Adding LTI Content
Nimbu supports connections to external learning tools using LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability), the industry standard for embedding third-party content directly within an LMS. Once an LTI tool is connected, students can access external content without leaving Nimbu, no separate logins, no switching platforms.
The most common LTI integration for Nimbu RTOs is Evokio, which allows content editors to embed interactive activities, quizzes, and assessments built in Evokio directly into Nimbu units, with scores automatically returned to the Nimbu gradebook.
What's Covered in This Article
This article explains how to connect and use external tools in Nimbu via LTI.
- What LTI Is: The standard that enables external tools to work inside Nimbu.
- Connecting External Tools: How to add a tool automatically or manually in Settings.
- Adding LTI Content to a Unit: How to create and embed an LTI content item.
- Pass Threshold and Attempts: How scoring and completion tracking work for LTI content.
Who can do this: Administrators with Settings permission can add and activate LTI integrations. Content Editors with Program permission can add LTI content items to units.
What Is LTI?
LTI (Learning Tools Interoperability) is an open standard developed by IMS Global that allows external tools to integrate securely with an LMS. When a tool is LTI-connected, Nimbu can:
- Launch the external content embedded within the Nimbu interface.
- Authenticate the student automatically using their existing Nimbu credentials — no separate account or login is required.
- Receive scores and completion data back from the tool via LTI grade passback.
Nimbu uses LTI 1.3, the most current version of the standard. LTI 1.3 uses OAuth 2.0 and JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for secure, industry-standard authentication between systems.
Note: Not all LTI tools support automatic grade passback.
How to Navigate to LTI Settings
There are two access points depending on your user role:
- Trainers/ Content Editors: Click Settings in the left-hand navigation, then select LTI Integrations.
- Administrators: Click Settings in the left-hand navigation, then select Integration.
Both views display the same Integrated Tool list and allow you to add new tools.
Connecting an External LTI Tool
Nimbu offers two methods for adding an LTI tool.
Option A: Add a Tool Automatically
This is the fastest setup method and is supported by tools such as Evokio.
- In the Tool URL* field, paste the LTI Advantage URL provided by your tool provider.
- Click "Add tool automatically".
- Nimbu contacts the tool using the URL and retrieves all required configuration details automatically. No manual data entry is needed.
- The tool card will appear in the Integrated Tool section with a Pending status and an Activate button.
- Click Activate to enable the connection. The status updates to Active.
Important: Your LTI Advantage URL is unique to your workspace.
Option B: Configure a Tool Manually
For tools that do not support automatic registration, use the manual configuration form. Click "configure a tool manually." to open the form, then complete the fields as required.
Tool Settings
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Tool name* | The display name for the tool as it will appear in Nimbu. |
| Tool URL* | The launch endpoint for the external content. |
| Tool description | An optional description for internal reference. |
| LTI version | Displays LTI 1.3 — this is a fixed, read-only value. |
| Client ID | A unique identifier generated by Nimbu. Share this with your tool provider to complete the connection on their side. |
| Public key type | Select how the tool's public key is provided: Keyset URL (Nimbu retrieves the key automatically from a URL) or RSA Key (paste the public key directly). |
| Public keyset | The keyset URL or RSA key value, depending on your selection above. |
| Initiate login URL | The endpoint used to begin the secure authentication handshake. Provided by your tool provider. |
| Redirection URI(s) | The authorised callback URLs provided by your tool provider. |
| Custom parameters | Optional additional parameters required by the tool. |
| Tool configuration usage | Controls how the tool appears when adding content. Default: "Show as preconfigured tool when adding an external tool." |
| Default launch container | Controls how the content is displayed. Default: "Embed, without blocks." |
| Supports Deep Linking (Content-Item Message) | Tick this checkbox if your tool supports deep linking to specific content items. |
| Content Selection URL | The URL used to launch the tool's content picker (required for deep linking). |
| Icon URL / Secure icon URL | Optional URLs for the tool's icon as displayed in Nimbu. |
Services
| Field | Default |
|---|---|
| IMS LTI Assignment and Grade Services | Use this service for grade sync only |
| IMS LTI Names and Role Provisioning | Use this service to retrieve members' information as per privacy settings |
| Tool Settings | Use this service |
Privacy
| Field | Default |
|---|---|
| Share launcher's name with tool | Always |
Once all required fields are complete, click Save. The tool will appear in the Integrated Tool list. If the tool status is Pending, click Activate to enable it.
Managing Integrated Tools
Each tool card in the Integrated Tool section displays its current status and usage count (e.g., "This tool is being used 2 times" or "This tool has not yet been used"). The following statuses are possible:
- Active: The tool is connected and available for use in content.
- Pending: The tool has been added but requires activation. Click the Activate button on the card to enable it.
- Inactive: The tool has been deactivated and is not currently available for new content.
Each tool card includes icons for managing the tool: a list icon to view details, a gear icon to edit settings, and a trash or power icon depending on the tool's current state.
Adding LTI Content to a Unit
Once a tool is connected and active, Content Editors can create LTI content items and add them to units.
Step 1: Create the Content Item
LTI content is managed under Learning Resources/ Materials in the left-hand navigation. Connected LTI tools appear as their own named tab (for example, Evokio - H5P) alongside PDF, Video, SCORM, and other content types.
- Navigate to Content > Learning Resources/Materials.
- Select the tab for your connected LTI tool (e.g., Evokio - H5P).
- Click Add to create a new content item. The content editor opens, titled Learning Resource & Material/[Tool Name].
- Complete the required fields:
- Preconfigured tool*: Select the connected tool from the dropdown.
- Title*: Enter a name for the content item in the Content title field.
- Select Content*: Click the Select Content button. This launches the tool's content picker embedded within Nimbu. Select or create the content you want to embed, then confirm your selection. The content URL will appear next to the button once selected.
- Optionally, set Visibility: click Trainer Only to restrict the content to trainers during setup.
- Click Save as Draft to save without publishing, or Publish to make the content available for use in units.
Step 2: Add the Content Item to a Unit
Once published, the content item can be added to a unit through the standard Add Content workflow in the unit editor. See Adding Content to a Unit for full instructions.
Pass Threshold and Completion Tracking
Grade Return
How scores are returned to Nimbu depends on the content type:
| Content Type | Nimbu Gradebook | What Is Tracked |
|---|---|---|
| Evokio Assessment | Yes | Correct/incorrect answers, scores, full attempt history |
| Evokio Resource | Yes | Completion only (whether the student submitted) |
Student Experience
- Students access LTI content embedded within Nimbu using their existing credentials, no separate login is required.
- Progress is saved: students can leave and return to interactive content, picking up where they left off.
- A "Required" badge is displayed on LTI content set as completion-required within the unit. Students must complete these items to satisfy unit progression requirements.
Attempt History
For Evokio Assessments, Nimbu records each attempt and displays attempt counts in the student progress view. Trainers can review individual attempt history from the gradebook.
For detailed learner reports include per-attempt, answer-level breakdowns - these are available directly within the Evokio platform (requires the Evokio Learner Reports add-on) and can be exported as CSV for compliance records.
Related Articles
- What are Learning Resources?
- LTI Integration (Settings)