Why does this error occur?
This error happens when Turnitin doesn’t receive a recognized user role from a Learning Management System (LMS) during the LTI launch.
Turnitin only accepts two standard roles:
Instructor
Student (Learner)
If another role type (such as Teaching Assistant, Observer, or any other custom role) is passed, Turnitin cannot provide access, and this error appears.
How to resolve this error
Check the user's LMS role
Ensure the user has been assigned either an Instructor or a Student role in the LMS course
Other roles must be mapped to one of these two standard roles in your LMS settings
Verify role mapping in your LMS
Some LMS platforms (e.g., Blackboard, Canvas, Moodle, D2L Brightspace) require administrators to map local or custom roles to the standard Instructor or Student roles
If the mapping is missing, Turnitin won’t recognize the role
Confirm that the LMS is sending role information
Your LMS must be configured to pass role details to Turnitin during the LTI launch
Check for required permissions
Ensure the role assigned to the user has the correct permissions to access the Turnitin tool (e.g., Instructors must be able to create assignments; Students must be able to submit work)
Test with a supported role
If you are unsure whether the current role is supported, try logging in with a user who is explicitly set as an Instructor or Student
If the error disappears, the issue is likely with role mapping
Contact your LMS administrator
If you do not have access to role or tool settings, please reach out to your LMS administrator, as they will be able to check role mappings, permissions, and the LTI launch configuration
Still need help?
If your LMS administrator has confirmed that the correct roles are mapped and passed to Turnitin, but the error continues, please contact Turnitin Support and provide:
The exact error message
The LMS you are using
A screenshot showing the role and permissions assigned to the affected user