# Canvas Roles

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## 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](https://www.imsglobal.org/activity/onerosterlis#LIS)

### 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](http://www.imsglobal.org/specs/ltiv1p1/implementation-guide#toc-8)

### 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](https://www.imsglobal.org/spec/lti/v1p3#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](https://www.imsglobal.org/spec/lti/v1p3#role-vocabularies)

***

This documentation is generated directly from the Canvas LMS source code, available [on Github](https://github.com/instructure/canvas-lms).


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