ibl.ai is an AI-driven educational platform that can be installed in Blackboard Learn using the LTI 1.3 Advantage standard. Once set up, students and instructors launch ibl.ai activities directly from their Blackboard course (with single sign-on and secure context sharing).
When a user clicks a ibl.ai link in Blackboard, the system initiates an OIDC login redirect to ibl.ai. After authenticating, Blackboard generates an LTI launch request by posting a signed JWT (id_token) back to ibl.ai. This JWT contains the user’s identity, role (student or instructor), course and resource IDs, and other launch context.
ibl.ai verifies the token (using Blackboard’s public JWKS) and then displays the requested content (for example, an AI tutor chat or assignment) to the user. Under the covers, Blackboard and ibl.ai exchange only the agreed fields via OAuth2 and JWTs, so no extra credentials are needed by students. In practice, this means a student clicks “Launch ibl.ai” and is immediately in the AI assistant interface (no separate login), while the instructor sees the activity appear as a normal course item.
Behind the scenes, ibl.ai can also sync class data and grades. Using the LTI Names and Roles provisioning service, ibl.ai can request the current roster and roles for the course – so it knows all enrolled students and who is the instructor.
Likewise, ibl.ai can use the LTI Assignment and Grade services (Score Service) to create or use a gradebook column and post student scores. Blackboard then records these scores in the Grade Center column tied to the ibl.ai placement. By default those grades are auto-posted to students, though ibl.ai can set the gradesReleased flag to delay visibility if desired. All of these exchanges use LTI’s OAuth2-based APIs, ensuring secure, standards-compliant data flow.
Instructors can embed ibl.ai throughout their course via LTI Deep Linking. From the Blackboard content editor, an instructor can “Add External Tool” or use the ibl.ai content picker (if configured). This launches a deep-linking session: ibl.ai presents a selection UI where the instructor chooses one or more AI-driven modules or resources.
ibl.ai then returns corresponding links or iframe embeds back to Blackboard, which appear in the course outline or page. For example, an instructor might select a “Study Tips Chatbot” or an AI-generated quiz from the ibl.ai interface; Blackboard then places that item into the module just like any other content.
Students can later click those embedded ibl.ai items and engage with them without ever copying URLs or entering extra passwords. In effect, ibl.ai activities live inside Blackboard course content.
Key integration highlights:
LTI 1.3/OIDC Launch & JWT Security: ibl.ai is registered as an LTI 1.3 tool provider. Blackboard initiates an OpenID Connect login, then sends a signed JWT (id_token) containing the launch details (user, course, link) to ibl.ai. No user credentials are exposed; the token is validated by ibl.ai using Blackboard’s public keys. This provides secure single sign-on.
Deep Linking Content Embedding: With Blackboard’s Deep Linking support, instructors browse ibl.ai’s library within a dialog and add selected AI activities to their course.This means ibl.ai content can be embedded in modules, assignments, or discussions as just another course resource (users never leave Blackboard to access it).
Roster Sync (Names & Roles): ibl.ai uses the LTI Names and Role Provisioning API to retrieve the current course roster (all enrolled students, instructors, and their roles). This ensures ibl.ai knows who’s in the class (for grouping, reports, etc.) without requiring manual roster uploads.
Grade Passback (LTI Score Services): If a ibl.ai activity is graded, the tool employs LTI’s Assignment & Grade services to return scores. ibl.ai obtains an OAuth2 token (from Blackboard’s token endpoint) and POSTs each student’s score. Blackboard then auto-accepts these into the Grade Center column for that ibl.ai placement. (By default grades are immediately visible to students, but ibl.ai can control release with the gradesReleased attribute.)
Flexible Tool Placement: Administrators can expose ibl.ai in different ways – for instance as a Course Content tool or a Deep Linking content tool. Instructors see ibl.ai listed in the “Build Content” or “Tools” menu. No secret URLs or keys are needed by instructors; they simply click “ibl.ai” by name to launch it.
Seamless User Experience: Because ibl.ai uses LTI, users enjoy a cohesive experience. Students click a ibl.ai link and immediately interact with the AI tutor (no additional login). Instructors add ibl.ai items just like any other course resource. All data (submissions, scores, etc.) flow through Blackboard’s normal channels, so ibl.ai feels like a native LMS feature.
Detailed Integration Workflow
1. Register ibl.ai as an LTI 1.3 Tool
A Blackboard administrator goes to *Administrator *▶ LTI Tool Providers and chooses “Register LTI 1.3/Advantage Tool.” They enter ibl.ai’s registration info (issuer, OIDC Login URI, Redirect URIs, public JWKS URL, etc.) as provided by ibl.ai’s documentation.
