Faculty who use Top Hat in Canvas should be aware of an important change to the integration. Top Hat is now accessed through the VitalSource Partner Integration rather than the previous Top Hat integration.
Faculty using Top Hat should use the new VitalSource integration when preparing their courses for Fall 2026.
This change went into effect on September 3, 2026.
Access Top Hat Through VitalSource
The new integration provides access to Top Hat through VitalSource Course Materials in Canvas.
VitalSource’s Top Hat Partner Integration supports:
- Single sign-on between Canvas and Top Hat
- Direct links to specific Top Hat assignments and course content
- Exchange of assignment and grade information between Top Hat and Canvas
Copying a Canvas Course from a Previous Term
If you are copying a Canvas course from a previous term, begin by reviewing your course for links created using the previous Top Hat integration.
⚠️ Faculty should manually delete old links before setting up the new integration.
Check your:
- Modules
- Assignments
- Pages
- Course navigation
- Other areas where Top Hat content may have been linked
Do not assume links from a previous term will continue to work with the new integration.
Creating a New Top Hat Course
If you are creating a new Top Hat course, you can begin through the VitalSource Course Dashboard:
- Make sure VitalSource Course Materials is enabled in your Canvas course navigation.
- Open VitalSource Course Materials.
- Locate your Top Hat course materials.
- Select Launch Courseware.
- Sign in to your Top Hat account if prompted.
- Follow the Top Hat prompts to create and set up your course.
You can also create a course directly within Top Hat. Top Hat provides additional instructions for creating courses on its support website.
Add Top Hat Content to Canvas Modules
The VitalSource integration allows you to create direct links from Canvas to specific locations and assignments within Top Hat.
From a Canvas Module:
- Select the + button to add an item.
- Select External Tool.
- Locate the VitalSource external tool. The exact name of the tool may vary.
- Open the VitalSource publisher tool.
- Follow the prompts to select the Top Hat content you want to add.
- Add the selected content to your Canvas Module.
These deep links allow students to access specific Top Hat activities directly from within Canvas.
Test Your Course Before Students Begin
Because the Top Hat integration has changed, we recommend testing your course before students begin accessing course materials.
Check that:
- VitalSource Course Materials is enabled and accessible.
- Top Hat launches successfully from Canvas.
- Links to Top Hat content open as expected.
- Graded activities and grade synchronization function as expected.
If you copied a Canvas course from a previous term, pay particular attention to any existing Top Hat content or links and make sure they work with your newly prepared Top Hat course.
For additional instructions, review VitalSource’s Top Hat Partner Integration guide.
Need Help?
If you need assistance with the VitalSource integration or reviewing your Canvas course, please contact the Center for Academic Innovation.
For assistance copying a previous Top Hat course, creating a Top Hat course, or troubleshooting the Top Hat courseware itself, please contact Top Hat Support.
For issues specifically related to the VitalSource tools or integration, faculty may also contact VitalSource Support.