Canvas Third-Party Tools

Instructors frequently rely on add-on software tools outside of Canvas to support teaching and learning in their courses. Those tools are usually developed by third-party vendors using the Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) standard. They are considered “external” applications because they are are not part of the software included in our agreement with the LMS vendor, and are not owned by Yavapai College. In many cases it is possible to integrate these tools into Canvas to give students and instructors a more seamless experience by sharing data including credentials, content links, rosters, and grades. Examples are MyMathLab, etc.

The Review Process

In order to protect our students, our faculty, and our institution, to ensure the integrity of the learning management system and compliance with federal regulations, Yavapai College performs a standard review of all third-party tools prior to integration. The approval process includes a review of technical compatibility, accessibility, security, and a check for financial risks to students if they must enter payment information. The time to complete an integration depends on the technical complexity of the task and vendor compliance.  The ideal lead time preferred is one semester. All integrations are subject to review by the college.

Note: we understand there are websites that are geared toward teaching and learning, so just because it requires a username/password, it doesn’t mean it’s not accepted.  We just want to know the software our students are using in case there are security concerns. 

To conduct the review, we ask that you provide details about the tool, including tool name, vendor, website, cost and funding model, usage information, and what the tool does, how it works and what the impact of the tool is on student engagement.