© Blackboard, Inc. All rights reserved. Blackboard Learning System™ Vista Enterprise License The PowerLinks™ Kit Scott Stanley Washington DC 2006

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PowerLinks Kit for software development

PowerLinks Kit » PowerLinks Kit is now free for all customers with a Blackboard Learning System™ CE Enterprise License or CE Enterprise Ltd License » Includes access to the WebCT Vista Developers Network (DevNet) » Increases innovation through expanded community of practice

PowerLinks Kit for software development Extend – customize – collaborate! Extend the Learning Environment Collaborate through the Developers Network Preserve your Investment Over Time

Extend the Learning Environment Open the learning system to deliver end-user access to: » Custom in-house applications » Open source extensions » Other third-party applications

PowerLinks Kit Components

System Integration Framework » Focuses on enterprise data integration via live event feed or batch transactions » Uploading & importing bulk content » Courses, Sections, Groups » Users and Enrolments » Exporting grades to an SIS

System Integration Framework » Broken into 3 layers » Transport Layer » Translation Layer » Core Layer » Each layer processes requests, then hands them to the next layer

System Integration Framework » Transport Layer: » 3 built-in Adaptors » WebAPI » Command Line Interface » Luminis Data Integration Suite (SunGard HigherEd) » Option to write your own

System Integration Framework » Translation Layer: » 3 built-in Adaptors » IMS » LDIS (SunGard HigherEd) » Standard » Option to write your own

System Integration Framework » Core Layer » Processes final request and hands actions off to individual Vista services

Single Sign-On Framework » User can be authenticated across multiple applications into Vista without separate logins » Deployable Component (DC) framework for ‘plug- able’ authentication modules » DC framework includes Java base classes that can be extended

Single Sign-On Framework » How it works: » Create SSO PowerLink » Load it onto the system » PowerLink intercepts a select group of HTTP requests for validation » PowerLink validates the request » Passes it on to Vista for regular processing

Web Services » The Web Services SDK focuses on provided access to common user-oriented functions » editing a quiz, viewing grades, uploading content to My Files, etc… » Any WSDL-compliant client can be used to access Web Services

Web Services » Currently Supported Web Services: » Context » Gradebook » Calendar » Mail » Assessment » File Manager » Announcement

Application Bridging » Application Bridging is outbound Single-Sign-On from Vista » A user clicks on a Proxy Tool (a icon representing a custom PowerLink loaded via the DCF), and they are transferred out of Vista

Sample Application Physics Assessment Tool

Sample Application Physics Assessment Tool

Sample Application Physics Assessment Tool

Vista Developers Network » Collaborate » Solicit Advice » Provide Tips » Share Code

Vista Developers Network » Over 800 members » Over 1,700 Discussion posts » 15,000 visits » 6,000 page views per month » 35+ open-source PowerLink contributions

DevNet Contributions » Open Source Contributions include: » Standards Based Authentication » i.e. CAS and Shibboleth » PhpWiki Integration » RSS Feed Integration » Wordpress Blog Integration » Mobile Vista Mail Integration » …. And more!

Preserve your Investment » The Enterprise Architecture Advantage » 100% J2EE-compliant Java » IMS enterprise specifications » Modular and “plug-able” » Standard protocols: WSDL, SOAP, & HTTP

Preserve your Investment » Benefits of the PowerLinks approach » Rapid development » Integrate your extensions without impacting stability » Build once, upgrade with minimal effort

UWO PowerLinks Kit in Practice » Occupational Health and Safety Program: » Needs to automate certification process » The PowerLink allows Western Ontario to: » Selectively release certification tool to students scoring 80% or higher in a WebCT quiz » When student clicks on the tool it automatically: » Creates a PDF of the certificate » Includes user’s name & date » s certificate to the user

PowerLinks Kit in Practice: UWO Certificate of Achievement Tool

PowerLinks Kit in Practice: UWO Certificate of Achievement Tool

PowerLinks Kit in Practice: UWO Certificate of Achievement Tool

Take the Certification Quiz Take the Certification Quiz in Vista

Certificate Tool Selectively Released The Certification Tool is selectively released if user passes the exam

Certificate is Generated Certificate is Automatically created and stamped with user’s name Eldrick Woods July 26, 2006

PowerLinks Kit for software development Extend – customize – collaborate! Extend the Learning Environment Collaborate through the Developers Network Preserve your Investment Over Time