Canvas + Microsoft Upcoming LTI Integrations

[rlufkin]

[2021-06-09 Update] The training materials should now be live here! We've also added an FAQ that we will continue to update and more info can be found on the Microsoft partner page! 

In October 2020, Instructure and Microsoft jointly announced a deepening of our partnership, building on the integration of Microsoft Immeresive Reader, we would be making Teams Meeting available as a default conferencing tool within Canvas LMS. At its core, this provides the ability for educators to easily create a Teams Meeting, for free, within Canvas LMS. In addition, new LTI integrations with Microsoft Teams, Teams Meeting LTI, and OneDrive LTI will offer deeper solutions for synchronous collaboration.

Below we’ve outlined the first round of exciting features this partnership will deliver, timelines for their roll-out, and a roadmap for preparing in advance.  

What You Can Do Today

Thanks to the Instructure and Microsoft partnership, there are already a number of things you can do with Microsoft solutions in Canvas. Microsoft Immersive Reader, for instance, is available on all published Pages within Canvas LMS. For more information on using IR in Canvas, a user guide and admin guide are available.  

What’s Coming Soon

We are running closed beta programs with all of the following LTI integrations and will be releasing them collectively in GA on August 1st 2021. 

OneDrive LTI app

The OneDrive LTI app will help educators and students have a more modern OneDrive experience, including:

• Integrates with Canvas assignment, collaboration, and grading workflows
• Modern OneDrive file picker UX
• Updated document viewers and editors (WXP now, expand type support over time)
• Multiple OneDrive account support (personal, organizational)
• OneNote Class Notebooks and Flipgrid with LTI support available

Teams Meetings LTI app

The improved Teams Meetings LTI app will help educators and students more easily integrate class meetings into their course work. Improvements include:

• Schedule individual or recurring meetings within the course in Canvas and set meeting options (based on tenant policies)
• View past & upcoming meetings within the Canvas course calendar
• Join or edit the details of a Teams meeting from the Canvas course (deep link into Teams)
• Access previous meeting artifacts within the Canvas course, including chat, recordings, transcripts, and attendance reports

Class Teams LTI app

With the new Class Teams LTI app, educators and students will be able to more easily navigate seamlessly between Teams and their course in Canvas. Initial capabilities will include:

• Allow an educator to create a Class Team with the proper user roles within a Canvas course based on the enrollment roster of the course in Canvas
• Respect Teams admin & Canvas privacy policies during Class Team creation
• After creating the Class Team, educators and students can access the Team from within the Canvas course or Teams
• Support across desktop, mobile and web platforms

Preparing for Deeper Integration

The above LTI tools will be generally available on August 1, 2021.

We know this may be a condensed timeframe for some institutions preparing for back to school. To that end, we’ve outlined a roadmap to help schools prepare for a smooth and expedited rollout:  

Step 1) Integration Set Up
May 1 - May 31
All schools will need a Microsoft EDU license to enable the Microsoft LTI integrations. The first step in the process is for administrators to sign up for a license and you’ll be contacted by a member of the Microsoft team to get the ball rolling!

• Ensure your institution is set up with Microsoft EDU license
• Walk-through tenant configuration
• Dedicated time for administrators to ask Microsoft any questions

Step 2) Educator Training 
June 1 - July 31 
Canvas and Microsoft are delivering onboarding services, at no additional cost, designed to help you prepare for the rollout and get your teachers up and running in consideration of our compressed timeline. Access the training resources.   

Step 3) Product GA & Installation
August 1
Admins install LTIs for institution

• OneDrive LTI (avail July 1)
• Class Teams LTI  (avail July 15)
• Teams Meetings LTI (avail Aug 1)

[MattHanes]

To clarify, would we be removing all of our separate OneDrive, FlipGrid, and ClassNotebook LTIs and then install the new OneDrive LTI which will incorporate all three options?

[Katrina-Hess]

Hi @MattHanes! Short answer is no. For their initial release, the OneDrive LTI will only replace the Office 365 functionality, so you will still need Class Notebook and Flipgrid installed to use that functionality. Microsoft is exploring adding OneNote pages and videos in future iterations of the OneDrive LTI.

