How mentorAI Integrates with Brightspace

Brightspace by D2L provides a modern LMS platform with rich extensibility, enabling tools like mentorAI to plug in seamlessly. mentorAI (an AI-powered tutor and content assistant) leverages LTI 1.3 Advantage – the latest IMS standard – to connect with Brightspace. Using this open standard, Brightspace and mentorAI perform a secure single sign‑on via OIDC (OpenID Connect) and exchange signed JWT launch data. This means a student or instructor can click a mentorAI link inside their Brightspace course and be automatically authenticated and contextually launched into the AI tutor. The Brightspace admin simply registers mentorAI as a new LTI 1.3 tool (providing mentorAI’s domain, redirect URI, and keyset URL) so that Brightspace can act as an OIDC provider and JWT issuer. In practice, this setup makes mentorAI appear as a native part of the course, protecting existing investments in the LMS while augmenting Brightspace with AI capabilities.

• Secure OIDC login and JWT launch: Brightspace initiates an OpenID Connect (OIDC) flow to authenticate the user, then sends a signed JWT containing the launch parameters (user ID, course context, roles, etc.) to mentorAI. mentorAI verifies the signature against Brightspace’s public key (via the registered keyset) to ensure data integrity.

• OAuth2 for services: Beyond the launch, mentorAI uses OAuth2 client‑credentials tokens to call Brightspace’s REST or LTI service APIs (e.g. for roster or grade services) without requiring user re-login.

• Single Sign-On (SSO): Because mentorAI supports standard SSO protocols (OAuth2/SAML) and LTI, students use their existing Brightspace credentials. No separate account or password is needed – the LMS handles the security context.

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Roster Sync: Names and Roles Provisioning

mentorAI supports the LTI Names and Roles Provisioning Service (NRPS) to pull the course roster and role information from Brightspace. When enabled, Brightspace passes mentorAI a list of all enrolled students, instructors, and TAs in that course section. This allows mentorAI to pre‑provision student accounts, tailor responses by role (e.g. student vs. instructor views), and even display an instructor dashboard of student activity and engagement. To enable roster sync, the Brightspace administrator simply checks the Names and Roles Provisioning option when registering and deploying the LTI tool.

• Automated roster imports: mentorAI can call Brightspace’s NRPS endpoint (as part of the LTI Advantage spec) to fetch up‑to‑date class lists. No manual CSV uploads or duplicate accounts are needed.

• Role-based insights: With student IDs and roles in hand, mentorAI can show instructors who have used the AI tools and who may need extra help, and ensure that only students (not observers) receive graded feedback.

• Secure and scoped: Brightspace only shares names/roles for that specific course context and only if the admin enabled the service. The data flows over the secure OAuth2 channel established during launch.

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Deep Linking: Embedding mentorAI Activities

Brightspace’s LTI deep linking (content-item) support lets instructors embed mentorAI activities directly into Content modules or assignments. In practice, an instructor adds a new link or content item, selects mentorAI as the external tool, and Brightspace launches mentorAI in *deep-link* mode. The mentorAI interface then guides the instructor to select or create an AI-assisted resource (for example, a chatbot configured with course materials, or a generative quiz based on the syllabus). Once the instructor confirms, mentorAI returns an LTI Deep Linking response containing the chosen content link. Brightspace receives this response and automatically creates the corresponding item in the course (e.g. as a link, assignment, or page). The result is a smooth “pick-and-push” workflow: the instructor picks an AI activity and it is pushed back into Brightspace content in one step.

• Two-phase workflow: Brightspace initiates a Deep Linking Request to mentorAI; after the instructor selects content, mentorAI sends a Deep Linking Response back to Brightspace. This handshake embeds the content link seamlessly.

• Quicklinks and Insert Stuff: Brightspace administrators can expose mentorAI in Quicklink menus or the rich-content editor (“Insert Stuff”) by configuring the tool’s Deep Linking settings. Instructors then find mentorAI in the content picker and click to launch the deep-link UI.

• LTI Content Items with Grades: mentorAI can return different item types. For example, it can provide a regular URL or HTML fragment, or it can return an LTI resource link that Brightspace treats as an assignment. Importantly, an LTI link can include a *LineItem* (grade column) so that students’ results are immediately connected to the gradebook.

• Easy setup: The deep linking extension is enabled by checking a box in Brightspace’s LTI tool registration (External Learning Tools > LTI Advantage > Deep Linking). Once enabled, any deep-link flows are handled automatically without extra admin steps.

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Grade Integration: LTI Score Services & Brightspace APIs

mentorAI can send scores and feedback back to Brightspace using standard LTI or API methods. With LTI Assignment and Grades Services (AGS), mentorAI can create grade items and post scores via secured REST calls. For example, after a student completes an AI-generated quiz, mentorAI uses the LTI Score Service to submit the student’s score as JSON. This payload includes the user ID, score (points earned and maximum), a timestamp, and optionally comments. Brightspace receives the score via OAuth2, validates it, and records it as a new grade entry. In effect, mentorAI “grades” itself and Brightspace’s Gradebook is updated immediately. This LTI service is write-only (tools push scores) and ensures the data flows directly into the student’s record.

