Aspen Integration Overview

Instructure supports a SIS integration with Aspen Student Information System (SIS). The integration uses APIs made available from OneRoster 1.1 where the SIS is the OneRoster data provider, and Instructure is the OneRoster data consumer. Learn more about OneRoster and the Instructure OneRoster implementation.

The Instructure Aspen integration allows Aspen to sync rostering data to Canvas and for Canvas to post assignments and assignment grades back to the Aspen gradebook.

As an admin, you can review the integration functionality and limitations and request the integration for your institution.

Integration Overview

The OneRoster integration works bi-directionally:

  • Aspen to Canvas Provisioning: When you make rostering changes in Aspen (users, courses, enrollments, etc.), those changes are reflected in Canvas after a nightly, one-way transfer from your SIS's OneRoster 1.1 API to Canvas.
  • Canvas to Aspen Grade Passback (GPB): When instructors make changes or updates to course assignments and student grades in Canvas, those changes are sent to your SIS using OneRoster 1.1 API. Learn about syncing grades from Canvas to the Aspen gradebook.

Note: OneRoster provisioning is required for GPB functionality.

Supported Objects

The following data is included in any provisioning or GPB transfer.

Provisioning:

  • Courses
  • Enrollments
  • Sections
  • Staff
  • Students
  • Sub-accounts
  • Terms

GPB:

  • Course Grades/Gradebook Scores
  • Gradebook Comments (up to 100 characters)
  • Graded Assignments
  • Graded Discussions
  • Graded Quizzes

Aspen Integration Prerequisites

Before implementing the Instructure Aspen integration, your institution must meet the following requirements:

  1. Request your institution's OneRoster 1.1 credentials from Aspen. These OneRoster credentials (API URL, client key, and client secret) should be sent to the Instructure SIS team using a secure Canvas-provided link.
  2. Once you have shared your OneRoster credentials, the Instructure SIS team will verify the integration connectivity.
  3. If your institution is converting from one SIS to another or transitioning from a different integration, the SIS team must perform an evaluation of the integration against your data. The SIS team will contact you with any concerns about converting to the Aspen integration.

Known Aspen Integration Limitations

Aspen to Canvas provisioning supports only Student, Teacher, and Parent user role passback. The Aspen user roles of Aide, Proctor, and Relative are not supported for provisioning.

For GPB to successfully sync assignment and grade data from Canvas to Aspen, instructors must:

  • Enter assignment scores to the Canvas gradebook. Scores must be numeric. Additionally, Missing, Late, or Excused assignment scores in Canvas will not sync unless the gradebook also displays a numeric score.
  • Create grading categories in the Aspen gradebook for each course section in which they are enrolled.
  • Select a default grading scale to apply to each new assignment added to a grading category.

Additionally, deleting an assignment in Canvas does not remove the assignment from the Aspen gradebook. Deleted assignments in Canvas must also be manually deleted in Aspen.

Next Steps

If you are interested in enabling the Aspen Integration for provisioning, please contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) for consideration.

Additional Resources