[Maeve_McCooey]

Good to get an update, it looks like we could have an even busier than usual Summer.

Will there be an environment available with these tools enabled so we can try them out before initiating any of our own activity?

[ysmalls]

Hello,

Anyone have anymore information on Class Teams LTI?  This seemed like it would be a good solution for us but it's turning out to be a nightmare.  Students can chat with each other and we have no control.  So we setup a polity in MS and remove the chat feature BUT then they can access the meeting as a "Guest" and when they do the the "Policy" we applied does not APPLY.  So now I'm wondering what the Class Team LTI is and how it will work?

Thanks

[kirsten_ryall]

Hi there, is it possible to get a comparison of the current Teams integration verses what to expect when August rolls around? So current functionality verses expected functionality. 

[adam_marshall]

Is Azure Active Directory is consulted as part of the process in order to access information about the current user? We're using another Microsoft LTI integration which does this immediately after launch

[straussi]

@rlufkin Ryan, I know we have asked this before, but will we be able to use our 2-tenant configuration with the new LTI? We cannot use any of the current integration because our students have a different tenant from our faculty/staff.

[rlufkin]

@straussi Let me connect with the Microsoft team and get clarification. We're pulling together an FAQ we'll be adding above so these are all great questions!

[EspenSmith-USN]

Sounds great!

Regarding the Class Teams LTI app:
1. Will it be possible to create smaller Class Teams (i.e. for groups) in this new LTI, or must the Class Team include all students in a Canvas course?

2. If no. 1 is possible, will students be able to create their own smaller Class Teams withtin this new LTI, or will they be dependent on a teacher to do so?

[prettey]

Has Microsoft gone into partnership with Canvas?

[Stef_retired]

@prettey Microsoft is a long-standing Canvas partner and they are featured prominently on our Partner Page.

[prettey]

@Stef_retired Learn something new everyday!

[Katrina-Hess]

Will there be an environment available with these tools enabled so we can try them out before initiating any of our own activity?

Hi @Maeve_McCooey, Microsoft is working on this and will let us know asap. I'll post an update as soon as I get word from them.

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Anyone have anymore information on Class Teams LTI?  This seemed like it would be a good solution for us but it's turning out to be a nightmare.  Students can chat with each other and we have no control.  So we setup a polity in MS and remove the chat feature BUT then they can access the meeting as a "Guest" and when they do the the "Policy" we applied does not APPLY.  So now I'm wondering what the Class Team LTI is and how it will work?

Hi @ysmalls, if I'm understanding your question correctly you should be able to disable chat for Guests. Does this solve your concern? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/set-up-guests 

------------------------------------------------ 

Hi there, is it possible to get a comparison of the current Teams integration verses what to expect when August rolls around? So current functionality verses expected functionality.

Hi @kirsten_ryall, I'll be posting a product comparison matrix soon for all of our video conferencing and collaboration tools. Stay tuned! Could you let me know what info is missing for you in what Ryan posted above?

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Is Azure Active Directory is consulted as part of the process in order to access information about the current user? We're using another Microsoft LTI integration which does this immediately after launch

Hi @adam_marshall, is this in context of the connector or all theMicrosoft LTI tools in development? Also, what Microsoft LTI integration are you currently using?

[chun_li]

A quick question: What does GA stand for? 

[adam_marshall]

Is Azure Active Directory is consulted as part of the process in order to access information about the current user? We're using another Microsoft LTI integration which does this immediately after launch

Hi @adam_marshall, is this in context of the connector or all theMicrosoft LTI tools in development? Also, what Microsoft LTI integration are you currently using?

We've been using the 'Learn-LTI' tool: https://github.com/microsoft/Learn-LTI/blob/main/docs/CONFIGURATION_GUIDE.md 

Or rather we havent because it fails to work with the way we have our Azure Active Directory set up. The identifier that Canvas passes over isnt the identifier that's used as a key in AAD.

I can expand more if you like, just let me know. Offline if you feel it's more appropriate.

I'm worried that if the Teams integration is going to use the same approach then it wont be of any use here.

