Desire2Learn

What is LTI?

LTI is an abbreviation for Learning Tools Interoperability, which is a standard protocol developed by 1EdTech. It allows services like VoiceThread to integrate with your Desire2Learn environment as single-sign-on tools.

The resulting experience for instructors and students is simple:

1. Sign in to your D2L account.
2. Navigate to your course.
3. Click on the VoiceThread LTI link.
4. Use VoiceThread.

Clicking on a VoiceThread LTI link will authenticate the user, establish an account for him if he didn’t have one already, and enroll him in his course within VoiceThread. No additional work is required from the instructor or student.

• Instructor Documentation
• Student Documentation

LTI Tool Configuration

Before instructors can use VoiceThread, it must be configured globally for your D2L instance by an administrator. VoiceThread uses LTI 1.3 with Deep Linking. The steps to follow for your D2L administrator are below.

Note: If you don’t see the “LTI Advantage” tab described below, make sure you have enabled LTI Advantage first.

Registering a new tool:

1. Log in to your administrator role.
2. Go to the admin menu, and select “Manage Extensibility”.
3. Click on the LTI Advantage tab, and then click “Register Tool.”
4. Fill out the form with this information:

• Name: VoiceThread
• Description: [optional]
• Domain: voicethread.com
• Redirect URLs: https://voicethread.com/lti/
• OpenID Connect Login URL: https://voicethread.com/auth/oidc/
• Keyset URL: Provided by VoiceThread
• Extensions: select all three boxes
• Click Save.

5. Copy all of the information that pops up here and send that to your VoiceThread integration contact.

Deploying the new tool:

6. Click on the VoiceThread tool you just registered, and then click “View Deployments” at the bottom.
7. Click on “New Deployment”.
8. Fill in the form with this information:

• Make sure the box for “Enabled” is checked at the top.
• Tool: Select “VoiceThread”
• Name: VoiceThread
• Description: [optional]
• Extensions: check all 3 boxes
• Security settings: Check all boxes except for “Anonymous”.
• Click “Add Org Units,” search for your institution’s name, and select “All descendants of type: Course Offering.”
• Click “Create Deployment.

Creating the VoiceThread link to use in courses:

9. Click on the deployment you use created, and click “View Links” at the bottom of the page.
10. Click on “New Link”.
11. Fill out the form with this information:

• Name: VoiceThread
• URL: https://voicethread.com/lti/
• Description: [optional]
• Type: Deep Linking Quicklink

12. Save

Once we have the information from step 5 above, we will complete the integration and let you know when it is ready to use.

Troubleshooting Tips

Error message: “The authentication failed; the signature on your request did not match the expected value” or “Unsupported Signature Method”

Check to make sure the Shared Secret is entered correctly.

If the Shared Secret is accurate, please make sure the clock on your D2L server is accurate.

Error message: “Could not find Org for this launch.”

Verify that the Consumer Key is entered correctly.

Error message: “Oh, buttons! We are unable to find [path]”

Make sure the URL is entered correctly.

Instructors can’t see student submission for grading

The student likely did not click the “Submit Assignment” button after completing his work.  The student can simply go back into the assignment and click “Submit Assignment” at a later time.  He will not need to re-do his work.

Multiple VoiceThread assignments are being recorded in the same gradebook column

Desire2Learn currently only supports one LTI-integrated assignment at a time in a single course.  Representatives from D2L are looking into this so that it can be corrected.

You’re not automatically signed in to VoiceThread when you click on a VT link

Make sure your web browser accepts third-party cookies.

When you click on a VT link, you see a page titled “VoiceThread Account Verification”.

This means you already had a VoiceThread account under your email address, and the system is now trying to connect that existing account with your D2L profile.  You’ll only need to complete this step once.  To proceed through this page:

• Click on the link that says “Set it here” to set a verification password for your account.
• Proceed through the steps to set a password.  This will involve receiving an email from VoiceThread.
• Use that password you just set on the verification page.