Set up the Pearson integration for Canvas

Updated 06 Jan 2023

Add the Pearson Access link if you don't see it.
Pair your Canvas course with a MyLab or Mastering course.
Add assignment or course tool links.
Get students started.
Sync grades.

Not sure which integration you're using in Canvas? This topic covers the Pearson integration. The app for the Pearson integration (also known as LTI Advantage or LTI 1.3) is usually named Pearson Access. The app for the MyLab and Mastering integration (also known as LTI Legacy or LTI 1.1) is usually named MyLab and Mastering. Check with your Canvas administrator if you're unsure which integration was set up for you.

Step 1: Add the Pearson Access link

If you don't see the link, add it to your Canvas course.

Watch a video

If your course will belong to a course group (copied from a template or a coordinator course), set up the template before creating student-use copies.
Open your Canvas course.
Select Settings in the left navigation. Then select the Navigation tab.
Under Drag items here to hide them from students at the bottom of the page, select Enable from for Pearson Access.
If you don't see the link you want, contact your system administrator. Provide the administration guide for Pearson integration.
Move Pearson Access where you want in the list and then select Save. For example:
Select the Pearson Access link in the left navigation.
Agree to any authorization requests.

Next, pair your courses.

Return to top

Step 2: Link accounts and pair courses

To access MyLab and Mastering from your LMS course, link your accounts once. Then pair your courses and set up assignments in your MyLab or Mastering course.

Link your accounts

If you're a section instructor or teaching assistant, see Register as a section instructor or TA.

Select the MyLab and Mastering, Pearson, or Pearson Access link. (Add the link if you don't see it.)
Prompted to get started?
Select Get Started to link your accounts.
Prompted to open Pearson?
Select Open Pearson. You might see another page telling you how to re-open your content. If MyLab and Mastering isn't already open in another tab, return to your LMS course navigation and select the MyLab and Mastering or Pearson link again. In a partner integration, your link is something like BookShelf or Launch courseware.
Agree to any authorization requests.
Enter the username and password from your existing Pearson instructor account and select Link accounts. If you don't have an account, select Create an account and follow the prompts. You can only link one LMS account to one Pearson account.
Select Continue.

Prompted to choose your product?

If you're asked to choose your product, select MyLab | Mastering. (For Revel, eText, or Live Response, go to Revel and Pearson eText for your LMS Help.) Your selection is permanent and can't be undone.
Select Get Started on the Pearson Home page.
If you aren't a validated instructor, select Get Started and follow the prompts to enter details about your role. Wait for a confirmation email.

Next, pair your courses.

Pair your courses

Start from your LMS course to pair it with a new or copy of a MyLab or Mastering course. You can't pair MyLab or Mastering courses you created outside your LMS course such as from the MyLab and Mastering website. However, you can pair copies of these existing MyLab or Mastering courses.

To create or copy a MyLab or Mastering course, choose one of the options available to you:
- Search the catalog.
  Pearson Seamless
  After you find and select content, you'll see options to copy another instructor's content or any content you've used previously. You can't pair or associate content you created outside your LMS course such as from the MyLab and Mastering or Revel website. However, you can add copies of this content.
  Ad blocker
  Your browser may have an ad blocking extension, such as AdBlock Plus or uBlock Origin. Temporarily disable the extension for this site. See your browser Help for instructions. Then open Pearson and resume pairing your courses.
- Copy a previous course you’ve taught with. (Learn what's included in the copy.)
  See a banner saying, "Your course is a copy?"
  You might be offered the option to copy a paired course. Select Yes, copy this course to copy the course and its assignment or course tool links.
  If you select Yes, copy this course, you can't rename the MyLab or Mastering course or change due dates for assignments from the Enter Course Details page that appears later (see steps 4 and 5 below). Instead, after you finish pairing your courses, go to https://mlm.pearson.com/ to edit the course name and dates. See My Courses Help for instructions. If you select No, create another course, use the same course ID as the original to copy the assignment or course tool links and avoid duplicate grades.
- Enter a course ID to copy another instructor's course. For a member section in a course group, enter the course ID of the MyLab coordinator course.
- Select the course materials provided to you.
Select your course.
Choose a course type:
- If you want students to enroll in the course, select Student-use Course.
- If you don't intend students to enroll in the course, select Instructor-use only. For managing multiple sections for a MyLab course, consider using a MyLab coordinator course in a course group. For MyLab IT courses paired with your LMS, you must copy an existing coordinator course.
Enter the course name and description. Use something specific for the name like your term and class section. This helps you quickly identify the course later.
Select the course dates.
- Students who try to register before the start date get a course2 error.
- Students can no longer open the Pearson course on the course end date (Eastern Time, US). Set a date after the last re-take opportunity for the final exam.
Select whether to allow other instructors to copy your course using your course ID. You can change this setting later.
Select Create course. You'll see a confirmation message.
Wait for email confirmation your course is created. This might take up to 3 hours.
Close the browser tab, and return to your LMS course