[ysmalls]

@Katrina-Hess,

No, chat is used with guest accounts and even if we removed chat there are other policy's that we applied to student accounts that do not apply to guest account.  There are just too many holes when we tested and not enough control for us as admins and teachers and because of that we have decided not to us the TEAMS LTI.  Thanks for the help though.

[MattHanes]

@chun_li The GA is for General Availability I believe.

[plomb]

Ryan

1. Will MS Team sites automatically be created, and maintained, via the Canvas integration? We currently do not allow our community to create MS Teams on their own. They have to request one. 

2. What happens after the semester ends to the created MS Team sites? 

Thanks
phil

[rake_9]

like @kirsten_ryall , I would like a more clear comparison between what is currently available and what is being planned.

My main concerns:

We currently have some sort of OneDrive LTI set up (I'm not the app admin so I don't have the details) and I expect we'll just replace that.  Would like to see what's different.

We don't have Flipgrid in any of our courses because it has to be enabled on a course-by-course basis; that is not sustainable for us.  Will this application become something that we can do a system-wide LTI for?  Instructors should only need to drag a tool up in the navigation and/or use an external tools assignment or link in a page.

We had a demo / conversation with Microsoft staff about the School Data Sync for Teams.  How does that compare to the Class Teams LTI? I think that is the closest match up of "old" for "new in the descriptions I'm seeing.

Our university Microsoft admin has concerns about retiring all the Teams (and behind the scenes email groups and other "stuff") if we enable a Canvas + Teams integration of some kind.  Do your plans address any of these issues?

[GideonWilliams]

Is it just me or is there no training material when you click on the Training resources link in Step 2?

Do I need to do something to get to Step 2 or am I just a little too early to the party?

[lsigsbury]

I have the same questions as several as those above and would like to see the responses.

[Katrina-Hess]

like @kirsten_ryall, I would like a more clear comparison between what is currently available and what is being planned. My main concerns:

We currently have some sort of OneDrive LTI set up (I'm not the app admin so I don't have the details) and I expect we'll just replace that. Would like to see what's different.

@rake_9 

Feature	Current O365 LTI	New OneDrive LTI
Course navigation placement	✓	✓
Access OneDrive files from the rich content editor	✓	✓
Create external tool assignments where a OneDrive file is used as a template for each student to edit their own copy	✓	✓
Embed OneDrive files as course content through the external tool option in modules	✓	✓
Create collaborations using Microsoft documents	✓	✓
Students can submit OneDrive files to assignments	✓	✓
Educators can grade OneDrive files in the SpeedGrader	✓	✓
Explore files that have been shared with me or exist in shared storage such as Teams		✓
Add multiple OneDrive accounts (business and personal)		✓
Embed or link documents from the OneDrive picker		✓

We don't have Flipgrid in any of our courses because it has to be enabled on a course-by-course basis; that is not sustainable for us. Will this application become something that we can do a system-wide LTI for? Instructors should only need to drag a tool up in the navigation and/or use an external tools assignment or link in a page.

You should be able to install Flipgrid account wide, there isn’t a limitation on the Canvas side. I am following up with Microsoft to get updates on:

• a global developer key (which would allow a school to decide if it will be available to all courses, specific sub-accounts or courses)
• setting the course navigation placement to hidden (which would allow a teacher to drag up the tool(s) they would want to use)

We had a demo / conversation with Microsoft staff about the School Data Sync for Teams. How does that compare to the Class Teams LTI? I think that is the closest match up of "old" for "new in the descriptions I'm seeing.

SDS was creating a Teams site for all courses automatically, whereas, the Class Teams LTI will be connected to a data & roster service that we built which allows teachers to create a Teams site for a specific course manually. 

Our university Microsoft admin has concerns about retiring all the Teams (and behind the scenes email groups and other "stuff") if we enable a Canvas + Teams integration of some kind. Do your plans address any of these issues?

We're following up with Microsoft on this question.

Is it just me or is there no training material when you click on the Training resources link in Step 2? Do I need to do something to get to Step 2 or am I just a little too early to the party?

Hi @GideonWilliams, Microsoft will start to populate the training resources starting June 1st. If your institution is interested in the integration, please sign up here. Even if your institution may already have a Microsoft Edu tenant, Microsoft will make sure the configurations are correct and can help set up any policies need.

