Learning Systems

The Canvas 3rd Party Tool Request Form, including both the requester and vendor sections, must be completed 6 weeks prior to the upcoming change window.

Once requested, tools undergo a thorough security, privacy, and Canvas compatibility review which, depending on vendor responses, can take a significant amount of time. While the Learning Systems team works with the vendors to implement requests as soon as we can, please be aware we cannot guarantee a timeline and course planning should take this into consideration.

To limit system disruption and to ensure the availability of resources for configuration and support, Canvas Third Party tool installations and upgrades are limited to the following windows:

• Pre-summer semester window: After final grades deadline for spring semester, prior to start of initial summer semester courses.
• Pre-fall semester window: Installations will be scheduled as resources allow throughout the summer semester period, also taking into account the anticipated impact to any ongoing courses.

In general, active semester dates constitute a freeze period. Pre-fall semester installs will be frozen starting at the conclusion of summer sessions.

Upcoming LTI maintenance window: December 19th, 2024 - January 10th, 2025. During this period, LTI changes including removals and installation location changes are scheduled to take place. 

Deadline for form completions for upcoming window: Monday, November 4th.

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Pre-summer semester window: May 14th - 16th, 2025 

Deadline for form completions for pre-summer window: Wednesday, April 2nd.

Pre-fall semester window: TBD - August 8, 2025

Deadline for form completions for pre-fall window: Monday, May 19th.

This form will require signature from the requesting party with an acceptance of responsibilities. Each tool that should be upgraded or newly installed will require the submission of the Canvas 3rd Party Tool Request Form.

Please be prepared to provide the following information:

1. IT Governance tracking number (if review has not yet been completed, please enter "N/A")
   
2. Overview of tool support resources and tool support routing information
3. Known and/or estimated level of tool usage
4. Vendor contact information for requested tool
5. Contact information for internal VCU group(s) testing Canvas tool functionality

After this form has been completed, our team will assess its level of priority for installation using the information provided. 

Our primary criteria for evaluating priority level includes: functionality (including the LTI and tool itself), scope of use, and licensing agreement details (including cost and duration). Please include as much detail as possible so that we are able to accurately and efficiently prioritize tools that are of high importance to the VCU community.

At this time, completion of the IT Governance review is not required for intake as we are completing an initial screening of tools requiring installation or upgrade. Once tools have been prioritized for installation, our team will be in touch to communicate next steps.

 

The Vendor is expected to be able to provide a Canvas Integration Guide for LTI 1.3, as well as an HECVAT and VPAT, contract or agreement, data types stored, costs and funding methods, and a technical support contact who can assist with the integration if issues should arise.

The vendor contact should follow the instructions located within the DocuSign form on how and where to submit the documentation. 

If a recommendation is made to halt the installation at any stage, supplemental information will be provided to the IT Governance committee. Requesters will be provided with any supplemental information related to the denial of an installation request. If a tool completes all stages of the above process successfully, the requester will be notified and given a date for installation in VCU’s Canvas environment.