI tool has been added to the system, instructors will see it listed as a "Plugin Tool" when they go to Site Info > Edit Tools.

Now that the LTI tool has been added to the system, instructors will see it listed as a "Plugin Tool" when they go to Site Info > Edit Tools.

Plugin Tools are displayed at the bottom of the tool listing, beneath the general Sakai tools that are available for selection.

Additionally, instructors will see the tool in Lessons when they go to Add Content > Add External Tool.

Additionally, instructors will see the tool in Lessons when they go to Add Content > Add External Tool.