[GideonWilliams]

@Katrina-Hess  Many thanks for taking the time to answer all the questions.

I am very excited by that comparisons table and the new features that will soon be in play. Can't wait......

Great stuff everyone.

[lbarratt1]

Would this fit the issue of embedded 365 documents not working in pages?

[GideonWilliams]

@lbarratt1 Been too scared to ask this question :O)

[christopher_gil]

@Katrina-Hess Hi, thanks for sharing the info today about MS and Canvas. I borrowed your OneDrive table (above) comparison and added Google. Is there a way you can have someone verify the info we added too our version of the Doc? 

Here is the Google Docs with the comparison: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M-Sr1STxpOh-OLOv8dz0oe2KIQdiDxTbqVqkAKxRHrA/edit

[GideonWilliams]

This work looks really impressive @christopher_gil - a great addition to the dedate..

[christopher_gil]

so, based on @Katrina-Hess above Table comparison of MS, Google and LTIs, I've asked friends to help update the one below. I still love the Classic Google Cloud Docs Assignment and have a hard time letting go when the newer LTI 1.3 version does not even integrate with Speedgrader *(yet)

And based on the new extended timeline for Canvas to "sunset" the classic Google Docs Cloud assignment, I thought we should have a side-by-side comparison. 

My hopes, (and probably most everyone) is that the new Google LTI 1.3 will have all the features including SpeedGrader, Outcomes and Rubrics. 

PS. let me know if you want to add or even bring greater clarity to the Google Doc that houses the table below. 

[andrew_dwyer]

Looking to find out more information on the Class Teams LTI app.

when will we have the ability to look at this in a test environment?

Our organization would be looking to utilise the Teams chat feature , so hoping this is possible with this LTI?

would love to see some more information/documentation - even if it is a few screenshots

[cameron_redsell]

Will this fix the new “feature” that removes those that joined through a link (ie all Canvas integration participants) from the chat/files/etc after the meeting? I really value the discussion students have between access, the access to class recordings, and the general community created in the class through Teams. 

More information/discussion: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/why-someone-cannot-see-chat-after-leaving-the...

[kbeimfohr]

When I click on the "access training resources" link above, it takes me to Microsoft's virtual training page and shows no resources for Canvas.  Are they just not available yet?

[rebecca_gentile]

Regarding the Teams Integration;

• We currently use SDS to generate Teams, will teachers have the ability to "match" their Canvas course to an existing Team?
• What Teams functionality will be available directly in Canvas, or will most of the work be completed in the Teams app (like how you use a OneNote Class Notebook)?
• Where will assignments be driven from - Canvas or Teams?  Where will the assignments be seen by the students, only the location where it was made?  
• We use Grade writeback to our SIS, so I want to make sure we define the best workflow for our teachers and don't lose that functionality - we waited years to get it from the SIS.

[DanielBetting]

Rebecca_Gentle's concern is where my concerns stem. MS has their SDS tool and we started out on that. We then switched over to Canvas but we incorporated the use of Teams for the conferencing portion. Simple. Straight forward. We taught everyone how to use Canvas because it has the tools we need to effectively manage the class where MS SDS is a work-in-progress. 

Now it appears the two are going to be tightly integrated and I am sure MS is going to use the LTI to push the use of their tools. There needs to be a clear implementation plan available showing how the MS tools are truly integrating with Canvas. What is the proper way to implement assignments, a series of online discussions, etc when this LTI is on?

I don't know about other schools but I foresee a lot of questions in the area of "What system should I be using to do xxx?" This LTI appears to open a garage door (not a small personnel door) of potential issues and confusion for our users that I'm hoping Instructure will be able to help head-off by coming up with a "best use" guide. MS SDS is a direct competitor to Canvas so there is a lot of potential for challenges and confusion for our instructors.

[kblanchc]

Hi @rlufkin 

The resources for the training are not yet live - can you please advise when these will be available?