Next, set up assignments.

Set up assignments

From your LMS course, select the MyLab and Mastering, Pearson, or Pearson Access link. Don't see the link?
Select Open MyLab & Mastering.
Make sure assignments are set up in your MyLab or Mastering course. Assign due dates in your Mastering course. Manage due dates only from your MyLab or Mastering course, not your LMS course.
To successfully sync grades and open assignments, make sure assignment names are fewer than 128 characters. Avoid UTF-8 or these characters \ / " * < > + = | , % ! &
Return to your LMS course.

Next, add assignment or tool links or get students started.

Return to top

Step 3: Add assignment or course tool links

Optionally, you can add links that students use to open MyLab or Mastering assignments or course tools, such as Grades or Pearson eText, from your Canvas course. Learn how assignment or course tool links function.

Prerequisites: First pair your MyLab or Mastering and Canvas courses and set up assignments in your MyLab or Mastering course.

Automatically create all assignment links - NEW

If available, create links for all your assignments by syncing grades and then adding the links to your modules. Want to add course tool or specific assignment links?

Select the Pearson Access link and then Open Pearson. Don't see the link or need details?
Sync grades to make links available. Make sure you select the assignments you want to add as links.
After you sync grades, links appear by default in the Canvas Assignments content area. You might need to wait a short while.
Add the links to a Canvas assignment in a module such as MyLab and Mastering Assignments. (See Canvas Help for how to add content to modules.)
Open MyLab and Mastering assignments from within your Canvas course. You might need to refresh the page.

Manually add assignment or course tool links

Choose how you'd like to manually add links.

Add assignment or course tool links to a module

Select Modules in the left navigation and then + Module.
Enter a module name and select Add Module.
Select the plus (+) sign for the new module.
From the Add list, select External Tool.
Select Pearson Links.
From the Add links from list, choose whether to see assignments or course tools. Then scroll to see all the links or search for specific links. Choose a column heading to sort.
Select one or more assignment or tool links and then Add link. The button shows the number of links you selected. You might need to scroll down to the button.
Select Add Item.

You'll see the links in your module.
To ensure links function properly, set them to open in a new tab or window. Select Options () next to each link and Edit.

Next, select the Load in a new tab check box and Update.

Next, get students started.

Add assignment or course tool links from the assignments list

Select Assignments in the left navigation.
Select Options () next to the assignment and then Edit. (Or you can select the assignment and then Edit.)
Select More Options.
From the Submission Type list, select External Tool.
Select Find.
Select Pearson Links from the list.
From the Add links from list, choose whether to see assignments or course tools. Then scroll to see all the links or search for a specific link. Choose a column heading to sort.
Select one link. If you then select a different link, the previous link is automatically deselected.
Select Add link. You might need to scroll down to the button.

You'll see the URL for the link under Configure External Tool.
Choose Select.
You'll see the URL for your link under Enter or find an External Tool URL.
Select Save. To open the assignment in MyLab and Mastering, select Open Pearson.

