Share Kaltura Videos with Selected Students in Canvas

Keep the video in Kaltura (My Media) and embed it in a Canvas Assignment (recommended) or Page. Then use Assign to to limit visibility to just two students (or a small section with only them), which is Chico State’s documented method for selective visibility and more reliable than adding Kaltura as a Module External Tool item.

Quick Links: | Prerequisites | Instructions | Troubleshooting | Next Steps |

Introduction

Sometimes you need to share a lecture video with just a couple of students—without exposing it to the whole class. The cleanest, most reliable way in Canvas is to keep the video in Kaltura (My Media) and embed it inside an Assignment or Page that’s restricted to specific students. This approach uses Canvas’s Assign to controls, which are Chico State’s documented method for selective visibility. It also avoids the pitfalls of adding Kaltura as a standalone Module item, which can be harder to restrict to individuals.

Prerequisites

• Instructor role in the Canvas course
• Access to Kaltura My Media
• The video uploaded to Kaltura (it can remain private/unpublished in Kaltura)
• The names of the two students (or a small section that contains just them)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Share Kaltura videos with only selected students

There are several ways to share a Kaltura video privately. The recommended method is an Assignment (No Submission / 0 points). You can also use a Page. Both methods embed the Kaltura video and then use Assign to to limit access to only the intended students.

Method 1: Assignment (recommended)

To share the video using an Assignment, do the following:

1. In your course, open Assignments, then select + Assignment.

2. Give the assignment a clear name (for example, “Lecture Video – Makeup Viewing”).

3. Set Points to 0 and set Submission Type to No Submission (optional but recommended).

4. In the rich content editor, select the Kaltura icon (or Apps → Kaltura) and choose your video from My Media to embed it.

5. Scroll to the Assign area. Change Assign to from Everyone to the two specific students (or the single small section that includes only them).

6. Adjust Due/Available from/Until dates if needed.

7. Select Save & Publish.

Now the assignment is published, and only the selected students can open it and view the embedded video.

Method 2: Page

To share the video using a Page, do the following:

1. In your course, open Pages, then select + Page.

2. Give the page a clear name (for example, “Lecture Video – Private Access”).

3. In the rich content editor, select the Kaltura icon (or Apps → Kaltura) and choose your video from My Media to embed it.

4. Select Save, then select Publish on the page.

5. Add the page to a Module if desired. In the page’s Assign area (if using module requirements/assignments), or via module settings, ensure only the intended students have access. If you need individual control, consider Method 1 instead.

Now the page is published with the Kaltura video, and access is limited to only the assigned students (when using Canvas’s selective visibility tools). For the most consistent individual targeting, use the Assignment method.

Why not add “Kaltura External Tool” directly as a Module item?

In many Canvas setups, External Tool module items can’t be assigned to individual students and can be tricky to restrict reliably. Embedding inside an Assignment or Page and using Assign to is the safer, Chico State–documented approach.

Troubleshooting

• A student says they can’t see the video

  • Confirm the item is Published and, if in a Module, the Module is Published and prerequisites are met.

  • Check Assign to: it must list only the intended students (or a tiny section that includes them).

  • Keeping the video private in Kaltura My Media is fine—the embed still plays for students who can access the Canvas item.

• You don’t see the Kaltura icon in the editor

  • Select Apps and search for Kaltura. If it’s still missing, enable the Kaltura tool in Settings → Navigation or contact support for your course’s Kaltura integration.

• You need to target a small group repeatedly

  • Create a dedicated section that contains just those students and use Assign to with that section for simpler, repeatable sharing.

Next Steps (Optional)