The Center for Academic Innovation (CAI) is leading a college-wide effort to improve how third-party learning tools are added, managed, and maintained in Canvas. These tools, often referred to as Learning Tool Interoperability (LTI) tools, connect Canvas with external products used for teaching, learning, assessment, and engagement.
Moving forward, all Canvas learning tools including new requests and tools already in use will follow a consistent vetting and lifecycle review process.
Why is this work happening now?
Over time, a large number of LTIs have been added to Canvas, many without a formal review process. This project establishes a clear, consistent approach to ensure these tools continue to meet college standards and support effective, accessible instruction.
This project is driven by several important factors:
- Accessibility compliance: New ADA Title II requirements mandate that all tools meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards by April 24, 2026. The college must have established a plan demonstrating progress toward meeting these standards after this date.
- Data privacy and security: LTIs often exchange student data with third-party vendors. We must ensure these tools safeguard student information and align with institutional cybersecurity requirements.
- System reliability and support: Tools that are outdated, redundant, or no longer supported by vendors can create support challenges.
- Sustainable instructional technology practices: A managed approach helps reduce redundancy, improve reliability, and ensure tools in Canvas are well supported.
This work helps protect students, supports our college, and ensures the long-term stability of our Canvas environment.
Requests for New Tools
When we receive new requests for external tools in Canvas we will conduct a formal review process.
- External tools are now added to Canvas through a supported request process. This includes tools previously available through the Apps page in course Settings.
- Faculty can submit a request that initiates a coordinated review involving accessibility, privacy, security, and technical compatibility.
- We will ask vendors and publishers to provide documentation such as accessibility reports and security and privacy disclosures demonstrating evidence that they meet standards.
- Tools that do not meet standards will not be recommended for use.
Our goal is to minimize disruption for faculty as much as possible while ensuring compliance with these standards.
Review of Existing Tools
The CAI will also be conducting an audit of existing tools in Canvas to ensure they meet college standards.
- We will conduct phased reviews for all external tools in Canvas to confirm they still meet current standards.
- Tools that are outdated, redundant, or non-compliant may be upgraded, replaced with supported alternatives, or retired with advance notice and support for faculty.
- This includes tools that may have been in use in Canvas for many years.
Faculty will receive advance notice before any non-compliant tools are retired.
This new process will ensure Canvas tools remain accessible, secure, and well-supported while continuing to meet instructional needs.
Evaluation & Decision Process
The college developed an evaluation rubric to standardize how technology is reviewed across accessibility, privacy, security, technical compatibility, as well as instructional considerations.
This rubric is intended to provide transparency about the evaluation and scoring process by clearly outlining the criteria used to evaluate technology and how those evaluations inform decisions about whether a technology solution can be supported.
Appeals
In some cases, a requested tool may be evaluated as “Not Recommended” based on accessibility, privacy, security, technical, or support considerations. In this situation faculty can submit an appeal to ensure your instructional need is fully considered or to provide new information for a final, equitable review.
Next Steps
This academic year the CAI will be addressing older LTI 1.1 tools in our Canvas system.
As we update these tools we will also conduct formal reviews to ensure they meet college standards. Any programs or faculty impacted by changes to these tools will receive advanced notice.
Due to the number of tools in our Canvas system this will be a multi-year effort.
Questions?
We understand this project represents a significant change to past practices. For questions or to share input and feedback please contact the Center for Academic Innovation.