Next, get students started.

Add an assignment or course tool link to a content area

These instructions cover adding a link to a content area for an assignment. You can also add links to content pages.

Select Assignments in the left navigation.
Select plus (+) to create new assignment.
Select the Apps icon .
From the list, select Pearson Links. You might need to select View All to see this option.
From the Add links from list, choose whether to see assignments or course tools. Then scroll to see all the links or search for a specific link. Choose a column heading to sort.
We recommend you select a single link and then Add link. You might need to scroll down to the button.

Canvas names the link. You can edit the name using link options. See Canvas Help for instructions. (If you added multiple links, their names are grouped together. You can separate them and edit their names.)
Add any other assignment details and then select Save or Save and Publish.

You'll see the link with your settings applied.

To add more links, repeat the previous steps. When you select the Apps icon, Pearson Links appears as an option.

Next, get students started.

Return to top

Step 4: Get students started

After you pair your LMS course with a MyLab or Mastering course, it’s simple for your students to open MyLab and Mastering or Pearson. Students link accounts and might need to purchase access. Options include pre-purchased access code, credit card, PayPal, or free 14-day temporary access. You don't need to give students course IDs or invite links. Communicate your course activity expectations and grade weighting with students. Let them know what's required for your course, including purchase options. Also, like instructors, students can download diagnostics to provide to Pearson support.

Student resources

Share registration instructions and other resources with your students early so they can immediately engage with course materials. We suggest copying and pasting these URLs into an email to students before classes start or your syllabus. Another option is to add these URLs as links in a getting started section of your Canvas course. See Canvas Help for how to add links.

Video: https://pearsoncustomersuccess.co/324b21
PDF: https://pearsoncustomersuccess.co/nns
Student Help: https://help.pearsoncmg.com/integration/cg/student/

Return to top

Step 5: Sync grades

Sync grades one-way from your MyLab or Mastering course to your Canvas course. Learn how grade sync works.

Prepare for grade sync in your MyLab or Mastering course

From your LMS course, select the MyLab and Mastering, Pearson, or Pearson Access link. (For Blackboard Original, go to the content area and select the Pearson link. For Blackboard Ultra, select View Course & Institution Tools and the Pearson icon.) Don't see the link?
Select Open MyLab & Mastering.
In your MyLab and Mastering course, turn on any grade settings and create assignments that meet the guidelines below. If needed, set availability/due dates and choose grade sync settings.
Guidelines: To avoid problems opening MyLab and Mastering courses and syncing grades, make sure names and settings don't have UTF-8 and these special characters: \ / " * < > + = | , % ! &
Depending on your MyLab and Mastering platform, there are different ways to prepare for grade sync.
Mastering
See Mastering Help for grade sync considerations.
MyLab
See MyLab Help for how to set up grade sync from your MyLab course and choose how to sync scores.
MyLab IT and World Languages
See MyLab Help for how to set up grade sync from your MyLab course and choose how to sync scores.

Next, return to your LMS course to set up grade sync.

Set up grade sync from your Canvas course

Watch a video

Prerequisite: To avoid problems opening your MyLab or Mastering course and syncing grades, make sure names and settings in your Canvas course don't have UTF-8 and these special characters: \ / " * < > + = | , % ! &

From your Canvas course, select the Pearson Access link. Don't see the link?
Select Grade Sync.
To automatically sync grades as they become available, select On for Automatic Grade Sync. This doesn't sync past grades. (If Off is selected, MyLab and Mastering grades only sync to Canvas when you select Sync Grades Now.)
Regardless of whether automatic grade sync is turned on, use Sync Grades Now anytime to manually sync all existing grades, including grades available before you turned auto sync on.
Make selections in the Items to Sync list. You might need to wait up to 15 minutes after you set up grade sync to see these items.
Select Sync Grades Now to create links for any assignments and to initially populate the Canvas gradebook.

See also: Get diagnostics

Return to top