What Edlink Is
Edlink provides software (primarily to other edtech companies) that dramatically simplifies the process of building LMS & SIS integrations.
- Unified API Solution: Edlink offers a unified API that allows edtech companies to integrate with multiple learning management systems (LMS), student information systems (SIS). Our solution consolidates connections to systems like Google Classroom, Canvas, Schoology, and more into a single set of endpoints and models, making integration fast and easy.
- Data Management Tools: Edlink provides tools for schools and developers to manage their integrations & data. These tools are for processes like filtering, transforming, and overriding data and can also facilitate school onboarding and troubleshooting. The Edlink Dashboard allows edtech companies to focus on building their core product rather than worrying spending time building out internal tooling in order to scale their integrations.
- Integration Support: Edlink provides professional guidance and expertise in building and deploying LMS & SIS integrations. We can share best practices, help troubleshoot issues, and provide guidance on how to build integrations that are scalable and reliable.
What Edlink Is Not
- Not a Product Adopted and Rolled Out by Schools: Schools do not adopt and roll out Edlink directly; instead, edtech companies use it to facilitate integrations with school data providers. Edlink operates largely in the background and is likely unknown to students and teachers.
- Not a Custom Dev Shop: Edlink is not focused on bespoke software development for unique client needs. Its service is standardized to serve broad integration functions rather than custom projects. We cannot build your Edlink integration for you, but we can provide guidance and support as you build it. Alternatively, we can recommend a partner who can help you build your integration.
- Not a Platform for Any Data Source Connection: The platform is designed specifically for integration with educational systems and does not cater to all data source connections outside of this scope. There also may be platform specific limitations that limit Edlink's functionality for certain platforms. Please see our full list of integrations for more information.
- Not a Point to Point Solution: While Edlink can offer integrations with specific systems, it is not a point-to-point solution. Just because we connect to Google Classroom and Canvas, does not mean that we can facilitate communication between Google Classroom and Canvas. Edlink is designed to help edtech companies integrate with multiple systems, not to facilitate communication between those systems. We do offer a solution for syncing data between Google Classroom and various SIS (e.g. Veracross, Blackbaud) called Flow.
Comparison with Clever & Classlink
Edlink is distinct in the way it operates compared to Clever and Classlink, although they all contribute to school data integration in various ways. Here are some key points expanding on the differences and roles of these platforms:
- Technical Connection: While Clever and Classlink are platforms directly adopted by schools, Edlink operates as a backend facilitator. Schools and districts may be only loosely aware of Edlink since it is not directly adopted or rolled out to teachers and students. Instead, it enables edtech companies to integrate with these platforms without needing to build direct connections themselves.
- Integration Approach: For Clever and Classlink, schools manage access by adding applications from their respective app libraries, similar to how you would on a personal device. Edlink, however, provides application developers with an onboarding process that is driven more by their own product and operational needs.
- Pricing Model: Clever charges edtech companies for the integration per school, whereas Classlink charges the schools themselves and provides integrations for free to vendors. Edlink's pricing model varies based on your use case, but typically revolves around the number of synced people using the your application.
- Service Focus: Edlink is primarily focused on the challenges faced by edtech companies rather than schools. We act as a technical enabler so that these companies can say "yes" to integration requests from schools without incurring the typical costs and technical challenges directly.
- Interoperability Enhancement: Once an edtech company integrates with Edlink, they gain interoperability across many systems supported by Edlink (including Clever and Classlink), regardless of what system(s) a school utilizes. This drastically reduces the complexity and time required for edtech companies to become integrated with different school systems.
In summary, Edlink is more of an invisible facilitator that enhances the backend connectivity and operational capabilities of edtechs, while Clever and Classlink serve more visible roles for schools in directly managing educational apps and resources.