Open Standards

IMS Global Learning Consortium Debuts Extended LTI Standard

• By Rhea Kelly
• 11/02/17

IMS Global Learning Consortium has introduced LTI Advantage, the next phase of market adoption for its Learning Tools Interoperability standard. The update is billed as "the next step in accelerating the movement toward a fully integrated and innovative digital ecosystem based on open standards," according to a news announcement.

The IMS website describes LTI Advantage as a "package of extensions that build on the core LTI standard" to provide deeper integration among learning technologies and support better teaching and learning experiences. For instance, it "enables deep linking of learning objects from anywhere in the learning environment, as well as flexible and secure passing of user and results data across all LTI-enabled applications" the announcement said. Such integrations "make it easier for faculty to innovate and meet the unique learning needs of students, save time provisioning courses, and dramatically reduce integration times," according to IMS.

"The ubiquitous adoption of LTI expanded the use of open interoperability standards in the education sector to levels never seen before," said Rob Abel, chief executive officer for IMS, in a statement. "LTI Advantage is based on years of market feedback from both institutions and suppliers. It is the right combination of simplicity of implementation with the power to go beyond costly custom integrations in terms of enabling teaching innovation, better data and better recognition of student achievement."

Ed tech vendors are expected to roll out LTI Advantage over the next year; IMS has developed sample RFP language, a recommended adoption roadmap and other resources to help institutions communicate with suppliers on supporting the standard. For more information, visit the IMS site.