How to get class roster user's phone number

[Alpha202312]

Requirement:

We are currently looking to integrate a phone feature into our LTI Tool. However, we are unable to retrieve the phone numbers of class roster users from Canvas(NRPS don't support). These numbers should be existed in the user profiles

Background: 

At present, we can obtain class roster user's the names, emails, etc., through NRPS. Unfortunately, we are unable to access phone numbers from it. At IMS Global, we saw a demonstration showing that user_mobile can be passed through a custom field. This is what we are researching.

https://www.imsglobal.org/spec/lti-nrps/v2p0

(in Resource Link Membership Service)

My Questions:

1.Does the Canvas platform offer a similar custom attribute like demo in IMS Global that allows us to retrieve phone numbers? If not, could you please explain why this isn't possible?

2.If it's not currently available, is there any plan to support this feature in the future? Many third-party LTI tools are interested in accessing phone numbers for business purposes, which would be mutually beneficial.

3. Is there any alternative way to obtain phone numbers from the class roster? Based on our requirements, do you have any suggestions? 

Your response would be appreciated, thanks!

[chriscas]

Hi @Alpha202312,

While I don't have an exact answer to this question, I can give a bit of info.  Canvas definitely supports custom LTI fields, see: <!-- - Canvas LMS REST API Documentation for info on what is supported there.  Unfortunately, I don't see phone numbers in the list of things that can be passed as a custom variable.  Along those same lines, phone numbers aren't something that are even available for SIS sync to Canvas, so they are only manually entered by users and only for the purpose of multi-factor authentication with direct Canvas logins.  So overall, I think you'll find that it's pretty rare for a user's phone number to exist in Canvas at all.

As a Canvas admin, I would say that if you need this sort of info, it really should come from a connection to the SIS instead of an LMS.  I realize that probably adds a lot more complexity to code and installation of your app for schools/institutions, but there is a fine line of what would be stored in an SIS vs an LMS, and I tend not to like to have that line blurred too much.  There could definitely be arguments made in favor of syncing and storing phone numbers in Canvas, but I don't know how much community support such a request would garner.  I'm curious to see what others who may see this thread think about it.

-Chris