Sakai

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 Sakai environment as single-sign-on tools.

The resulting experience for instructors and students is simple:

1. Sign in to your Sakai 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 Sakai instance by an administrator.

1. Click “Administration Workspace”.
2. Click “External Tools”.
3. Click “Tools Available in System”.
4. Click “Add External Tool to System”.
5. Enter a Tool Title (for example: “VoiceThread”).
6. Enter a Button Text (for example: “VoiceThread”).
7. Enter the Launch URL (provided by VoiceThread).
8. Enter the Launch Key (provided by VoiceThread).
9. Enter the Launch Secret (provided by VoiceThread).
10. Check appropriate privacy settings for your institution.
11. Click “Save”.

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 Sakai 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.

Instructors don’t see the Assignment Builder when setting up their VoiceThread assignment

In Sakai 2.9, grading is not enabled by default.  You’ll need to set “basiclti.outcomes.enabled” to “true”.  This should be the default setting in Sakai 10.0+.

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 Blackboard 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.