• LTI AGS (Score Service): mentorAI can call Brightspace’s /{LineItem}/scores endpoint with a JSON score payload. The service is authenticated with OAuth2, and Brightspace only accepts increases in timestamp order.

• LineItem management: If needed, mentorAI can also use the LineItem Service to create or manage grade columns (LineItems) it owns. Brightspace exposes the LineItems container URL in the launch data, so mentorAI can POST to that URL to create a new grade book item.

• Brightspace REST APIs: Alternatively (or additionally), mentorAI can call Brightspace’s native Valence APIs for finer-grained control. For example, mentorAI could use the Grades API to update a user’s score in an existing grade item:

PUT /d2l/api/le/(version)/(orgUnitId)/grades/(gradeObjectId)/values/(userId) This requires the grades:gradevalues:write scope and a valid OAuth2 token. This route effectively writes the student’s grade value in Brightspace directly.

• Gradebook sync: Whichever method is used, Brightspace integrates the score into its Gradebook. By default LTI-submitted grades count towards final grade (unless the instructor unchecks them). Students see AI feedback and any scores alongside other course grades, and instructors can override or report as usual.

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Brightspace Extensibility & Seamless In‑LMS Access

Brightspace is designed to make LTI tools feel native to the LMS. Administrators add mentorAI via the Manage Extensibility interface under LTI Advantage. They can configure whether mentorAI launches inline (in an iframe) or in a new window, and even place it on navigation menus or the org-level app dashboard. Because Brightspace fully supports OAuth2 and OpenID Connect, mentorAI handles all authentication through the LMS – users never see a separate login screen. In short, mentorAI is treated as just another Brightspace content tool, with all the LMS’s permissions and UI conventions applied.

• OpenID/OAuth2 SSO: Brightspace acts as the identity provider. When a user launches mentorAI, the LMS passes a secure bearer token or ID token so that mentorAI trusts the user’s identity without extra login prompts.

• Role-based access: Brightspace roles (Instructor, Student, TA, etc.) automatically carry over into the LTI launch. MentorAI can tailor its interface (student view vs. instructor view) or restrict features based on these roles.

• Admin controls: School IT can use Brightspace’s roles/permissions to control who can configure or launch external tools. The LTI tool registration and content links respect all of Brightspace’s normal course enrollment and release-condition rules.

• Extensive API ecosystem: Beyond LTI, Brightspace offers a rich REST API (Valence) for things like content retrieval, discussion posts, and more. mentorAI’s backend could use these APIs to fetch course readings or to post back AI-generated content under authenticated service accounts, enabling deeper integration if desired.

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Benefits for Instructors and Students

By integrating mentorAI via Brightspace’s extensibility, both instructors and students gain powerful new capabilities without leaving the LMS. Instructors can add AI tutors or content generation tools to their courses simply by adding an external tool link – no separate account setup or roster upload is needed. mentorAI automatically knows which students are in the class (via NRPS) and embeds itself into the familiar gradebook if it assigns points. This saves instructors time on routine tasks like question answering, feedback generation, or quiz creation. Students benefit by having a 24/7 AI “study buddy” inside their course: they can ask questions or try exercises with mentorAI and see instant, context‑aware help. All mentorAI interactions happen in the context of the Brightspace course they’re already using. Any grades or feedback from mentorAI appear directly in the Brightspace Grades tool (or are accessible to the instructor), so students have a single place to see all their performance. Importantly, none of this requires new usernames or learning yet another interface – it’s all secured by the same Brightspace login.

• One-click access: Students and instructors click a mentorAI link in Brightspace just like any other content. This leverages SSO for instant login.

• Contextual AI support: The AI uses the current course context (and can even be seeded with the course content) so it provides relevant answers. It can also “know” which section or module the student is in.

• Automated grading and feedback: AI-generated quizzes or assignments can be graded by mentorAI itself and submitted back to Brightspace, reducing grading load. Results show up in the student’s gradebook alongside other activities.

• Secure and compliant: All data exchange (user identities, rosters, grades) goes over encrypted connections under Brightspace’s control. MentorAI inherits the university’s security policies by using Brightspace’s OAuth/LTI framework.

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Conclusion

In summary, the mentorAI–Brightspace integration uses open standards to become a native AI extension of the LMS. By adopting LTI 1.3 Advantage, mentorAI leverages Brightspace’s OIDC/OAuth2 infrastructure to launch securely within courses. Names and Roles Provisioning keeps student rosters in sync, and Deep Linking lets instructors place AI activities straight into content. Scores and feedback flow back through LTI or API services into Brightspace’s gradebook. The end result is that Brightspace instructors and students gain AI-powered tutoring and content-generation tools *without leaving their LMS*, preserving workflow and security. As ibl.ai notes, this plug-in approach “enhances current educational systems” and leverages existing investments. Thanks to Brightspace’s extensibility and mentorAI’s standards-based design, courses can include an always-available AI mentor that feels like a built-in part of the learning environment. Learn more at [https://ibl.ai](https://ibl.ai)