1. VitalSource Customer Success
  2. Institutional Admins/Librarians
  3. Integrate with VitalSource
  4. Blackboard

Blackboard LTI 1.3 Tool Setup and Link Placement

Avatar
Kristin E
Follow

Blackboard LTI 1.3 Tool Setup and Link Placement

System Requirements

LTI 1.3 and LTI Advantage integrations are available on SAAS Learn deployments and Learn 9.1 Q4 2019 Self and Managed hosted versions and above.

LMS Admin/Course Set Up

  1. Navigate to System Admin → Integrations → LTI Tool Providers, and click Register LTI 1.3 Tool.
  2. Enter the Client ID provided by you VitalSource Integration Manager and click Submit.
  3. Verify and set the following information:
    • Tool Status
      • Client ID: Should be the same as the one your VitalSource Integration Manager sent you
      • Name: VitalSource LTI 1.3 Production
      • Description: VitalSource LTI 1.3 Production
      • Deployment ID: Copy this value and send to your VitalSource Integration Manager
      • Initiate Login URL: https://bc.vitalsource.com/lti1-3/blackboard/login_initiations
      • Tool Redirect URLs: https://bc.vitalsource.com/oauth2callback
    • Domains
      • bc.vitalsource.com
    • Tool Status: Approved
    • Tool Provider Custom Parameters
      • blackboard_username=@X@user.id@X@
      • blackboard_course_id=@X@course.pk_string@X@
      • blackboard_user_external_uid=@X@user.batch_uid@X@
      • blackboard_course_external_uid=@X@course.batch_uid@X@
      • blackboard_user_id=@X@user.pk_string@X@
lti_1.3_setup_blackboard_tool_status.png
  • Institution Policies 
    • User Fields to Send
      • Role in Course
      • Name
      • E-mail address
    • Allow grade service access: Yes
    • Allow Membership Service Access: Yes
  1. Click Submit.

Managing Link Placements

After you have set VitalSource up as an LTI 1.3 Tool, you can place LTI links into courses. Depending on the VitalSource tool you are using, there are different options for doing this.

Manage Placements 

This is the best option if you are using VitalSource Launch or if you will be placing the same link in every course. This will make an LTI link to VitalSource available in Course Tools.

  1. Go to the System Admin panel.
  2. Click on LTI Tool Providers and find the Tool/Provider for VitalSource (bc.vitalsource.com).
  3. Click the arrow next to the provider domain and click Manage Placements.
  4. Click Create Placement and enter the following:
  • Label: Enter what you would like to have appear in the course, for example, VitalSource Course Materials
  • Handle: vitalsource
  • Availability: Yes
  • Type: 
    • Course tool, student -Select this option if you would like to add the link to the course menu (classic) or would like the tool to be available to students in the books & tools menu (ultra)
    • Course content tool - Select this option if you would like teaching staff to add the link to their course through the Content section (classic) or Content Market (Ultra)
  • Tool Provider URL: Depending on the VitalSource tool you are using, enter one of the URLs below:
    • Multi-Course content access & opt-out tool: https://bc.vitalsource.com/materials
    • Single-Course content access & opt-out tool: https://bc.vitalsource.com/books
    • Instructor Dashboard (Note: this tool is available in the instructor view of both of the above tools. We recommend also setting VitalSource up as a REST API Integration when using this tool): https://bc.vitalsource.com/engagement_dashboard
  • Tool Provider Custom Parameters
    • blackboard_username=@X@user.id@X@
    • blackboard_course_id=@X@course.pk_string@X@
    • blackboard_user_external_uid=@X@user.batch_uid@X@
    • blackboard_course_external_uid=@X@course.batch_uid@X@
    • blackboard_user_id=@X@user.pk_string@X@

  1. Click Submit.

Adding Tool Link to the Course Menu (Classic View)

Default Course Menu

This will allow you to add a Link Placement to the default Course Menu. This is your best option if you would like to have the VitalSource Tool link available in all courses by default.

  1. In the System Admin panel, click on Course Settings

  2. Select Course Menu and Structures

  3. Click the + on the default Course menu

  4. Select Tool Link and enter the following:

    • Name: Enter what you would like to appear in the Course Menu

    • Type: Select the link placement you created for VitalSource

    • Available to Users: Tick the box

  5. Click Submit

Course Level Menu

Add a Link Placement to the menu for a specific course.

  1. From within a course, click the + on the top left-hand corner of the Course Menu

  2. Click Tool Link and enter the following:

    • Name: Enter what you'd like to appear in the Course Menu

    • Type: Select the link placement for the VitalSource tool you’d like to use

    • Available to Users: Tick the box

  3. Click Submit

 Adding Links to a Content Area (Classic View)

Create a Link from a Link Placement

This will allow you to add a Link Placement to a content area in a course. Courses typically have a content area labelled Content available in the Course Menu by default.

  1. From within a course, click Content in the Course Menu

  2. Click on the Build Content dropdown menu and locate the VitalSource tool you’d like to use.

  3. Enter the following to create your link:

    • Link Name: Enter what you’d like the link to be called. For example: VitalSource Course Materials

    • Available: Yes

  4. Click Submit

Creating a Web Link

This will allow you to add a link to a course. This is the best option if the links you need to use will vary by course. An example of when to use this is when you are linking to a specific ebook. These links can be added to Content areas, Learning Modules, Module Pages and Content Folders.

