Connect a Course to Top Hat (VitalSource + D2L Brightspace LTI 1.3)

These instructions are for Educators who use D2L as their LMS and have the VitalSource Course Materials tool enabled at their school. If you are unsure which integration you have available, please connect with your Top Hat Customer Success Manager. These instructions assume that the required pre-administrative work has been completed.

Table of Contents

1. Pre-Connection Steps & Checks
2. Connecting the D2L course to Top Hat
   1. Old D2L Interface
   2. New D2L Interface
3. Student Roster
4. Deep Linking Assignments
   1. Old D2L Interface
   2. New D2L Interface
5. Grade Syncing
   1. Automatic Grade Sync for Deep-Linked Content
   2. Actions that Initiate a Grade Sync
6. Manual Grade Sync
   1. Grade Types Requiring Manual Sync
   2. Steps to Sync
7. Support

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Pre-Connection Steps & Checks

Ensure the course is not currently connected to an existing D2L course:

1. Navigate to Top Hat Course Settings > LTI 1.3 or Legacy LMS Sync tab.
2. Click Disconnect (only required if previously connected).

Image: Course settings page showing the "Disconnect" button.

Note: The Top Hat LTI 1.3 Course Launch Link is required for educators to establish the connection and for students to sync their grades. Do not remove this link from D2L.

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Connecting the D2L course to Top Hat

Old User Interface (D2L)

1. Open your D2L course, navigate to the Content tab, select Add a module, and give it a title. Open the module you created.

   

2. In the module you have just created, select Existing Activities.
3. Find and select the VitalSource Course Materials Launch tool from the External Learning Tools list. (The school's administrative team is responsible for the tool naming convention and may have titled this slightly differently).

   
   
   

4. After selecting it, you will be taken back to the content page in D2L. Ensure the link is now visible to students.
5. Select the tool link you just created to be directed to the VitalSource course materials page.
6. Select Launch Courseware.

   

7. Search for or select the Top Hat course you want to connect to. Click Continue.

   
   
   

8. To verify the course is connected, click View Course in Top Hat, navigate to Course Settings, and select the LTI 1.3 LMS Sync tab.

   

New User Interface (D2L)

1. Open your D2L course, select Content, and then click + New Unit.

   

2. From the window that appears, give the new unit a title (e.g., "Top Hat Course Launch Link").

   

3. Select Add Existing.

   

4. Find and select the VitalSource Course Materials Launch tool from the External Learning Tools list.

   

5. After selecting it, you will be taken back to the content page in D2L. Ensure the link is now visible to students.
6. Select the tool link you just created to be directed to the VitalSource course materials page.
7. Select Launch Courseware.

   

8. Search for or select the Top Hat course you want to connect to. Click Continue.

   
   
   

9. To verify the course is connected, click View Course in Top Hat, navigate to Course Settings, and select the LTI 1.3 LMS Sync tab.

   

Note: If you encounter any issues connecting your D2L course to Top Hat, please contact Top Hat Support.

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Student Roster

Please ensure your D2L course is Published first to allow students to enroll.

Your Student Roster in Top Hat will update each night to reflect your current D2L roster. You can update the roster manually at any time by clicking Sync Roster.

After the course is connected for the first time, all students enrolled in the D2L course will appear in the Students tab in Top Hat. Any subsequent manual roster syncs will temporarily remove students from the Student Manager in Top Hat unless they have clicked the Top Hat link in D2L to authenticate their accounts.

Students who did not enroll through the D2L link will appear in your Top Hat roster as "Action Required". Direct these students to click the Top Hat link in your D2L module. Any previously awarded grades will automatically re-populate in Top Hat once their account correctly joins the course.

The roster sync occurs nightly and the blue notification bar will reflect the time according to your current location.

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Deep Linking Assignments

What is a deep link? It's a link that directs a user to a specific item inside an app instead of a general website. Deep-linked content has its grades synced automatically to D2L—either immediately (if Live Gradebook is enabled) or after the deadline in Top Hat has passed.

Important Rules for Deep Linking!