This establishes the security “contract.” Blackboard then provides an Issuer URL and Client ID (application ID) back to ibl.ai, along with an OAuth2 token endpoint to use for LTI services.
2. Configure Placements
After registration, the admin creates tool placements. For example, they may add a Deep Linking Content Tool placement (allowing instructors to browse ibl.ai content) or a Course Content Tool placement (appearing in the Build Content menu). In each placement, the admin can enable grading.
When grading is enabled, Blackboard knows to accept ibl.ai’s scores into the Grade Center. These placements make ibl.ai appear in the course tool lists and menus for instructors.
3. Instructor Embeds ibl.ai Content
In a course, the instructor adds ibl.ai just like any LTI tool. For deep linking, they might click “Add Content ▶ External Learning Tools” and choose ibl.ai, which opens ibl.ai’s UI. Here the instructor selects AI-driven modules or assignments to include. ibl.ai returns one or more content item descriptors to Blackboard (via an LTI Deep Linking response). Blackboard places these links/embeds into the course page or module.
For a course content tool placement, the instructor could also click “Build Content ▶ ibl.ai” directly, which launches ibl.ai for content selection. In all cases, ibl.ai content ends up inserted into the Blackboard course.
4. User Launch & LTI Handshake
When a student or instructor clicks a ibl.ai item in Blackboard, the LTI launch begins. Blackboard first redirects the browser to ibl.ai’s OIDC endpoint (including a login_hint, target_link_uri, etc.). ibl.ai validates the request (often via a 3rd-party login flow) and then posts back to Blackboard’s authentication URL with response_type=id_token.
Blackboard receives this and then constructs the LTI launch request: it creates a signed JWT (id_token) containing claims such as iss (issuer), aud (client ID), sub (user ID), roles, context, and the target_link_uri. Blackboard auto-submits this JWT to ibl.ai’s launch URL via an HTML form POST. ibl.ai verifies the JWT signature (using the kid in the header and Blackboard’s JWKS) and ensures the state matches to prevent CSRF.
Once verified, ibl.ai reads the payload: it knows exactly which user launched, in which course, and which ibl.ai resource or activity to show.
5. ibl.ai Session
ibl.ai loads the requested AI activity or chat. It uses the user’s role from the launch to customize the interface (for example, an instructor might see editing options while a student sees an interactive assignment). The user interacts with the AI tutor or completes the task.
Throughout this session, ibl.ai can call the Blackboard services it needs via OAuth2. For example, ibl.ai can fetch the course roster by calling the Names & Roles API (using the access token obtained from Blackboard). This might be used for class-wide reports or group assignments.
6. Grade/Score Return
If the ibl.ai activity is graded, ibl.ai uses the LTI Gradebook services. It takes the line item (either declared via deep linking or created via the LineItems service) and posts a score to the corresponding Result endpoint for each student. To do this, ibl.ai first requests an OAuth2 access token from Blackboard (using the OAuth2 Token URL from step 1). With the token, it calls the LTI Score Service endpoint and sends the score JSON (including userId and scoreGiven).
Blackboard verifies the token and saves the score into the gradebook column associated with that ibl.ai placement. By default, Blackboard automatically displays the returned score to the student. ibl.ai can include the gradesReleased=false flag to hold scores for instructor review if desired.
This ensures all grading flows back into Blackboard without manual export or upload.
7. User Experience & Completion
Finally, students see their ibl.ai assignment or activity in Blackboard just like any other. The grade (and any feedback) appears in the Grade Center. Instructors can view reports in ibl.ai’s interface and know that those records align with Blackboard’s roster.
Because the entire exchange uses LTI 1.3/OIDC and OAuth2, all transfers are secure and standards-based. In effect, ibl.ai becomes a native part of the course content: no extra logins or separate accounts are needed, and data like grades and enrollments stay synchronized.
Students click launch, get the AI-powered tutoring or assessment, and move on – everything feels integrated in the Blackboard environment
Conclusion
This end-to-end workflow shows how ibl.ai’s Blackboard integration delivers a seamless experience: instructors simply place ibl.ai links in their courses, and students access advanced AI learning tools without leaving Blackboard. At the same time, institutional data flows (user identity, enrollments, scores) are managed automatically via LTI 1.3 Advantage, giving both convenience and security.
Learn more at ibl.ai