Note: The information below applies to customers who already have an LMS integration with CompTIA. If you are interested in establishing an integration, please contact your Sales representative to be connected with our Integration team. For additional details on setup, refer to our integration configuration articles.
CompTIA’s LTI 1.3 tools leverage LTI Advantage Services — specifically Deep Linking and Assignment and Grade Services (AGS) — to send grades from our learning platforms directly to your LMS, typically within seconds after an activity is completed. While multiple CompTIA platforms support this functionality, some features vary by product.
Which Activities Return Grades?
CertMaster Learn, Labs, Perform (2024+) Products
All items except Section Headers can return grades.
When adding links, you will be prompted to choose which items should sync grades with your LMS.
CertMaster Learn (2023 and Prior)
Grades are returned for items selected from these content categories:
Practice Questions
Performance-Based Questions
Assessments
Labs
Grades will sync for any activity completed during a session as long as a corresponding published activity exists in the LMS gradebook.
Items outside these categories are not graded and therefore do not send scores to the LMS.
CertMaster Labs (2023 and Prior)
Current Labs
Most labs return a numeric score from 0–100 based on learner performance. These labs can be identified by titles beginning with:
Assisted Lab
Applied Lab
Virtual Workbench Lab
They default to a point value of 100 when added to an LMS.
Older Labs
Some legacy labs return a Complete/Incomplete score (1 or 0). These labs do not include the titles listed above and default to 1 point in the LMS. Currently, the only active certification using this format is ITF+ (FC0-U61).
Virtual Workbench Labs (A+ Core 1)
Learners must complete the required virtual hardware tasks in the specified mode and answer any associated quiz questions to receive full credit.
CertMaster Practice
Grades are returned when students launch a module or practice exam through a direct LMS integration link.
If learners access content from the Learner Dashboard, grades will not sync.
Because Practice modules require learners to correctly answer each question before completion, they will always return a 100% score.
Practice Tests, which simulate the certification exam, return performance-based scores.
Technical Requirements
For successful grade passback:
Learners must maintain a stable internet connection during activity completion.
Students must access CertMaster through the integration link within the correct LMS course.
Only one LMS assignment should be associated with each graded activity per course.
The activity must be gradeable.
Your LMS must support LTI 1.3 with Advantage Services (Deep Linking and AGS) and have these features enabled.
Settings vary by LMS. Consult your LMS-specific configuration guide or contact your CompTIA Integration specialist for assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which LMS platforms support AGS?
Many LMS platforms support this functionality, including:
Canvas
Moodle
D2L Brightspace
Blackboard Learn / Ultra
Populi
You can also review 1EdTech’s list of LTI 1.3-certified platforms to confirm compatibility.
How quickly do grades sync?
Grades typically appear in the LMS within 20 seconds after the learner reaches the activity review or scoring screen — often faster.
How much setup is required?
The integration tool must be configured to accept grades during initial setup. In most LMS platforms, the gradebook column is automatically created when the integration link is added to a course.
Can I choose which grade is sent (first, highest, or most recent)?
CertMaster 2023 and prior: Always sends the most recent grade.
CertMaster 2024+: Default to sending the highest grade but can be configured to send the most recent instead.
What if this grading behavior doesn’t meet my needs?
Some LMS platforms allow instructors to filter grades by date or attempt number. For example, Canvas offers an “Allowed Attempts” setting that locks the grade after a specified number of submissions.
Note that these controls affect only the LMS gradebook — learners may still retake activities in CertMaster, where the latest attempt remains recorded.
My course is live and grades are not syncing. What should I do?
We strongly recommend testing grade passback before launching a course.
If grades are not syncing, review the Technical Requirements above. The most common issues involve:
Internet connectivity
Students launching content from the wrong LMS course
This can occur in CertMaster Learn when learners enrolled in multiple courses enter through one course and switch certifications using the platform dropdown.
Can grades be resent if activities were misconfigured?
2023 and prior products: Grades cannot be resent. Instructors must manually enter scores or have students retake the activities.
2024+ products: Grades can be resent — but only for the entire class, not individual students.