• Deep links must be established before the content is assigned to students in Top Hat and before students have responded.
• If prompted, do not adjust the point value in D2L. This will scale automatically upon the sync with Top Hat.

Old User Interface (D2L)

1. Open your D2L course and navigate to the Content tab. Select Add a module to create a new module for the deep links. (Alternatively, open the existing module you created to add the VitalSource tool).

   
   
   

2. In the module you have just created, select Existing Activities and locate the previously used VitalSource Deep Link tool.
3. A new window will open. From the course materials window, select Open Publisher Tool.

   

4. You will then be prompted to continue to Top Hat.
5. Use the checkboxes to select the specific content items you want to deep link to D2L, and choose whether you want grades for these items to automatically sync after they are released to students. Click Continue.

   

6. On the next screen, click Confirm.
7. You will be taken back to D2L. Make the Assignment in D2L visible to students.
8. Final Step: Head back to Top Hat and assign the content to students. Without this step, the deep link is not yet complete.

   

New User Interface (D2L)

1. Open your D2L course, select Content, and then click + New Unit to create a new unit for the deep links. (Alternatively, open the existing unit you created to add the initial VitalSource tool).

   

2. From the window that appears, give the new unit a name.

   

3. Select Add Existing and locate the VitalSource Deep Link tool.

   

4. A new window will open. From the course materials window, select Open Publisher Tool.

   

5. You will then be prompted to continue to Top Hat.
6. Use the checkboxes to select the specific content items you want to deep link to D2L, and choose whether you want grades for these items to automatically sync after they are released to students. Click Continue.

   

7. On the next screen, click Confirm.
8. You will be taken back to D2L. Make the Assignment in D2L visible to students.
9. Final Step: Head back to Top Hat and assign the content to students. Without this step, the deep link is not yet complete.

   

The deep link is now established.

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Grade Syncing

Automatic Grade Sync for Deep-Linked Content

To ensure students have access to course content, deep-linked items must be assigned in Top Hat. This allows students to interact with the content and submit responses for grading. Grades for deep-linked items are automatically synced to the LMS once they are published to students.

Definition: A grade is "published" when it becomes visible to students. This occurs when:

• The homework deadline passes.
• The assignment is unassigned.
• Live Gradebook is enabled.

Actions that Initiate a Grade Sync

The following instructor or system actions will trigger a grade sync from Top Hat to D2L, provided the grades have already been published:

• Student Enrollment Changes: A student re-enrolls in the course or switches sections after grades were already published.
• Live Gradebook: When Live Gradebook is enabled and a student submits a response. Student grades update immediately without requiring the content to be unassigned.
• Status Changes: An assignment’s due date passes or an instructor manually unassigns the content.
• Content Organization: Published content within a folder is moved to another location.
• Manual Overrides: A grade or attendance record is manually entered or edited in the Gradebook.
• Point Adjustments: A previously published grade is edited by adjusting the point value.
• Exemptions: An instructor excuses or unexcuses a previously published grade.

Important: If grades have not been published, they will not sync to D2L. This ensures instructors have full control over when grades are finalized and shared.

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Manual Grade Sync

If a grade column is not deep-linked, you must manually push the data to D2L. This ensures that scores not tied to specific interactive content are accurately reflected in your LMS Grade Center.

Grade Types Requiring Manual Sync

The following grade types can only be synced manually:

• Attendance: Daily presence records.
• Course Aggregate Grade: The "Totals" column in the Top Hat Gradebook (combined correctness and participation).
• Manually Entered Grades: Custom columns created by the instructor. Learn how to add manual columns.

Steps to Sync

1. In the Top Hat Gradebook, click the Sync button.
2. Select the specific grade columns you wish to sync to D2L.
3. Click Sync with LMS to confirm and initiate the process.

Image: Manual Grade Sync with D2L

Note: Small sync jobs may complete in seconds. Larger courses or multiple columns may take longer depending on student count and server activity.

Pro Tip: If you re-assign an item to students after a deadline, a manual sync is often required to update the scores in D2L.

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Support & Resources

Should you require further assistance with Top Hat, our Support Team is here to help! You can contact us through our online support form here.