External Tools
An external tool in Canvas (often also called an App or LTI) is a third-party application or website integrated directly into the Learning Management System (LMS) to extend its functionality. They enable seamless access to external resources like textbook publisher content, Zoom, or specialized educational tools (e.g., Perusall, Yuja) without leaving Canvas.
The benefits of using an external tool integrated into the Canvas site may include (depending on features available from the vendor):
- Keeping students in the LMS
- Ease of access - login/single sign on
- Grade passback
- Integration with bookstore inclusive access tool, Vital Source, including subscription management (consult bookstore for more details)
Tools Installed - Davidson Davie Canvas Site
There are many kinds of Apps, LTIs, and External Tools that we use in Canvas and the location of where these items can be accessed will vary. To see details about the placement/location for each see the chart below. For help with textbook publisher tools, we encourage you to reach out directly to your customer support rep at that company to learn how their tool works with Canvas. For most other tools, you can submit an email to edtech@davidsondavie.edu for support.
| Tool Name | Function | Tool Placements | Primary Contact | Important Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Access Pearson | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Link Selection Course Navigation Editor Button Assignment Selection | Pearson Support | Pearson/Canvas Integration Guides |
| ALEKS (McGraw Hill) | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Course Navigation | McGraw Hill ALEKS Support | |
| Alta (Knewton) | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Unknown | Knewton Support | |
| Cengage | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Cengage Support | Adding Graded Cengage items into Canvas | |
| ChemType | Accessible Chemistry Notation | edtech@davidsondavie.edu | Available by request | |
| Comptia | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Coming soon! | ||
| Intelliboard Pro | Data and Analytics Tool | Global Navigation | edtech@davidsondavie.edu | Coming soon! Will be ready around May 4th. |
| Lucid Chart | Digital Whiteboarding | Course Navigation | ||
| Lumen One | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Link Selection | Lumen Support support@lumenlearning.com support.lumenlearning.com | Lumen Guides |
| NROC (EdReady) | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | NROC Support | Coming in May! | |
| MathType | Accessible Mathematics Notation | Text Editor | edtech@davidsondavie.edu | |
| McGraw Hill (Connect) | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Module Menu Course Navigation | McGraw Hill Support | |
| Perusall | Course text Collaboration and Annotation | Assignment Selection Course Navigation Link Selection | Perusall Support | |
| ReadSpeaker | Speech to Text | edtech@davidsondavie.edu | ||
| Sage Vantage | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Link Selection Editor Button Assignment Selection | Vantage Training & Vantage LMS Support email lmssupport@sagepub.com | Recommended method: click the + button to add to a module. |
| Science Interactive - Lab Portal | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Link Selection Assignment Selection | Science Interactive Support or email your SI Representative | Linking SI in Canvas Directions |
| SmartEvals | Coming soon! | |||
| Tutor.com | Online Tutoring | Course Navigation | Davidson-Davie Learning Commons | Available for curriculum courses only |
| uCertify | Certification Test Preparation | uCertify Support | ||
| Vital Source | eCampus Bookstore Inclusive Access subcription management | iasupport@ecampus.com and bookstore@davidsondavie.edu | Coming soon! Required in courses using eCampus Inclusive Access | |
| Wiley | Textbook/Courseware Publisher | Assignment Selection Course Navigation Editor Button | Wiley Support | |
| Yuja Lumina | Video Management | Course Navigation Module Text Editor Assignment Selection | edtech@davidsondavie.edu | Use as your primary video tool; do not upload large media files directly to Canvas. |
| Yuja Panorama | Accessibility Tools | edtech@davidsondavie.edu | Coming soon (June)! | |
| Zoom | Video Conferencing |
If there is a tool that you need but do not see on our list, please send an email to edtech@davidsondavie.edu. We will work with you and the vendor/company to review your integration needs.
Understanding Tool Placements
Review the tool placement details below to understand how to find and use the tools you need. I have included the most common placements you will use below. You may also reference this guide, Canvas screenshots of each tool placement location.
Course Navigation
If you do not see your tool in your course menu, click Settings in your course navigation menu and then click Navigation near the top of the page. Drag the tool from the disabled section at the bottom into the top to enable it or use the ... menu beside the tool to enable it and make the tool visible for all course users.
Link Selection (Module page + External Tool)
On the Modules page, click the + button on the top right of any Module.
Then select External Tool from the dropdown menu.
Text Editor
In the text editor box, the apps icon looks like a power plug. Click the Apps icon and then View All There are also some custom icons like those for Lucid, Yuja and MathType that allow you to add content from an external tool directly into the textbox. If you do not see the icon you need, you can also see all available Tools for the text editor by clicking Tools, Apps, and then View All.
Module Menu
On the Modules page, click the three dot menu at the top of any module. Tools in this menu will be at the bottom of the drop down list.