  1. When in a course, click Content in the Course Menu. Once in the Content area, you may also click into a Learning Module, Module Page or Content Folder.

  2. Click Build Content and select Web Link from the dropdown menu.

  3. Enter the following info to create your link:

    • Name: Enter what you’d like the link to be called. Example: VitalSource Course Materials

    • URL: https://bc.vitalsource.com/books/:SKU (You will need to enter the SKU for the specific VitalSource book you are using. Example: https://bc.vitalsource.com/books/9780000000000R180

    • This link is a Tool Provider: Tick the box

    • Open in New Window: Yes

    • Permit Users to View this Content: Yes

  4. Click Submit

Creating Links (Ultra View)

Creating a Link from a Link Placement

This will allow you to add a Link Placement to an Ultra course.

  1. When in an Ultra course, click the + sign in the area of the course where you would like your link to be and select Content Market.
  2. Locate the VitalSource tool you’d like to add and click the plus sign in the bottom right-hand corner of the tool panel.
  3. This will add a link to your course. Click the three dots icon next to the link to edit the link title if you would like.
  4. The link will be hidden from students by default. Click the eye icon to make the link available to students.

Creating an LTI Link

This will allow you to create an LTI link in an Ultra course that is not based on a Link Placement. This is the best option if you are linking directly to a specific VitalSource product.

  1. When in an Ultra course, click the plus sign in the area of the course where you would like your link to be and select Create.

  2. Click the Teaching Tools with LTI Connection.

  3. Enter the following link details:

    • Edit the link title at the top to the link title you would like to display

    • Configuration URL: https://bc.vitalsource.com/:SKU (You will need to enter the SKU for the specific VitalSource book you are using. Example: https://bc.vitalsource.com/books/9780000000000R180

    • Select Add Custom Parameters and enter the following (one per line):

      • blackboard_username=@X@user.id@X@

      • blackboard_course_id=@X@course.pk_string@X@

      • blackboard_user_external_uid=@X@user.batch_uid@X@

      • blackboard_course_external_uid=@X@course.batch_uid@X@

      • blackboard_user_id=@X@user.pk_string@X@

    • Open in new window: Tick this box

  4. Click Save

Note: If you are interested in deeplinking into an Explore collection via your LMS, please complete the steps outlined above and then visit our Deeplinking into an Explore Collection page for more instructions.

VitalSource Content Deeplinking UI

The next step is to set up deeplinking, a powerful feature of our existing LTI tooling that significantly improves course integration. Note that deeplinking doesn’t require a new installation. VitalSource’s deeplinking tool functions in two major capacities:

  • Allows for the creation of LTI links directly to specific locations within eBooks delivered in Bookshelf®
  • Allows for the creation of LTI links directly to specific locations within courseware delivered via our Partner Integration (SSO) with many of our publishing partners

If your school or institution plans to use the VitalSource Content Deeplink UI, follow the instructions below to create a Deep Linking Content Tool Placement.

Using the VitalSource Content Deeplinking Interface

 If your school is configured to use the VitalSource Content Deeplinking Interface, you can add deep links to specific locations of the content back into your Blackboard course.

  1. Go to the System Admin panel.

  2. Click on LTI Tool Providers and find the Tool/Provider for VitalSource (bc.vitalsource.com).

  3. Click the arrow next to the provider domain and click Manage Placements.

  4. Click Create Placement and enter the following:

    • Label: Enter what you would like to have appear in the course, for example, VitalSource Content Deeplinks

    • Handle: vitalsource_deeplinks

    • Availability: Yes

    • Type: 

      •  Deep Linking content tool

        • Do not select “Allow student access”

    • Tool Provider URL:

      • https://bc.vitalsource.com/adopt

    • Tool Provider Custom Parameters

      • blackboard_username=@X@user.id@X@

      • blackboard_course_id=@X@course.pk_string@X@

      • blackboard_user_external_uid=@X@user.batch_uid@X@

      • blackboard_course_external_uid=@X@course.batch_uid@X@

      • blackboard_user_id=@X@user.pk_string@X@

  5. Click Submit.

Creating an LTI link in Courses Using the VitalSource Deeplinking UI

Classic Course View

  1. From within a course with the classic view, click Content in the Course Menu.
  2. Click on the Build Content dropdown menu and select the VitalSource Content Deeplinking tool.
  3. Select your current adoption or search for content by title, author or SKU (if available).
    Note: Inclusive Access courses will not have search capability.
  4. Click the Link to Specific Page button for the content for which you want to create links.
  5. Select all the locations you desire and click Add Materials.
  6. Click Review and Submit.
  7. Click Add to Course.
  8. The links should be created back in your Blackboard course.

Ultra Course View

  1. From within an Ultra course, click the + in the area of the course where you would like your link(s) to be and select Content Market.
  2. Click the VitalSource Content Deeplinking tool.
  3. Search for content by title, author or SKU.
  4. Click the Table of Contents button for the content which you want to create links for.
  5. Select all the locations you desire and click Add Materials.
  6. Click Review and Submit.
  7. Click Add to Course.
  8. The links should be created back in your Blackboard course.

Now that you have the main tool and deeplinking installed, you’re all set! Before sending the credentials to the Integration Manager, please confirm that both endpoints are installed. Securely share the details once everything has been verified.

Was this article helpful?