About the LTI Component

Tags: educator concept

The Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) component, also called the LTI Consumer XBlock, allows educators to add external LTI tools to course content in an Open edX course.

This page explains the decisions educators and site operators need to make when setting up an LTI tool in their Open edX instance.

Note

The Open edX platform can also be configured as an LTI tool provider, so that another learning management system launches content from the Open edX platform. That is a separate feature. For more information, see using the Open edX platform as an LTI tool provider.

The LTI Consumer XBlock supports LTI 1.1/1.2 tools and tools that comply with the LTI 1.3 specification. LTI 1.3 tools can also use LTI Advantage services: Deep Linking, Assignment and Grade Services, and Names and Role Provisioning Services.

As of the Ulmo release, the Open edX platform has achieved LTI Advantage Complete certification.

Overview

Use the LTI component when a course needs to launch an external learning tool from an Open edX course unit. The tool may provide a learning activity, an assessment, host interactive content or enable video conferencing.

Depending on the tool and configuration, an LTI integration can simply launch external content, or it can support workflows such as grade return, content selection through deep linking, or sharing course role and enrollment information with the tool.

For example, the following LTI component integrates a Cerego tool that learners interact with into the LMS for a course.

Note

Be sure to review all supplemental materials to ensure that they are accessible before making them available through your course. For more information, see Accessibility Best Practices Checklist.

Available Methods for LTI Configuration

The Open edX platform offers two methods for configuring an LTI tool. Both methods support LTI 1.1/1.2, LTI 1.3, and LTI Advantage services. In both methods, educators add an LTI Consumer XBlock to a course unit in Studio. The difference is where the tool configuration is stored and who manages it.

1. Configure the LTI Consumer XBlock directly in Studio.

   Educators enter the tool configuration on the LTI Consumer XBlock itself. For LTI 1.1/1.2, they will need to create an LTI passport on the Advanced Settings page and reference that in the XBlock.

   For instructions, see Set up an LTI 1.1/1.2 component and Set up an LTI 1.3 component.

   To reuse the same configuration within a course, educators can duplicate or copy and paste the configured XBlock. However, changes made to the original XBlock are not reflected in the copies.

2. Use an LTI Store configuration managed in Django Admin.

   A site operator installs and enables the LTI Store plugin, then creates the tool configuration in Django Admin. Educators add an LTI Consumer XBlock in Studio and reference the stored configuration by using its Filter key.

   For instructions, site operators can see Set Up a Reusable LTI Store. Educators can see Set Up an LTI Component Using a Reusable Configuration.

   The Filter key allows reuse of the same tool configuration in multiple locations in a course or across multiple courses. Changes made to the LTI Store configuration are reflected in all LTI Consumer XBlocks that reference it.

Choose an LTI Version

LTI 1.3 is the current LTI integration standard and is required for LTI Advantage services like Deep Linking, Assignment and Grade Services (AGS), and Names and Role Provisioning Services (NRPS). Use LTI 1.3 when the external tool supports it.

The LTI 1.1/1.2 specifications are older versions of the standard. Use LTI 1.1/1.2 when a tool requires that version.

LTI Advantage Features

LTI Advantage is a set of services for LTI 1.3 tools. The Open edX platform supports the following LTI Advantage services:

• Assignment and Grade Services (AGS), which allows a tool to send and manage learner grades in the Open edX platform.

• Deep Linking, which allows course teams to select tool content from Studio for each component instead of changing the Launch URL.

• Names and Role Provisioning Services (NRPS), which allows a tool to retrieve course membership and role information from the Open edX instance.

For more information, see LTI Advantage Services.

Privacy and Learner Data

Some LTI tools require personally identifiable information (PII) to function properly. Educators can configure each LTI Consumer XBlock to share one or more attributes of the user launching the LTI tool:

• Email

• Username

• Full name

Site operators need to enable PII sharing for the course before a component can share any personally identifiable information with an LTI tool. For more information, see Allow Sharing PII to LTI Components.

See also

Set Up an LTI 1.1 Component (how-to)

Set Up an LTI 1.3 Component (how-to)

LTI Advantage Services (reference)

Your instance as an LTI Tool Provider (concept)

Maintenance chart

Review Date	Working Group Reviewer	Release	Test situation
2026-06-25	Aamir Ayub	Verawood	Pass
2025-03-19	Documentation WG	Sumac	Pass

---

Feedback