Canvas Roles

LTI generally recognizes that users make use of the integrated functionality offered by tools to platforms. These users typically come with a defined role with respect to the context within which they operate when using a tool.

The role represents the level of privilege a user has been given within the context hosted by the platform. Typical roles are "learner", "instructor", and "administrator". Note that it's entirely possible that a user might have a different role in a different context (a user that is a "student" in one context may be an "instructor" in another, for example).

The IMS role vocabularies are derived from the LIS specification

LTI 1.1 using the LIS 1.1 Roles

Canvas Role Role type IMS role
user System role urn:lti:sysrole:ims/lis/User
siteadmin System role urn:lti:sysrole:ims/lis/SysAdmin
teacher Institution role urn:lti:instrole:ims/lis/Instructor
student Institution role urn:lti:instrole:ims/lis/Student
admin Institution role urn:lti:instrole:ims/lis/Administrator
observer Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/Learner/NonCreditLearner
observer Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/Mentor
AccountUser Institution role urn:lti:instrole:ims/lis/Administrator
StudentEnrollment Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/Learner
TeacherEnrollment Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/Instructor
TaEnrollment Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/TeachingAssistant
DesignerEnrollment Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/ContentDeveloper
ObserverEnrollment Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/Learner/NonCreditLearner
ObserverEnrollment Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/Mentor
StudentViewEnrollment Context role urn:lti:role:ims/lis/Learner

Source: LTI 1.1 - Role vocabularies

LTI 1.3 using the LIS 2.0 Roles

Canvas Role Role type IMS role
user System role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/system/person#User
siteadmin System role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/system/person#SysAdmin
teacher Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Instructor
student Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Student
admin Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Administrator
AccountUser Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Administrator
TaEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Instructor
TaEnrollment Context sub-role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership/Instructor#TeachingAssistant
StudentEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Learner
TeacherEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Instructor
DesignerEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#ContentDeveloper
ObserverEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Mentor
StudentViewEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Learner

Source: LTI 1.3 - Role vocabularies

LTI 1.3 using the LIS 2.0 LTI Advantage Roles

Canvas Role Role type IMS role
user System role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/system/person#User
siteadmin System role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/system/person#SysAdmin
fake_student System role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lti/system/person#TestUser
teacher Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Instructor
student Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Student
admin Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Administrator
AccountUser Institution role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/institution/person#Administrator
TaEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Instructor
TaEnrollment Context sub-role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership/Instructor#TeachingAssistant
StudentEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Learner
TeacherEnrollment Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Instructor
DesignerEnrollment Context sub-role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#ContentDeveloper
ObserverEnrollment Context sub-role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Mentor
StudentViewEnrollment Context sub-role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Learner
StudentViewEnrollment System role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lti/system/person#TestUser
:group_member Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Member
:group_leader Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Member
:group_leader Context role http://purl.imsglobal.org/vocab/lis/v2/membership#Manager

Source: LTI 1.3 - Role vocabularies