A guide to the ways your tool link can be added to a course

Once your LTI 1.3 tool has been registered and deployed in your Brightspace instance, the final step is placing a link to it inside a course so instructors and students can access it. There are two recommended ways to do this in Brightspace. This guide walks through each one, along with the trade-offs, so you can choose what fits your course structure best.

Overview

The LTI 1.3 tool can be added in two locations within Brightspace after it has been configured by your administrator:

• Navbar Link - a persistent button in the course's top navigation
• Content Module - a linked item inside a course module, alongside readings and assignments

You can use one method or both, depending on how visible you want the tool to be.

Option 1: Navbar Link

Recommended default. Adds the tool as a button in the course's top navigation bar, visible from every page in the course.

This option uses a Basic Launch link - a link that always opens to the same fixed destination. If your administrator has set up more than one link for this tool, make sure the one you select here is the Basic Launch link, not the Deep Linking link (that one is used for Option 2 instead).

Steps

1. Open the course, click the “…” option on the Navbar, and select Edit This NavBar.
2. Click Add Links, then Create Custom Link.
3. Enter a Name for the link.
4. Under the URL field, click Insert Quicklink, then select External Learning Tools, and click the Basic Launch link for your tool.
5. Click Create, Add, then Save and Close.

If your tool isn't listed

• Check that the deployment has a Basic Launch link configured:
  • Click the gear icon at the top right of the page, then navigate to External Learning Tools
  • Select the ProctorU LTI 1.3 Deployment, scroll to the bottom and click View Links
  • Add a Basic Launch link if one does not exist
  • If your tool still doesn't appear, reach out to your support contact - the tool may not yet be enabled for this course.

Pros

• Always visible - no need to search through course content
• Ideal for tools used repeatedly across the term
• Can be applied once at the institution level so it appears in every course automatically

Considerations

• Navbar space is limited, so this works best for a small number of frequently used tools
• Applying at the institution level affects all courses sharing that Navbar

Option 2: Content Module Item

Adds the tool as an item inside a course module, the same way readings, videos, and quizzes are added. There are two ways to do this, depending on whether your administrator set up a Deep Linking link, a Basic Launch link, or both for this tool.

Method A: Using a Deep Linking link (lets you select a specific exam)

Use this method if you want the link to point directly to one specific exam, rather than the tool's default landing page.

1. From the course Navbar, click Content.
2. Select or create the module where the link should appear.
3. Click Existing Activities (this may be labeled Add Existing, depending on your Brightspace view), then select your Deep Linking link from the dropdown list. This will open up the LTI 1.3 tool within the Activity window.
4. Within the LTI 1.3 tool, navigate to the Proctored Exams tab
5. Click the gear icon to the right of the exam you wish to Deep Link and select Insert Link from the dropdown list
6. You should now see your Deep Link added to your module.

Renaming the link

Links added this way are automatically named by the tool. You can rename the link to whatever you'd like:

• In the Content module, hover over the link and click its dropdown menu.
• Select Edit Properties (or Edit Properties in-Place).
• Change the Title field and save.

Method B: Using a Basic Launch link (simpler, general entry point)

Use this method if you just want a link into the tool's default landing page, rather than one specific exam.

1. From the course Navbar, click Content.
2. Select or create the module where the link should appear.
3. Click Existing Activities (or Add Existing), then select External Learning Tools.
4. Select the Basic Launch link for your tool. It will be added to the module immediately, using the name your administrator gave it when the link was created.
5. If you'd like to rename it, follow the same steps as above (Edit Properties).

Pros

• Fits naturally into a sequenced course
• Familiar to instructors who already add readings and assignments this way
• The Deep Linking method lets you point directly to one specific exam, rather than the tool's default landing page

Considerations

• Less visible than a Navbar link — students need to navigate to the right module
• If content gets reorganized, the link can be moved or accidentally removed

Quick Comparison

Our Recommendation

For a tool students need reliable, repeated access to throughout the term, we recommend the Navbar Link as your primary method. If you'd prefer the tool tied to a specific point in your course rather than always visible, a Content Module item is a great alternative.

A quick note on link types: your administrator may set up two versions of the tool's link - a Basic Launch link and a Deep Linking link. Use the Basic Launch link for Option 1 (Navbar). For Option 2 (Content Module), you can use either: the Deep Linking link if you want to point to one specific exam, or the Basic Launch link for a simpler, general entry point into the tool.

If you have questions about setting this up, or the tool link doesn't appear where expected after following these steps, please reach out to your support contact for assistance.