Thanks so much

[Chris_Hofer]

Hello.  We currently have Microsoft Teams configured in our Canvas environment using the directions that Cody provided in this document:

Microsoft Teams Meetings in Canvas - Canvas Community

However, when I go to our account "Settings" page, click on the "Apps" tab, and then click on the "View App Configurations" button, there are certain apps we have installed that have a toggle switch so that we can feature up to two LTIs on the Rich Content Editor toolbar.  However, "Microsoft Teams Meetings" currently does not have that option.  It has "NA" by it, and the "Placements" says, "No Placements Enabled".

With the new Microsoft Teams LTI that will be available after August 1st, will we be able to choose to display the Microsoft Teams LTI icon on our RCE toolbar via a toggle switch?

Thanks!

[DanielleLentz]

Do we have any update on how OneNote will function with the new LTI? Will it still be the link to a new tab or will it be an embedded page within Canvas? Additionally, will there be easier functionality with the External Tool OneNote assignments? Right now it is a lot of steps for clients. Many thanks! 

[rlufkin]

@kblanchc I was just on a call with Microsoft and they'll be posting the link to the training resources in the next 24 hours. They ran into some issues so were a little delayed but should have it up shortly!

[spipitone]

Link to training is  not working. Is there another link?

[crafte]

Any new information concerning the training? There is still nothing available on the Microsoft site. 

[rlufkin]

@spipitone and @crafte The link should now be live! MSFT will also be adding additional information over the next 24 hours. I'm also about to add the link to the FAQ above! Thanks!

[GideonWilliams]

Lets hope there is more information to come because the YouTube video doesn't really explain all the items that have been mentioned in various comments in this post.

Rather underwhelmed after all this waiting and look forward to reading/watching something a little more substantial.

[spipitone]

Agreed!

[andrew_dwyer]

Gee I was hoping for a bit more detail than that !! Given the release dates, the lack of information coming out is a bit of a worry

[tim_odonovan]

Really looking forward to this integration.  A question we have is the dependence on a mailbox/calendar.  Our teachers and students are in the same tenant, and all have A3 licenses but our students use GSuite for mail, so do not have a calendar in M365, so I wonder if they will see the scheduled events, or if that could cause other issues?

Thanks!

[guilera]

Teams Meetings Question
Will the Teams Meetings event created in Canvas also be available in the Teams calendar for the user or any other calendars outside of the Canvas calendar?

[GideonWilliams]

Now approaching July, almost halfway through this period of Educator training and approaching the first of the updates with One Drive.

Still don't see anything other than the video via the Access Training link.

Can someone update us please on when this is going to be ready?

Thanks.

[paul_turner]

Totally agree with the lack of information.  We are a small college with limited resources and implementing the integrations may be a non-starter - A shame really when people are asking why Canvas when you can have Office 365/Teams etc by itself. In danger of becoming an expensive addon.

[spipitone]

I agree. The lack of information is ridiculous! I think the idea should be scraped.

[DanielBetting]

I did post back on 5/25/2021 shortly after this new LTI was announced. I indicated that this is just as much a Canvas issue/responsibility as it is Microsoft. With Canvas taking on the new LTI's without a communication plan, we are being left in a pickle. Now we are into the summer and have no answers. Teachers aren't going to be paying attention to the coursework until mid-August and will find a whole new communications program? When did any of us have an opportunity to get them on board with the changes?

This is not just a failure on Microsoft. I feel this is just as much a failure on Canvas's. This whole concept is going to cause a ton of communication issues. We have absolutely no way to build our own communication plan because we have not been told how all of this is going to work yet.

I have been very gung-ho Canvas for 3 years (using free edition) before we bought into the academic licensing, I'm just very disappointed in this change because it sounds like it is going to happen no matter what. IT (or larger schools with a Canvas crew) is going to be left holding the bag and looking bad because we won't know how to help our faculty.

[kirsten_ryall]

Hi @Katrina-Hess, sorry about really delayed responses. I'm still trying to work out what I don't know, which is quite a bit. Here is a sample of something that confused me. It is on a MS resource page. I'm still trying to work out what the difference is between Microsoft Teams and Teams Meetings. At what stage would we recommend that our educators use one over the other? Where are the educator resources on that? Even a comparison table.