Integrations

Integrations

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Integrations

LMS Integrations

LAMS works well as a stand-alone e-learning system. It can also be integrated with other educational software such as a Learning Management System (LMS) / Virtual Learning Environment (VLE).

A LAMS integration is module built for a specific LMS/ VLE that it handles the communication between the two systems. This module acts as a bridge between them making them behave as one unified system.

The LAMS integrations take care of the single-sign-on (SSO) or, in other words, that once a user is logged-in with the LMS/VLE she won't need to login in LAMS again to access any LAMS resources. Additionally the LAMS integrations are designed to simplify the work for the system administrator: courses and users are created automatically in LAMS based on information from the LMS/VLE. To do this, LAMS relies on the LMS/VLE to provide student details to it in the background so that students do not have to log in separately to LAMS. Similar integration is also provided for teachers so they do not need to log in separately to LAMS, and also to make it easier for teachers to author LAMS sequences and add them into their LMS/VLE course page directly.

LAMS integration requires two steps: (1) initial development of integration software to link the two systems, and (2) configuration of this integration software with your local LAMS and LMS/VLE system.

If you want to know what you are doing and how the integration works, read all the sections in this guide.

We strongly recommend that you read the installation guide each LMS:

How does LAMS work with these LMSs?

The integration has been designed in a way that you only need to maintain your existing LMS. Once you integrate LAMS with your favorite LMS, LAMS will become a pseudo slave of your LMS and little to no maintanance is required on the LAMS side.

General overview

The LAMS-LMS integration is quite straight forward. In all cases we have developed a small connecting module in the LMS that acts as a bridge between the LMS and LAMS. This LMS LAMS Module will have to be installed in the LMS if you want to integrate it with LAMS.

This LMS integration modules are maily responsible for the following:

Work as liason between the LMS and LAMS
Call the LAMS webservices to get information about sequences and classes
Provide interface for LAMS Monitor and Authoring
Provide the authentication for LAMS (using a hash generated on-the-fly)
Provide an interface for LAMS to get basic information about users (username, first name and last name)
Behaves in the LMS just like any other LMS' tool (deploys, admin, display, etc -according to the functions available in each LMS)

click to enlarge

For further technical details, see the LAMS & 3rd Parties

Getting LAMS and the LMS to communicate

As you can see in the graph above, there's communication bothways between LAMS and the LMS. So both have to be configured to "connect" to each other.

On the LMS Side, the LMS LAMS Module needs the following:

A server_id
A server_key (which you need to ensure you keep private and secure)
The URL where the LAMS server is install
A name by which your users know the add activity screen in Moodle (e.g. "Add Activity" or "Moodle").

That's it!

On the LAMS side you need to:

Login in LAMS as system administrator (the user you use when installed LAMS) and setup the details on the Maintain Integrated Servers screen.

General and System Requirements

Software:

LAMS v2.x
Any of the LMS versions mentioned above (see system requirements according to the LMS you use)
The LMS LAMS Module (see Installation below). For LAMS v 2.x you must use the "lamstwo" module.

LMS LAMS Module Installation

There is a LAMS Module for each of the LMS. Click on your LMS and follow the installation instructions on each:

Future LAMS Integrations

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If you would like to see LAMS integrated with other Systems or are planning to integrate LAMS with a system, let us know in the LAMS Community -we'll be happy to help