Using WordPress CMS as intranet with SSO and access only from Moodle

Why do we need WordPress integration with Moodle?

Moodle is a wonderful LMS (learning Management System) and has many features to help with SIS (School Information System) but it lacks several aspects of a CMS (Content Management System) for example:

  • Intranet for organization wide posts and information
  • e-commerce
  • Ticket based support system

WordPress with its vast array of 3rd party contributed plugins can be made to have any of these desirable features. For example, to implement e-commerce we can use a plugin such as Woo-Commerce with integrated payment gateways of your choice such as Paypal, etc. We can use a plugin such as WP Support Plus for a comprehensive ticket based support system. And so on.

It is very easy to integrate WordPress into the Moodle environment and more importantly have limited secure access only to its users with no separate sign-on. I describe below how this is done.

  1. Setup your multi-site WordPress site on a separate server or same server as Modle. Restrict your site(s) to only signed-in users (use a plug-in for this restriction, if necessary).
  2. Download this free LTI plug-in.
  3. Install the plug-in and network activate it. Generate an ID and secret key from this plug-in in WordPress.
  4. In Moodle set up a new LTI and use the above generated credentials.
  5. This LTI instance can now be added to your course as a new LTI activity.
  6. Create your new Intranet site(s) in your multi-site with appropriate names.
  7.  Modify the file /doConnect.php as indicated in the readme.txt file – An example is shown here:  this code from GitHub

Now when your users in that course click on the LTI activity they are taken to the appropriate intranet site and they are logged in automatically! All others are excluded from these Intranet sites.

Posted in Intranet, moodle, WordPress and tagged , , , , .